Henry Miller, a writer in the early part of the 20th century, devised a list of rules for himself when writing his first book (Black Spring). I found this whole idea while zipping through an exhibit in Kraków, where a designer tried to incorporate pieces of his so-called Eleven Commandments. One of them, “When you can’t create you can work,” was printed on ribbons and strips of whatever. Of course this phrase caught my eye, and I paused a nano-second to snap a photo then moved on. Tourists! (Look at the end of the post for Miller’s complete list.)
So it’s been that kind of a week, still snowed under by jet lag, I didn’t feel up to creating not one quilty idea. But I could work.
Our weather has started to turn to the hot, dry summer kind of weather, which means that the seersucker that I stashed back in October was going to have to get cut up into my summer nightgowns, using the same pattern that I’ve been using for half my life.
I usually only make two at a time, but this time went for three. I scavenged ribbons, which necessitated digging deep into the garage (more on that, later). The laces bordering the woven ribbon (pink/blue) were picked up on a trip to Austria, a millennia ago. The woven ribbons were purchased when I working at a local fabric store before I had my first child, and when they had wonderful local fabric stores.
I’d given the Jemima Puddleduck buttons to my mother, which she gave back to me at some point. (Three for only one dollar??!!)
I found them in my button box, still wrapped in the tissue paper the shop lady in Britain had wrapped up for me. Before JoAnn’s closed, I would have felt guilty for stashing away all these treasures. Now I feel sort of proud of myself. We quilters are funny people.
Last time she was here, my daughter said, “Mom, you need to clean out.” Implied was the rest of the sentence: “Clean out before you die so I don’t have to.” Message received; rafters cleared. Working on the rest…later.
This standing quilt hoop was a heart breaker to leave at the thrift store. The boy taking this treasure from my husband turned it upside, and one side of the stand fell out onto the floor. He kicked it to the side and dumped the rest into the bin. (Perhaps it’s best if we don’t watch what happens to our treasures.)
Sick and tired of podcasts and newscasts, and realizing my stubborn jetlag was still with me — which answers the question about why it took me soooo long to make the nightgowns — I started listening to a new book, recommended by my sister. So far, so good. I will say that I have gotten things put away from the trip, but so much else needs to be dealt with, primarily the emails. Thank you for your lovely notes on the Kraków churches!
I could have used this Pasmanteria (the word for this kind of a store in Czechia) when I was hunting buttons and trim for the nightgowns. Yes, I found a fabric/notions store while traveling! I purchased the usual: two thimbles.
Alphonse Mucha window, St. Vitus Cathedral
I’ll leave you with this two glorious stained glass windows from the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, along with (below) this tiny wrought iron work of a woman spinning thread into cloth, from one of the chapel gates:
Happy Working, if not Creating–
Here are the ELEVEN COMMANDMENTS, if you are interested:
- Work on one thing at a time until finished.
- Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’
- Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.
- Work according to Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
- When you can’t create you can work.
- Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
- Keep human! See people, go places, drink if you feel like it.
- Don’t be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.
- Discard the Program when you feel like it—but go back to it next day. Concentrate. Narrow down. Exclude.
- Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
- Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterwards.
This little PatternLite pattern is a reminder of what we see when we get out of our own town.
You can find it in my Quilt Shop, on PayHip. Enjoy!
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Interesting commandments. I do tend to focus on the quilt at hand and not think too much of the others I want to make, but I also think that sometimes to get through a little fun has to be had and the glimmers need to be chased!
You make your own nightgowns?!!!! And so pretty too. Can’t say I’d even consider making a nightgown let alone clothes at this stage of life. I’m working on the purge thing too but it’s hard to get my husband on board so little progress is made. Right now we’re tackling books. I’ve become a library reader and would be content with far less books on the shelves but he’s still hanging on. The stained glass windows are fabulous. Thanks for sharing.
I like that idea that when you can’t create you can work; goodness knows there’s enough work to be done!
I love your nightgowns and I enjoyed your post and seeing those beautiful windows. I’ve copied those eleven commandments to ponder…My favourite is 3. ‘Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand’. I’m continually making up rules for myself and not keeping them past a few days. Perhaps the trick of it is to write them down. I hope your jet lag has passed now 🙂
Well you left me with a giggle anyway. “Work on one thing at a time until finished.” Ha, ha! That’s the most impossible commandment I’ve ever heard. I KNOW I CAN work on one thing at a time, but where’s the stimulation in that?! I had my hands on four different projects yesterday, and felt thoroughly satisfied with progress on each. Sorry, Mr. Miller; you’re wrong. I’m glad to see you going through your home and paring down. It’s a difficult thing to do, but you’re being SO nice to your kids. In my feeble way, that’s what I’m striving for in my sewing room as I use-up fabric. It’s sad to know you passed on your quilting frame. No doubt the kid had no clue what it was, and there are many of those floating around. Have you seen the “Red List” of “70 critically endangered crafts”? These are crafts at serious risk of dying out in the next generation. Among them… “quilting in a frame.”
Well, you made me giggle anyway. “Work on one thing at a time until finished.” Ha, ha! That’s the most-impossible-to-keep commandment I’ve ever heard. Where’s the fun and stimulation in working on just one thing at a time?! Just yesterday, I had my hands on four different projects, happily making progress on each, and feeling good about it. I’m sorry Mr. Miller; you are wrong! I admire you for taking on the onus task of paring down your belongings. You’re being SO thoughtful to your kids. But it’s tough to get rid of some things…. like that quilt stand. No doubt the kid didn’t know what it was. There are surely lots of old quilting frames around though, gathering dust. Are you familiar with the “Red List”? It’s a 2023 list of 70 crafts that are on a critically endangered list – at serious risk of dying out in the next generation. One of the crafts on the list is “quilting in a frame.”
Your nightgowns are so pretty! I’ve made seersucker nightgowns in the past, but not for a long time. My very vintage pattern is stored away and not accessible right now. I love the vintage lace and ribbon trim you used.
The commandments reminded me of Woody Guthrie’s New Year’s Rulin’s, which you can see here:
https://www.openculture.com/2014/01/woody-guthries-no-frills-doodle-filled-list-of-new-years-resolutions-from-1943.html
I think you should travel while you can, and not downsize too much yet!
I love the wrought iron piece so much. Your ribbons for the nightgowns are very pretty. And stained glass–gorgeous!