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Alternative hobbies 6/20/2010 2:02:58 AM
Enjoying the exercise of creativity in various occupations. For the last few weeks I have taken time off from writing and delved into sewing, as my mending basket was overflowing and my desire for new, exciting clothes put all my other needs in arrears. I do go through these fits especially around Springtime when nature is abloom.
I resort to stretching fabrics into gowns, or food leftovers into an attractive meal when my mind is scraped off of ideas on writing, because the process is as challenging. How to choose the fabric suitable for a particular model, and how to choose a model that improves the dimensions of a figure are concerns similar to finding angles of thought that fit the audience, or turning leftovers into a palatable new dish. Even if the results are not always the most successful, they improve my experience and keep my creative muscles agile and productive.
I did feel guilty about not writing, but I had a pressing need for manual and visual stimulation. It occurred to me that I enjoy the creativity of producing an original design much more than the dexterity of putting the dress together and, of course, I do look forward to the pleasure of seeing and wearing the product of my imagination. Even alterations need a creative touch to make them look like an intrinsic element of the original design. However, just like “where words abound, much meaning beneath is rarely found,” elaborate changes or motifs detract from the beauty of a dress.
I also found out that by stimulating my creativity in designing I regenerate some dormant writing cells, since sewing is another form of art. Just as I would be unable to describe aptly every model I create in words because it is easier to present its intricacies in a picture, so would I be unable to stitch words on a canvas with the same clarity as in an article. In both cases the ultimate purpose is to create a product that arrests attention for its beauty, causes gratification and leaves a pleasant trail in memory. The means differ.
OK. I will never be a Schiaparelli, nor a Pulitzer Prize winner, but perhaps there is room for me at the top, with the immortals, in a new category of nerds who love designing dresses, penning a book, or reconciling personal checkbooks with bank statements, pastimes that are enjoyable, despite the fact that they do not directly impact the bottom line. They serve to keep the mind engaged and the soul in balance.
