Creativity & Confidence: Getting in the Right Mindset to Make Something N

About six weeks ago I received the idea to do something totally different, something I've never done before.  I have fear & doubt about proceeding, but I'm going to do it anyway.  I'll share more details about the project over time, but for now I want to start sharing the process of how I manifest a new idea.

For me, the first stage is receiving the inspiration, which I'll write more about in another post. Currently I'm in the second and third stages, and I bounce back and forth in between them:

  1. Inspiration
  2. Is this anything? (aka questioning & self-doubt)
  3. Putting some time, investigation & work behind the idea

I bounce back and forth between stages 2 & 3 because self-doubt never really goes away, and sometimes it takes some work toward a project to build the confidence that I'll be able to complete it.  It would be great to skip step 2, but I think the best we can do is minimize it. Having gone through this process for several new creations, I am aware that stage 2 is coming so I am getting better at not letting it delay me for so long.

[Fun fact: After receiving the inspiration for my first two T-shirt designs, I tried to ignore them for over nine months before finally figuring out how to get them made. The first T-shirt design ended up being sold in Urban Outfitters.] 

I've been working on this new idea over the past 3-4 weeks, but the doubt has seriously crept in:

  • Why am I doing this?
  • Who am I to pursue this idea?
  • How am I going to pull this off?
  • This is a waste of time.
  • This will never go anywhere.
  • Nobody cares.

(The voice in my head can be a REAL dreamkiller.)

If I let the voice in my head say enough of those phrases, then my momentum comes to a screeching halt. 

Realizing that my momentum is lagging, I need to do something to make that inner dreamkilling doubtful voice take a back seat.  When creating something new and getting out of my comfort zone, I need to cultivate an environment of possibility, expansion, belief, open heart and open mind.

Here are a few things I'm doing to accomplish this:

I'm being deliberate about how I start my day. I'd fallen back into the habit of checking my phone as soon as I woke up, and that's a recipe for reactionary living & self-doubt. Now I'm making myself do one of these things after I wake up & before looking at my phone or computer:  go for a walk, stretch, read, draw, or meditate. Those are all things I can do for free, as soon as I wake up, and they help open my mind and heart.

When I catch myself doubting, I'll change the channel. Our thoughts run so constantly that sometimes we're not even aware of what we're telling ourselves. When I catch myself in doubt mode, I'm going to distract myself. Think another thought, go do some dishes, jump up and down til I laugh. We don't have to entertain doubtful thoughts.

I'm going to do some visualization. Seeing is believing. I haven't done anything like this project before, so I really have to work on believing that I can pull it off. Can I even picture myself doing it? The picturing can be a visualization as I'm drifting off to sleep, a quick imagining after I wake up, or short daydreams. 

Look for clues & signs of confirmation.  These have already been coming. I think the universe sends us clues & information constantly, but we have to be open and attuned to seeing it. I see the world as a mirror, and I can look at what's around me and learn from it. A few examples so far are seeing others do what I want to do, seeing venues where I can present my project, witnessing in others the qualities I'll need to develop.

Get out and do something new. This helps remove me from my routine, shakes up my energy, and puts me in the path of expansion, inspiration & getting new clues and signs.  For example, I recently went to a free Creative Mornings lecture, despite not being very interested in the topic. The speaker moved me to tears, and by witnessing him I received some clues and information for my own project.

As soon as I can turn the volume down on my doubts, I can pick up my momentum again and get back to work. That's my goal for this week!

>>------>  Did you read this?  Was it helpful? Any questions?

ReMake: Chambray Summer Dress

After moving from California back to my home state of Texas, I've had summer dresses on my mind.  I'm trying to build my business (and pay off my business credit cards) so my shopping budget is basically zero right now.  But it's hot here, and I need some comfortable, cute clothing for hot weather.

Here's what I'm looking for in a summer dress:

  • comfortable
  • versatile
  • sustainable
  • made from natural fibers
  • unique
  • affordable

I haven't found much at the thrift shops.  There is so much polyester in modern fashion, because it's cheap to make/manufacture with, but it doesn't BREATHE.  I don't understand how people can wear so much polyester, let alone in 90+ degree weather.  It just makes your sweat stinky. I like to wear my own homemade natural deoderant, and natural fibers (cotton, linen, etc.) allow you to sweat a little without causing stinkiness.

Last week I found this light cotton chambray tunic at the thrift shop for $3.99, and despite it being a size XL, I knew I could turn it into something cute. 

I like to work quickly without a pattern. I don't actually have any pattern-making education, I just make it up as I go along. To do this:

  • have a pretty clear picture of the finished product in your head (or on paper)
  • baste first until you get your lines/sizing right, then stitch
  • be prepared to try on the garment multiple times
  • a dress form is helpful for pinning & planning, or you can do it on your own body

The process is a repetition of plan, mark, pin, baste, try on, adjust, stitch.  (I put on a full slip so that I could take the dress on and off without having to change clothes.)

I started by taking in the sides.  You can put the dress on inside out, pin it, then take it off and measure it equally before basting.

Every dress should have pockets, so I improvised quick pockets.  I didn't have enough leftover fabric to make full pockets, so I used some cotton tamale bags we were going to donate.  A quick way to make pockets is to trace around your hand. I didn't want the tamale fabric to show, so I sewed about an inch of the chambray onto the edge of the pocket. I've made enough pockets by following patterns that I understand how they're made, but I'm always a little confused as to which side matches with which seam -- so I follow the cardinal rule of PIN & BASTE FIRST!

Planning the sleeves was a bit trickier. I knew I wanted something basically sleeveless because that's good for hot weather, but I always like a little teeny bit of sleeve. I clipped off the original cuff and flipped it over to reuse it. I planned the design by putting on the dress and pinning one side/sleeve until I liked it, basting and adjusting until it looked right. This took a few tries, but once I got one side right, I just copied that same plan on the other side. The way I copy is to fold the garment in half, then use a fabric marker to mark the lines on the other side.  It's not the most precise method but it works!

To make the dress truly unique, I finished it off with some bleach (a small bottle cost $1.99).  

This dress will go with boots or sandals, heels or flats, & can be dressed up or dressed down. This dress also checks off all my requirements: comfortable, versatile, sustainable, made of natural fibers, unique, and very affordable at a grand total cost of $5.98.  

Talk to me: What do you think? Would you wear a dress like this?  Sewists, do you ever sew without a pattern?

    "This Is Something"

    Last year one of my dearest friends Dave Doobinin flew from his home in New York to my house in California to stay with me while he was doing some work.  While he was there, he made a short film about Featherweight. Actually he said he was going to make a film, and I figured he wouldn't have the time so I didn't prepare, or clean, or even think about it until the morning he said "OK let's do this." Normally I would never have wanted to be on camera, but I trust and love Dave so I went for it.

    I think Dave is wonderfully talented, but after nearly a year I have been too mortified to share the film publicly. It's really hard to look at myself and hear myself talk, and I've honestly been embarrassed that my studio didn't look like the spacious, spartan, gleaming white studio spaces you see on Instagram. But now that I don't have studio space anymore, I miss my old messy studio (and it was really dark because he told me to turn the lights off!)

    I've been thinking a lot lately about how far I've come with my own creative confidence -- basically from zero confidence to a little bit of confidence -- and how much inner work I had to do to get this far.  It hasn't been easy but it has been so worthwhile, not in what I've made or sold but in how it has helped me increase my self-worth, how much more centered I sometimes feel inside myself. After a lifetime of self-doubt, finding even a little confidence has been an enormous relief.  If I could ever help anyone else feel a little better inside themselves then this might be worth sharing. 

    After nearly a year, without further ado "This Is Something":

    P.S. Dave is amazing, please hire him to photograph you or make a short film about something important to you.  And if you want to talk about creative confidence, talk to me because I have a lot of thoughts on the subject!