Wednesday, April 06, 2011

panic sets in (in a good way)


my very first market draws near. it will be on saturday and i'll have a table, together with jude & elizabeth at a spring market in sønderborg. the local fish shop guy had the idea last year and they hold four of them per year. it's a mix of food and handmade items and they want to have a focus on organic - i imagine the june and august markets will have more local food. but i imagine a lot of things about the market, because i've never been to it, nor have i ever participated as a seller myself.

sabin has selected a few of her stones to sell as well (tho' i have to sneak a few back out since i want them!)
it feels like i've been working towards it for forever and a day, but i suppose it's really only since january. i have quite a good stash of items built up, but there are lot of unfinished items as well, that aren't going to make it this time. i'm trying to be kind to myself about that. i have plenty - i have birds and stones, a couple of quilts, a tea cozy, a coffee cozy, some sweet little duvet covers for the baby duvets they use here in denmark (baby dyne, as they're called), garlands. lots of items.

a new helleristning viking ship - now i'm branching out a bit more from the originals.
my sewing machine broke down in earnest on the weekend and i was a bit panicked as i have a number of unfinished things for the market that need sewing. but i came up with an idea for some scarves made of jersey that won't need any sewing! i found beautiful, thin, soft jersey in soft spring colors and got out my gocco printer.


i drew up some feathers and burned two screens and got to work with the fabric inks. i've done plenty of gocco with paper in the past, but not much with fabric. i learned so much about how the ink behaves and how the screens behave. the hours melted away as i worked on the scarves. in a very good way. it was definitely a feeling of being completely in flow. and that's what it's all about, really.


i am absolutely delighted with how they turned out. again, an instance of something that's even better in reality than it was when the picture popped into my head. it's also an interesting exercise in how necessity does indeed breed invention. i was a bit panicked about my sewing machine and wasn't sure i'd get it back in time to finish the last items that i wanted to take to the market, but then this idea came to me (surely a product of hours of browsing goodness on blogs and online - but also my own) and i was able to do it without needing the machine.


better photos of the scarves once they're totally dry. i'm really excited how they turned out! and while i had the screens out, i did a little stack of moleskines with feathers for the market as well.


i have all day tomorrow to finish the items i can finish (i DID get my machine back - more on that later, as it's a story itself) and then i'm ready. i'm really ready. i have no idea whether anything will sell, but if it doesn't,  my etsy and big cartel shops will be well-stocked next week. and the process itself has been worth it.

13 comments:

Viola said...

Everything looks beautiful! I love those feather prints... Good luck with the sale!

xx Viola

Tracy Golightly-Garcia said...

Hello Julie

I wish you much luck at the market this Saturday! I do see a few items I would like to buy--e mail will be coming you way soon. :)

Take Care

Best
Tracy :)

celkalee said...

I have all kinds of positive energy coming your way. I think your wares are very original and charming and these are going to do well. Good luck, have fun.

Loredana said...

I want a scarf, I want a scarf, I want a scarf!!! I LOVE FEATHERS!!!! They're very meaningful to me. I read a book once that said whenver you see a feather it is a sign and in whatever direction it is pointing it is telling you to go that way. I've done that ever since I've read the book (can't remember which one, I'll have to ask my sister in law) and it's been amazing the roads it's took me on.

Good luck with the show, I'm sure you'll do great!! Your stuff is amazing!!

Joanna Jenkins said...

If I lived closer I would so be at the market. Good luck. I'm sure you'll do great and sell out in no time.
Fingers crossed. jj

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Anonymous said...

Oh, I love love love those scarves and moleskine journals! Your feathers are beautiful (as always). Good luck on Saturday and have fun!

Deb said...

Beautiful work! I'll take one of each! Loved hearing about your process especially: 'it was definitely a feeling of being completely in flow. and that's what it's all about, really.' Blessings on your market, hope it is wonderful in every way.

Lynne said...

the scarves are totally beautiful! Do you ship to SA?

I'm sure the market will be a huge success ... and the advantage of sharing a table is you can be freed to browse the other stalls!

Anonymous said...

You look very well prepared! Good luck: with all those treasures, it will be a total success for you.

MissBuckle said...

Love love love the scarves and moleskins :-) When can I buy them in your online shop?

Elizabeth said...

Wow, it looks stunning. You worked really hard to get a whole serie of different products, now I feel the lazy one.

rayfamily said...

Wow, everything looks great! I LOVE the scarves & moleskins! Have fun at the shop!