It’s a new month, guys. Can you believe there are only 60 more days left in 2013?
Date: November 1, 2013
Crane: 245
Days Spent on Project: 257
Location: Apartment, Washington Heights, NYC
Person I would have sent it to: Anna W.
Anna came on board a few years into my time with the National High School Institute. She would always design one or two shows with us each year.
She was an incredible team player. One summer I had to design and make a fantastic dress- as “couture” as possible- that would stop the show. The playwright and I had a lot of fun looking at research and trying to decide which direction to go in. Ultimately, we went towards a dress that combined a few elements from Schiaparelli’s work. But how do you make a Schiaparelli dress for less than $100?
I found some fantastic red silk that was on sale for super cheap in a Chicago fabric warehouse. I dug through old patterns in the Northwestern costume shop and “frankenstein-ed” parts of period appropriate ideas into one dress. I through a quick mock-up together out of cheap cheap cotton and fit it.
But I was terrified to touch the real fabric and sew the real garment. Anna, bless her heart, offered to put it together for me. She thought it looked like a fun project. She did a beautiful job.
Anna has since moved to New York. She and I had the chance to meet up a few months ago and briefly reconnect. It sounds like she’s having a very busy and New York kind of life here. I’m a little envious of her because I think she’s doing really well. I admire her attitude. She tackles projects and makes things happen.
Music I listened to while sewing: I’ve got Fort Fairfield on this morning… several of their albums are streaming randomly on Spotify. It’s making me feel a little emotional.
Thoughts/Feelings behind the block: Last night? Last night was another amazing night.
Now that it’s over, I’ll say that I had the opportunity to work for Sleep No More this week, as support staff for their Halloween Party.
It was epic. It was humbling.
Maybe I’m still floating on the fumes of all the excitement, but I’m just so happy right now. Yes, I’m “fan-girling” a bit here and I don’t want to say much about the experience because I selfishly want to keep it with me for as long as possible, but… Jeez.
I left the party sometime after 3am, hailed a cab, and just felt like crying I was so thankful for that experience. I have to say, as weird as 2013 has been, I’ve needed to re-learn a few things: sometimes it’s better to say “Yes” without thinking, doing something even if it makes you uncomfortable isn’t always a bad thing, and it’s not over until the music stops- but even then it could still keep going. Just change the music.
Just change the music. I really want to change the music.
I don’t know if I can do anything today but float around in my own private fantasy world.
Cheers.
A Thousand Quilted Cranes 