Inspiration Conundrums

Have you noticed everyone is at Sewing Summit this week?  I feel like I should have registered when I had the chance.  I'm missing out on everything!

Because Sewing Summit is such a large group of women I admire and look to for inspiration, I thought today I'd talk about said inspiration, and when does it become more than my own?  If you're anything like me, you read dozens of blogs about sewing, crafting, embroidery, quilting, whatever.  You follow the bloggers and creators on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.  You buy their books and listen to their podcasts.  (Yes, I listen to modern quilting podcasts.)  I credit these women with the reason I stuck with sewing and took up quilting and embroidery, and for my current outlook on what I buy versus what I make.  Their creations are amazing!

The flip side to this is I get my ideas from these women.  When they blog about a pattern, I check it out.  I also buy their patterns and fabric.  I have pinned so many projects, most of which I reference when I'm looking for something new to make.  This is how I've always worked, but in the past, I mostly relied on magazines and books instead of blogs, because in the past, I wrote poetry and shopped a lot.  But regardless of my creative outlet, I've always looked to external influences to guide me along.  I'd love to be one of those women who is effortlessly creative and original, but I'm not, hair withstanding.

I learned as an art history student that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, so it's natural for bloggers and Flickr users and what have you to bounce ideas and projects off of each other.  We all understand that what we're doing is part of something bigger, not to sound completely pretentious.  Our quilts can be described as "modern," for example.  Modern quilting is a movement that wouldn't exist if only one person was doing it.  But I'm starting to wonder where their ideas start and mine begin.  If I use the same pattern and fabric as another blogger, is it truly my creation?  What if I embroider text on fabric like Merriweather Council--am I copying her?  It's my handwriting, on my fabric, spelling out the words I want--but is it too close for comfort?  What if I want to sell something?

This is such a sticky topic because we all want to get along and none of us wants to create a riff between perfectly nice bloggers.  But at the same time, I see projects everyday that I love and want in my home or closet.  Because these quilts and clothes are made for personal use, is it so terrible to copy them for myself?  And considering the quilt (and quilt designs) were invented long before blogs, if I'm not using a pattern, am I able to sell it if I want to?  I feel like I'm oversimplifying this, because it's a very gray area.  My friend Melissa and I discuss all the time the ethics of blogging and selling, and how we don't want to be "that person."  I'd rather get comments telling me I did a great job than comments saying someone is going to take legal action. And obviously I'm talking about this on a small scale, though we've all heard stories about Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters stealing designs from Etsy sellers to sell to the masses.

Where's the line, or is there one?  Can more than one person sell similar products without someone getting their panties in a twist (and in some cases, rightfully so)?  I'm asking a lot of questions because I don't have a definite answer, if there is one.  I think this is a very gray area of blogging, as we all take a risk when we put ourselves out there.  Sometimes that risk pays off--blogs have gotten people book deals, fabric lines, etc.--but there's always the chance someone will "copy and paste" your entire idea into their own internet space.  And if their followers don't know better, you're out of luck.

What's your take on this?  And why do I have heavy thoughts on Fridays?  For the love of God, I'm watching Say Yes to the Dress, I think I can take it down a notch!

Patchworking

I'm moving on with my life since those shorts.  They kind of put a damper on my sewing for the weekend, but they're now in the past.  And PS, I'm going to try the Sewaholic Thurlow pattern, I think.  They look like they're more my style, with a lower waist and back pockets (a flat butt's best friend).  I haven't ordered it yet, but I'm considering it.

Anyway, I read a lot of Amanda's blog this weekend, going through the archives and looking at pictures.  I love her blog, if only for the visual inspiration.  She lives a very pared-down lifestyle, has an awesome stash, runs her own business and just is pretty cool in general.  I wish we were friends (virtual or real-life) because I really admire her.  But, of course, now all I want to do is embroider and patchwork.  She cross-stitches, which is something I haven't done since middle school (and I don't think I ever finished a project) but her patchwork is just so damn inspiring I can barely stand it.

I couldn't get off the ground with any experimental patchwork yesterday, so instead I spent hours and hours looking at quilts online.  I have three planned for Christmas gifts, but is that being ambitious?  Wait, I'm a pretty ambitious sewer, right?  So it's okay.  Anyway, here's some inspiration I found around the internet yesterday:

Thimble Blossoms' Dilly Dally, Merry and Swoon patterns are gorgeous and fresh, and we need some stockings anyway.

Jeni B.'s Patchwork Picnic quilt looks super easy...but almost too easy.

However, her Plus quilt is something I'm dying to make for Nicholas for Christmas.  We're only exchanging one gift this year, and I kind of want to make him a quilt in his favorite colors (eggplant, charcoal, white and black).

I'm also thinking of spending lots of money and buying some Medocino to make my mom a quilt for Christmas.  We're going no-frills this year--normally Christmas is lots of money and lots of presents--so I'd like to give her something meaningful and something handmade.  I've found a few FQ sets that won't break the bank, but I'll need more than that.  Does anyone have a resource besides Etsy and eBay?

What do you all think?  Are you a quilter?  What would you recommend for a beginner who likes a challenge?

Cabin Fever

So maybe you heard about the storm that hit DC last week...or maybe you haven't!  If you haven't, consider yourself in the majority; my parents didn't know about it until I texted them at 5 AM Saturday to say we were without power and it was 100 degrees in our apartment.  For whatever reason, it wasn't really widespread news, despite over a million people in the area without power and heat indices in the 100s.  Because we're so close to a Metro station, we only lost power for about 24 hours, and lost internet for 48.  It definitely could've been worse, but the stress from the storm, losing groceries and being hot and cranky nearly tore us apart.  (Yes, I am that delicate.  I'm not proud of it.)

A side effect is that nearly everything in the area is closed due to power outages.  I went to four different grocery stores yesterday, finding the first two were open with limited groceries (only boxed foods, which isn't what I normally cook) and the last two fulfilling only about 90% of my grocery list.  Thankfully Target has been taking care of most of my needs, but they don't carry craft supplies, besides scrapbooking.  No hate to the scrapbookers (I love pretty pens as much as the next gal), but why nothing else?  They can't get some DMC floss on the shelves?  Michael's and G Street have both been closed since Saturday and it's killing me.  I need zippers, floss, thread, and hoops--and I have nowhere to buy them!  Cabin fever can usually be cured with some crafts, but you have to have the supplies!

I'm hoping everything will be up and running by tomorrow, because I can feel time ticking away.  Have I mentioned I'm impatient?  Well, I'm not proud of that either, but that's just who I am.  In the meantime, here are some things I've been thinking about lately, in lieu of actually doing anything:

• Miniature Rhino - I've loved the Zodiac embroidery kits since before I was back into embroidery, but now I really want one.  I just started reading her blog and can't wait for the book to come out this fall!  The coverage of Renegade Brooklyn really makes me want to start focusing on my Etsy business more, offering custom items or little things people might like more than baby clothes.  Inspiration abounds in this blog!
• This fabic: . I bought two yards from Denver Fabrics last week and am anxiously awaiting its arrival.  It reminds me of the J. Crew fabric featured this past spring, which was navy and coral but had the fun heart print.  I'm trying to find a shirt pattern to use with this--I'd like something with a yoke, three-quarter sleeves and a simple neckline.  
• Disney!  I haven't been in almost two years (weird for a Floridian, displaced as she may be) but Jake and I have been reminiscing a lot lately about it.  I really miss it.  I'm definitely someone who hangs onto memories and I wish Disney would bring back the rides of my childhood: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the original Tiki Hut, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.  The day they close the Hall of Presidents will be the saddest day of my life.
• Soft-serve ice cream - do you know how hard it is to find decent ice cream around here?  I guess I'll settle for an IceDream cone at Chick-Fil-A, but I'd love a cherry dip.

What have you been up to lately?