A Bonus and a Challenge

I had a market yesterday at Sussex Neighbourhood House. I've done several markets recently--since doing the Make Craft Your Business course. I still have lots to learn and decisions to make about where I want to go with my textile art. Being out and about with my work is one of the best aspects of a market for me. I love to interact with people about my craft and to see how they respond to my work.
Yesterday's market brought an unexpected bonus. I came home with this dress manequin.

I've been wanting a manequin for a couple of reasons. If I'm going to sell my work online, I need a way of photographing it in context. A live model would be ideal. A dummy is the next best thing. As I discovered while trying to snap this pic, even finding a suitable spot in my house without too much background clutter is a challenge. And I'd like this to tone in with the other display props I've been making for myself. So at the very least I'm thinking I'll cover it with calico.

Then there's a question of body image and reality. That's a much bigger challenge--in more ways than one. One of the reasons this manequin was on offer is that she's quite a small size. I measured the waist and bust when I got home. I don't think I've ever been that size as an adult--never!

An obvious use for a dress manequin is to assist in dressmaking. But that's no use unless the manequin's shape and my body shape bear some resemblance to each other. Even if I'm only going to use it for display purposes, I don't want to fall into the trap of portraying an impossible body as an ideal. So the reality of this slim form is going to have to be fleshed out somehow.

I don't have a plan yet, but I have some ideas. I'm thinking of bubble wrap as a first layer. That will keep it light. Then maybe a some quilt wadding offcuts and some old clothes to give me a layer that's good for taking pins. I'll finish it off with a stitched calico shell. Hopefully that will give me a neat finish. I don't have any markets for the next month or two, so I guess I just found myself a challenge to keep me busy. 

Edited to add:
I've just found this tutorial and am adding it here for future reference. It sounds as though the critical issue is that the dress form should be smaller than me. So I'm off to a good start.

Model Magic

I've been working on paper mache display props for my stall at the Made in Thornbury Market this weekend. I figure paper mache gives me the reality of lumpy-bumpiness and asymmetry that we all enjoy in real life.

This manequin was originally white styrofoam and rather idealistic in it's shape. It then had a  time of being covered in newspaper--I've searched back through my blog and am surprised that I can't find a picture of it in that form. Now it's covered in brown paper and several coats of sealer to go with my new look.

I'm at the sorting and labelling phase of my market preparation. Though I can't guarantee that there won't be a burst of creativity or two yet before Saturday. And in case you've missed it somehow: you're invited! Please come to the market at 99 Leinster Grove, Thornbury. It's on from 10 am til 2 pm.

Detail

The Sydney Road shopping strip in Brunswick is running a public art festival: offering their shop windows to local artists. I'm working on a piece called, Inheritance, using items rescued from garden sheds and Op shops. The timing is interesting as I'm currently clearing out my collection and questioning myself about what I let go and what I preserve. This dress is one I'm planning to keep, even if I never wear it again: The fabric is a silk-linen damask weave. It was beige when I bought it to wear to a friend's graduation. I overdyed it in blue and was thrilled with the way the different fibres picked up colour and emphasised the weave. I slipped it onto my manequin the other day. Reality check: I wore this dress at my slimmest--a size 12 or so--and it's distinctly loose on the manequin, hmmmmm!

Around the House

It's a strange thing packing up and unpacking a houseful of stuff. Things that I've had for years are somehow becoming more visible as I try to settle on where they should go. This hood for example:It's made from felted, hand-dyed wool and lined with velvet. The story goes like this:

I knitted myself a hooded jacket--in my early knitting days. When it was ready, I found it was too itchy to wear--OK, I've learned a bit about wool since then. In my frustration I decided to turn it into felt, since I loved the colour and didn't want it to be entirely wasted. I used some of the felt for a teddy bear and there's some left in my collection. I've thought of making a bag out of it, but it hasn't happened yet. The hood was irresistable, though. Lining it with velvet solved the itchiness problem, but what to do with a thick felt velvet-lined hood in a smaller than average size? It would be perfect as a party hat for an eskimo girl! So there it is. It sits well on my paper-mache manequin head.

This morning I rescued it from the spot on the floor in the hallway where it ended up a week or three ago. I guess I just need to find a shelf to display it on, but really it's one of many things that might call for a shelf of their own, and there are only so many shelves in the house. It's made its way onto the table now, so I could photograph it, so I'll see where it goes from here.