IS IT COLD ENOUGH FOR COATS YET?

"Rosas y Polillas" - the top view of the 10 inch decoupaged cake stand for sale on Saturday!

Oh time is getting short! Just three days until we have our Domestic Artistry show on Saturday, March 9th and we have been busy sewing, crocheting, crafting and everything else so that we can have a wonderful array of beautiful things to show our shoppers!

Since my last entry I have managed to finish two new coats. Here are a few pictures of one of them.

This one is my favorite so far. It is a retro design from Burda.

Notice how the fabric's pattern matches on the pockets and front? That ain’t no coincidence! (That's OCD...)

The beauty of fashion and of the art of sewing are for me in the details, and details take - patience. Sewing encourages patience for me though often tests it as well. Sewing can be like meditation, or is at least a good opportunity to practice calm abiding and breaking the hold of samsara*.

The back reminds me of something reptilian from some outer space multi-colored dessert.

I had a karmic realization recently while doing the buttonholes of this particular coat.

Welted box buttonholes and more vintage buttons. These buttons are from the 40's.

First let me say, I don’t like machine made buttonholes. I think of them almost as cheating. I like to do them by hand, which means either a double welted box buttonhole or working with buttonhole twist. I kind of suck at using twist so I opt for the box most of the time. This means making twice as many “boxes” as there are finished holes. For example this coat has three finished buttonholes so I had to make six boxes – three on the front piece and then three again on the inside facing. They sandwich in the welts (folded flanges is the best I can do to explain a welt) and make for a really stylish high class look. Hardly anyone does these anymore because they are time consuming and are a very exacting process of measuring and measuring (and measuring!). 

During the making of the buttonholes for this coat I became aware of how much time it was gobbling up. The buttonhole treatment was likely the most time consuming part of the entire creation.

Paired perfectly with the finished 80's inspired big urban carry all!

While ironing open the boxes on the front side of the coat, I had a moment where I could have gotten frustrated or overwhelmed by how much time and precision these were going to require and could have left them aside to work on something more immediately satisfying, but instead I heard myself say, “Just take your time. Just finish them.”  Then a broader connection clicked in my thoughts between keeping a forward momentum on this labor intensive creation and doing the same with other aspects of my life.

I get frustrated and exasperated sometimes - don't we all?! - and it is easy to lose patience and walk away or drop the entire issue, activity, or challenge to look for other things that give instant gratification while asking little of our focus or dedication in return. This habit of giving up easily robs us of multiple opportunities to develop longer lasting tolerance, patience, and calmer, more peaceful states of mind where we are less prone to becoming agitated and antsy. Remembering to, “Just take your time. Just finish it.” was good advice.

This kind of larger connection making happens often when I am at my machine or doing meticulous handwork on a garment. Not getting overwhelmed by the intricacies or labor intensity on a single aspect of a piece is good practice. Much like yoga practice (which has greatly suffered since leaving the mountains!!). Yoga helps you stay in the moment mentally and physically without falling back over on what has already transpired and cannot be changed (past), and worrying about what’s coming up that hasn't happened yet (future). Just staying in the here and now focused on the task at hand where you actually have the most influence and the greater opportunity to affect positivity. 

Focusing on the here and now is also where you can manifest the most joy by breaking the cycle of aversion (to the tedium) and craving (to be free from it) and giving your energies and attention to what is right in front of you. Learn to enjoy the slower pace.

So, I have learned to love the tedium. I look forward to making more coats and finding more joy in the details. Of course, I am not a Buddha and in the interest of time closing in for the Domestic Artistry show I admit that I did machine stitched the buttonholes on the coat not pictured! However, I did use ribbon instead of thread to attach the vintage wide-holed buttons :)

"Lokah Samastah Sukino Bavantu"
(May All Beings Everywhere Be Happy And Free)

Anyway, I cannot wait to share the results of my sewing meditations with you all on Saturday!!!

* the habit of conditioned craving and aversion in any given scenario

Sigue adelante en paz!