Tag / interior design

Building Creative Confidence
by Angela Porter

Building Creative Confidence

Building Confidence

I have been away for awhile packing and moving into our new home. Unable to do any sewing with so many other things taking priority, I have missed my time with you.

The first thing I did is set up my office, so I can begin to feel productive again. Although I cannot offer an alternative method to sew a project this week, I want to create awareness of something we may take for granted. Its still about sewing, but sewing psychology!

I have gained a whole new respect for people who use their talents to produce window coverings. It is labor intensive and costly for the buyer. Naturally, today’s modern new builds will be designed differently than the earlier built homes. I always think of the difference between mid-century designs and what is popular today. Things you have to consider now are tall and narrow windows. Half arch windows above doors, double and triple wide windows in family rooms and bedrooms. I see French doors instead of sliding glass patio doors, and particularly windows to the floor versus horizontal windows high on the wall.

Times change

Times have changed and the fabric design and methods of making draperies have given us so many wonderful options. The awesome part is you can find companies that have talented people machine stitch and finish them by hand, stitching the hems and tacking the pleats, grommets, tabs, or other headers. Can you even comprehend what a huge job that is?

Shoot for the sun, the moon, and the stars, and then we will go from there.

1 panel 40” wide by 108” long, cutting the fabric perfectly straight and carefully sewing the seams by machine and stitching the header and hem by hand. I understand why it takes six weeks for the completed project.

1 panel 40” wide by 108” long, cutting the fabric perfectly straight and carefully sewing the seams by machine and stitching the header and hem by hand. I understand why it takes six weeks for the completed project.

Secondly, if you have been following my blog, you already know how much I love fabric. We have only been here a week, and my sewing studio is not operative yet, but I have been basking in my product samples from a few different shade and drapery companies. I thought, new home, new life, so I will make it exquisite by professionally made drapes and roller shades. A few weeks ago, I began order sample swatches to see quality and color to design a cohesive, interesting theme.

Overload

Overwhelm Overload!!

Overwhelm Overload!! I wasn’t even in the house yet and I was stressed about the overall look I wanted to achieve. I just knew I loved every color and sample I received. Does this sound like anyone else you know? I feel this same emotion when looking for fabric for sewing and quilting as well. (I imagine others do too.)

Similar to how I have described “improvisational” sewing in the past, you have to start somewhere to “dress” several windows in a newly built house. You just have jump in and play with the samples, and the colors, and find your taste. Take a break for awhile, read design magazines, think about how you live and what makes you happy. You are a designer, its your choice!

Okay, we are here, moved in and windows bare! Its decision time. Because I wanted our window treatments professionally measured and hung, I invited a design consultant who was very experienced and had exceptional reviews on her work. She only does window coverings and I had many options to consider. Even though I had a good idea what I wanted to accomplish, her comments and mostly her product knowledge opened new doors for an even greater creative experience.

She had very good advice when we started the process.

She said, “Shoot for the sun, the moon, and the stars, and then we will go from there.”

She said, “Shoot for the sun, the moon, and the stars, and then we will go from there.”

She said, “Shoot for the sun, the moon, and the stars, and then we will go from there.” Basically, she meant what is your ultimate vision of your home to suit the needs of your family? (That was an open door to all the ideas I had thought about all these months.) Of course, some ideas I knew were not obtainable, but also, the hope of a future goal was there. So, we went over the design, the samples, rods and finials. The roller shades, the Roman blinds, and the solars. But she reminded me, “Its about you not what others think you should do”.

Yes, I was almost to the moon when I saw the value of my dreams. Needless to say, with my financial advisor’s advice, (aka hubby), we came down to earth and comprised on a plan with the promise of continuing our dreams down the road. However, now, I have a vision of making panels myself for one or two of the smaller size windows. I know I can do it! My ulterior motive is to save that money for that crystal chandelier I have been admiring!

The moral of this story is not about sewing techniques, it is about the pleasure you get from coming out of your comfort zone, finding yourself and your tastes, and being courageous enough to feel confident in moving forward in your goals. Sewing is being creative!

Sewing is about making beautiful things, like silk draperies, and Roman blinds. Sewing and fabric in today’s world is earthy and organic. Sewing is also for fashion, and quilted blankets, warmth, and clothing. It is my therapy. It makes me happy!

SewingmachinesPlus.com has what you need to get started with your creations! Tell them your dream! They will help you get started.

Buying Carpets and Books in Pakistan
by Vanessa Nirode

Buying Carpets and Books in Pakistan

I have a confession to make. A month or so ago when in Pakistan, I bought a $1500.00 carpet. Now, before you think that that is an inordinately high price for a carpet, I just want to say that it’s a handmade Kazakh rug. And I talked the store owner down from his original price of $4000.00, which I think is a pretty admirable demonstration of bargaining skills.

The carpet is a large one, four feet wide by six feet long. It’s made up of a bunch of four-inch squares with intricate multiple geometric and realistic images. It’s also a dimensional rug, having raised yarn borders around the squares. Bulbous tassels adorn the sides. The colors are all muted tans, yellows, golds, burgundies, greens, and blues. Piot, who was at the carpet store with me, said it looked like a rug meant for royalty. I definitely agree.

closeup of one of the squares

closeup of one of the squares

A brief history of Kazakh rugs:

Kazakh, originally a tribal name, is now a town, river and district in Azerbaijan. Carpets made by Kazakhs often feature coarse, long pile and dramatic colors and designs (all of which my carpet has in spades). Using Turkish knots, they’re generally made by Turkic nomads who are now settled. Today, lots of new Kazakh carpets are made in Pakistan inspired by old Caucasian designs. They use yarn dyed from natural vegetable dyes.

Detail of my carpet.

Detail of my carpet.

In Pakistan, you can also find Afghan rugs made by refugees who now reside there. During occupation by the Soviet Union between 1979 and 1992, close to one million Afghans fled their homeland and ended up in Pakistan and Iran. Afghan rugs are known to be durable and well made. They reflect the heritage of a cottage-based industry passed on through generations. Different qualities of pile carpets are available including felted wool ones called Namads, flat non-pile woven rugs called Kilims, and pile and knotted ones made from cotton, silk, and wool. It can take six to nine months to make a hand knotted carpet. When you think of it like that, $1500.00 doesn’t seem so high of a price.

You may be wondering how I managed to negotiate my price down to an amount more than 50% less than the original quoted price. The answer is pretty easy. I was completely prepared to leave the store without buying the carpet. The owner played that game where he asked how much I wanted to pay and had me write it down. I did. And then I refused to budge. He tried to cajole and guilt me into agreeing to a higher amount but I just kept saying no. Finally, our little group of four, gathered up our things and started to walk out the door. At this point, he finally said yes to my $1500.00 and the carpet was mine.

I bought my carpet at Afghan Carpet on School Road in Islamabad. If you are ever there, I encourage you to go visit them in person. They have a very large selection and serve some excellent tea. And they’re always up for a good strong negotiator.

My carpet at home in Harlem.

My carpet at home in Harlem.

This isn’t necessarily sewing related but, Afghan Carpet is down the street from one of the world’s largest bookstores (yes, that’s right, in Islamabad) called Saed’s Book Bank. The store is three stories and 42,000 square feet. They display around 200,000 titles and stock more than four million books throughout its five warehouses. You can literally find most anything there. Saed carries Cosmo and Heavy Metal Magazine, as well as books about Islam and Richard Dawkin’s atheist treatise, The God Delusion. You can find books on Catholicism and queer studies, an English translation of the Quran, maps and travel books, and novels by pretty much any English or American author you can think of. The store is a truly fantastic and amazing place to visit, especially when you consider that it sells predominantly books written in English in a country where that is most people’s second language. The New York Times published a wonderful article a few years ago about the store if you’re interested in reading more.

This is also my little way of saying that people are never wholly their governments and places are often not as scary as most media reports would lead you to believe. And there is truth and beauty and wonderful people wherever you travel, if you take the time to look for it.