( s e c r e t • l e n t i l )

Managing my brain’s energy is a full time job – but I do try to fit a bit of sewing into my days too – you know, so I can pay my bills. Every once in a while I pull these disparate goals together and do some work that keeps all neurons tidy and focused … at least for a time.

Such is the case, currently, with knee-length skirts. I’m in love with making them. Each one has its own rhythm and shape that wants to emerge – the design unfolds nicely before me as I cut – a problem emerges and I solve it, an idea wants to come through and I sew this way and that, stitching those panels back together and yes – there is the idea, expressed with economy, like a tidy E.B. White paragraph. I wish it was always this way, this murky art ~ craft ~ brain ~ life work that I do.

In honor of riding the current energy stream I’m doing some custom skirts for people. Well, they’re sort of custom-ish – here are the details. I get to pick the colors, so I don’t know who will be adventurous enough to let me play/work for them. My plan is to make these for a short time, until the curiosity is gone and the mojo fades and I feel like skirts are stupid and I should never make one again! Which could be any day now. So if you want one, take the leap.

It’s done. Here’s The Red Queen sweater, plus a few other things I made while I’ve got red loaded in the serger.  I haven’t finished the threads yet so you’ll see some dangly strings. I like red and gray together, it’s sort of sporty and sort of sexy at the same time.

In the studio today I’m working on The Red Queen sweater  – a super-lush all red sweater with red thread. It’s cotton and velour and will be very full and maybe ruffly, it’s too soon to tell.  I hope whoever gets this will use their power for good not evil.

“Make a remark,” said the Red Queen; “it’s ridiculous to leave all the conversation to the pudding!”

Ethella, Mythical Katamari Cousin tunic, Faux Faux Bois dress, Homage to Doctor Zoidberg sweater.

Three of my pieces have just been published in the book 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse: Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew.  I’m thrilled for all obvious reasons, but also because the book is designed really well and my work is in exceptional company! If you click on the link you can browse the pages. It was written and edited by the extremely enthusiastic Garth Johnson of Extreme Craft.

coaxing coat colors

Today’s dreaming … I got to the studio before sun-up today, did a lot of work and now I get to play. I’m going to see if these colors are willing to become a coat. It’s been a while since I made a “Secret Lentil luxe” piece and I’m getting requests. I hope these will cooperate.

a dress from my f.stop series

I love old cameras. When I was kid my dad gave me an old Agfa. It was wonderfully dense, with ridged black sides and a lens that popped out with the press of a button, suspended by matte black accordian-folds. It used square 120 film that I would take down to Fay’s Drugs to get developed, and I still remember the thrill of discovering I could take double exposures if I didn’t advance the film manually.

I liked that cameras mirror our eye functions, I liked how much sense all the settings made, and I desperately wanted to have something in common with my dad – I was getting weary of skeet shooting …

what does it mean to have enough?

Photography is all about letting enough light in for the right amount of time – finding balance while accounting for all the options we have available to us.

So I’ve been thinking this through – what is enough, what has balance, restraint, and about longing for things we can’t have – as I’m making a series of clothes called f.stop. I’ll be listing them here as they’re done, through the next week or two.