When I first began my ideas for this final piece of lovely fabric from my second collaboration with Nova Fabrics I had something completely different in mind! Then the world changed. The Corona Virus hit us all hard. Both the subbing positions for the school district and my kickboxing classes at USD got canceled. My life got turned upside down and my normal routine completely got obliterated! For those of you that know me I am a steady person who enjoys my routines and expectations. I like order and the weekend was a hard one filled with tears and darkness! Lots of tears and the last thing I wanted to see was pretty things because I felt ugly inside my heart. We all know that these feelings are not permanent but temporary. I still didn’t like it and no matter how much I tried to force myself it just wasn’t happening. But I had made a promise to David at Nova Fabrics and I always keep my word! Especially when it is business!!!
I still couldn’t do anything but stare at the fabric. My heart wasn’t into it. And creativity unlike many other things couldn’t be forced! So I hung the lovely tie dye fabric on the dress form and would rearrange it this way and that way to see if something “hit me”.
Nothing! I was even more upset that this virus was interrupting my mojo. My creative mojo was suffering! I wanted to die! And yes I was being extreme! But not Van Gogh extreme; thank you very much!! Just drama queen extreme…my logical side knew this. I needed to work with something different. Make something small to shake this off. I certainly didn’t want to butcher the lovely fabric with the way I was feeling!!!
I decided to make something very cyberpunk styled. A short vest a verrrrrry short vest. I had the leftover grey fabric with animal prints on it. I could use that and a bit of solid light grey knit fabric to complete it.
It was different and edgy and shook my funk and depression out a little bit. After that on the same day I made a cute camouflage tank top to match my pants in the same fabric that I had made last year!
Mike took me to town kicking and screaming….I wasn’t being very mature nor polite and apologized profusely to my sweet hubby who was looking out for his wife and trying to help my horribly bad mood! It was a nice diversion. I ordered things online to be picked up so I wouldn’t have lots of social interacting and could stick with the social distancing requirement set out for all of us on the face of the earth!
I got fabric and notions from JO-Ann fabrics and snacks from Target! I love curbside delivery!! I have been using it for more than a year and its really a great time saver! And now more and more people are using it since this bloody awful time had started!
We came back home and I could see the fabric in a new light! I got the dark designs out of the way and needed light designs. I knew what I wanted to make! A cute lounge set..pants and top!
I took the new tank top pattern and lengthened it. The top is long enough to be a mini dress! If I dared with some tights underneath, or the like.
The pants I made were wide legged and have a gauzy feel to them. I did learn that this fabric as opposed to the blue is much sheerer.
And it’s very delicate to sew with. I made the hem to short the first time and even with cautiously seam ripping stitch by stitch I still got a couple of small holes that appeared in the hem.
Other than the delicacy of the fabric I love the colors and I love the feel and don’t regret choosing it! The outfit is adorable and springy! It was a pleasure making it and definitely another learning experience !
I have more things that I am going to do to continue my combatting of this social distancing sadness. For a mainly extrovert like myself it’s painful but sewing and crafting and cooking every night for Mike is blessing me! It gives me a schedule and order in a chaotic and uncertain time! I’ve also scheduled designing, sewing,knitting,crocheing,crafting times as well as working on my Youtube channel and getting more fitness videos done for that! SO I am being productive and taking things one day at a time!
From my studio to you…
Stay safe, stay home if you can, stay healthy!
Happy creating!
Love,Monica
Monica Rue Designs 