Or, a thinking out loud post about recording the things we create.
It's something which has been in my head a lot this week, due to various things going on round here, conversations I've had, and a page which needed to feature a woodland theme, that I made for Get It Scrapped:
I was able to use a photo of a fox hat I'd knitted and photographed to show you here. It's true, as bloggers we're all used to taking photos of the things we have made as soon as they're finished, or often before, and that means we do have a record of what we've been doing. The ones which worked, theones we quietly put to one side, even, the ones we gave gave away..
For Blog Cos You Want To last month I suggested finding a finished piece from around the house and posting its picture. Rinda responded with her cat pillows and in turn they reminded me of a little red and blue felt elephant I had tried to make when I was about seven or eight. I wish I had a picture. I reminded Granny about it when we visited last week, and she asked me what I was going to make this week. But I didn't have my crochet with me, and I hadn't taken its picture yet either, so I couldn't show her. She wondered, then, if I still have the Granny Square cardigan she had made, and the more delicate bolero, and the Christening Shawl, and I said of course. I have all the woollens she has made over the years - Fair Isles, Kaffe Fassett patterns, way over and above anything I could do. I don't suppose I'll ever get rid of them.
No, it's my own makes I've given away - to a clothing appeal after an earthquake, to friends, to the dump, too. I don't wish I had kept them all, but I wouldn't mind having the photos. All those hours of crafting, in the years before blog. Go on, I bet you can remember a favourite or two..
If I go right back, if I could choose one photo I'd especially like to have, it would be of a Liberty print smock I made in needlework class when I was ten. It probably didn't look anything like the picture I have in my head (though I know it was smaller than the rest, and when the teacher hung them up against the blackboard mine didn't hang down so far. Kind of like looking at me in the lunch queue only in reverse); but that smock was my 70's fashion moment. My Mum, see, didn't believe in 70's clothes (actually I'm not sure she believed in the 70's at all). That Granny Square cardigan? She made that in the 80's. When she'd had time to get used to the idea. No, in the 70's, there was a distinct shortage of ponchos. clogs, flares and the rest round at ours. So there'll always be a special place in my heart for the teacher who offered me smock success. I sewed that thing, threaded a ribbon round the top, brought it home, and because we'd had to pay for for the fabric, it couldn't be wasted. I wore it. If only I had a picture.
So today, if I can, I'm going to hunt out the Granny Square cardigan and take a photo. I might find other pieces I'd forgotten and although I certainly won't be making a page about each one, having pictures is going to feel good. What do you think? Do you have a record of what you have made? Or are you happy to let go?
Layout for Get It Scrapped's article on being inspired by Woodland Scenes
22 comments:
I wish I did have more photos of the things I made over the years and then gave away or ditched. I used to love knitting Kaffe Fasset - I do have some photos of them, must dig them out
I was only thinking this, about some little mouse finger puppets I made, when my cousin came to stay with us one Summer, the other day. What I would really love a photo of though, is the patchwork hexagons we made from old bridesmaids dresses the same year. Now they were 70s fashions for sure!
I was thinking about this as I clear out party idea books. I've thrown so many parties - full of hand made bits and bobs which were usually not kept after. As I was running them not many photos got taken, would be fun to have some of those bean bags, posters, hats etc.
Oh so many things would be on my list Sian. I have been sewing all my life and made just about 'everything I ever wore' and much more besides. Toys for nieces and nephews, children's clothes, dolls dresses, wedding outfits all the linen for my baby, Christmas presents. Do you know? I still don't photograph all the things I make...I'm making a little pincushion for my M-i-L for mothers day today. I'll take a picture of it this very minute. x
You're very good to keep the gifts made by others ... I'm a bit more ruthless (when I get going with the decluttering) so it's a good to take a digi photo before the chop! Shame we would never have "wasted" film on such things when I was smaller myself.
I have very little of the things I made as a child and certainly no photographic evidence. How different it will be for The Boy Child.
I do love that hat!
when I made robes for wizards I used to sometimes take pictures of the customer in the costume, but not always. I made an album with some of them... I think I put it on farcebork, I must look
That's a nice page, Sian - I have a fondness for foxes. The writing round the outside just holds all those silhouettes together so well. And taking photos of things? There'd have been sharp intakes of breath - cameras were for posed shots of people!
Love the journalling around the edge of the layout. They had a fox print in our pram we got but it was lot pricier as it was especially designed for the season!
When I was at school I made a childs dress with a smocked bodice for my small cousin. I wish I had a photo of that Sian, it was gingham (I think!).
I am much better at taking photos of my work now, and it is lovely to get close up shots to admire the detail, as you have here. The journaling around the edge is a lovely idea. I look forward to seeing your granny's work when you photograph it.
you know I never took photos of things i'd made until i started scrapbooking and yes there are a few things I wish I did have a photo of. A great post Sian, you really do know how to get us thinking and remembering x x thank you x
I have photos of things I made for my children, and there might be a few of things I made when I was a teenager, but I'll have to hunt around to see. There are a lot of things that were made and given away without even thinking that a photo would be nice. I wish I had some photos of the beautiful things my mother made me as well.
I wish I had more photos....of things I've made....and especially of things my mum made....that have since worn out....or very occasionally been discarded.
My mum actually made me a lot of clothes in the 70s....I was a student and couldn't afford to buy them so I gave her pictures and patterns and she would make them.
The one project that stands out in mind... a macrame wall hanging I made during a "crafts" class in high school. I used actual jute dyed a pale yellow and a turquoise. The jute made my fingers raw and bleeding. I worked on it for weeks and when I was done it was probably about 3 feet wide and 5 feet long, with lots of different stitches. I wish I had a photo of that one!
I have a record of nearly everything I have made.
I haven't made all that much & nearly all of it was as an adult with a digital camera, so it's not too hard to do. :)
I do need to go hunt out the stuffed dog I made in Girl Scouts & take it's photo. That is the only thing I can think of, apart from those potholders made from a square loom that was big for girls in the 70's.
Another great layout and another great post that's got me thinking. I made a smock dress for a toddler when I was at school and I still have it, sadly though, my daughter never wore it because it was a summer dress and winter had arrived by the time it fitted her :)
I have photos of some of the corsages I made for friends & kids & my sister when I was in my early twenties, but I wish I had a photo of the skirt I made in middle school & the dress I made shortly after high school . . .just to prove I can sew if I want to!
I take pictures of the things I make now pretty regularly. I just wish I had done that in the past. I would love to be able to scrapbook some of the early things I made. I just might have to proceed anyway and tell the stories---even if I don't have any photos.
Such a cute layout! No, I don' have many photos of things I've made until the last few years and even then I don't think about it until it's no longer in my possession.
What interesting thoughts today Sian. There's not too many things I have made and given away (mainly some counted cross-stitch), but I did make an orange smock with some kitten (or were they rocking horse) appliques in 7th grade home economics that I wouldn't mind having a photo of.
Rinda
Cross stitch was my preferred hobby until declining eyesight made it difficult to do the small stitching I preferred. Many of my pieces decorate the walls of our home so I continue to enjoy those. I've given away some of my stitching, in the form of wedding and birth samplers but, sadly, I didn't take photos of them. Too bad--it would be nice to revisit the photos and think about the people and events that inspired the creation.
I wish I had more pictures of what I've made over the years and what my mother made me too. I've been on a bit of a lull knitting & cross-stitch wise but once I'm back to it I'll be sure and take pictures.
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