Fabric Patterns And A New Posting Schedule

The blog needs a bit of a revamp. I'm not changing the template or the layout that much because I'm pretty happy with them but you can expect to see some changes in the content.

Firstly, I'm planning on putting up a tutorial or two. I'll probably only do them when things come up organically but as I explore the world of sewing and fashion more and more things should come to the surface.

Secondly, as much as I love writing every day and it helps me keep motivated, I think I can produce better posts if I have a longer run up time. I'm just changing to posting on even days at the moment, and I'll have two days to work on things at the end of 31 day months instead of switching or doing two in a row. I hope it works out.

On to my other subject!

Have you heard of fabric printing services like Spoonflower? I love the idea! Just imagine, a pretty dress or shirt made of fabric you designed yourself! Or you can browse the ones that are already there by popularity or a colour you like. You can even buy a printed pillow that you sew together yourself like the one below, available here.

I've always liked scribbling patterns and playing with colours in my notebooks and it would be cool to upload them. They might sell if I do them with Paint Shop Pro and it would be cool if someone liked them enough to pay for them but I mostly just want to put a personal spin on my own clothes

On a random note, it's apparently 'Different Colored Eyes Day'. The combination of that and meeting someone at work who had one blue, one hazel eye sort of inspired me to doodle a pattern. It's not as creepy as it could have been.

Is There Such A Thing As Crafters Block?

I can't help but wonder if crafters get their own equivalent of writer block. Dread when you look down at a blank piece of felt or just a terrible frustration at the fact that nothing turns out how it looked in your head. Maybe you've felt this before?

I don't have crafters block, I just have a stupid amount of work to do and nowhere to cut my fabric. The person who I think has contracted this terrible affliction is my boyfriend. He's given me permission to talk about the problem here.

The first time I met my boyfriend we talked about our crafty habits and dreams. He was a Concept Design and Special Effects student at the local uni and enjoyed editing videos, drawing, making sculptures and lodes of other fun things. We commiserated about his course not going that well and a lack of support from tutors and I told him about my dress making.

Since he finally dropped out of uni though he hasn't had any creative energy, or much excitement for anything really. When he draws he scribbles over them or rips them up afterwards and hasn't completed a piece of digital art in months, which isn't helped by his rather unsuccessful attempts at getting commissions.

When he's in a mood it saps my urge to draw or sew or create, especially when he's in such a funk he just curls up in bed for hours. When he has to go to his job in an off-licence and I'm staying at home to sew he'll make snide comments, and I know it's because his job is soul destroying but mine isn't much better.

I don't want you to get the wrong idea. He's a lovely guy when he's not in a funk and it doesn't happen all the time, but I know he's not happy and when he's not happy I'm sadder.

I even went to the extent of drawing to try and remind him how much fun it is (plus it quelled my guilt about buying expensive pens then not using them). He just told me he couldn't draw a feather that good (nonsense).

What do you guys think? Have you ever dealt with someone else loosing their energy? I'm tempted to talk him into going to the doctor to talk about depression. I'm just worried, that's all.