I am going to share some of my thought process when I create fabric art. I am inundated with fabric and ideas. One of the "problems" that I have in my creative process is that I am adept at many different techniques and "see" the end products. It is not possible to create all that I see..
Why do I say :problem" you are most probably asking. It makes it difficult to focus and one needs focus in order to complete projects and to specialize and develop in one's art.
It has taken me many years of sewing and designing to force myself to specialize in a limited number of techniques for my creating.
How did I do it? I have very strictly limited myself to the number of techniques that I personally specialize in and develop tutorials for. I am lucky enough to have an outlet for my other creativity in the form of teaching sewing classes. Every time I have an idea or want to use a particular technique that is out of my line of "focus", I teach it to the class and that way I have the satisfaction of using that technique without it taking away from my "focus" time. I am also rewarded by seeing the creations of the students.
I have done the same with the fabrics that I use. My art tutorials specifically use remnants from other projects. Bits of color from here and there. Ensuring that the end users of my tutorials will not have to spend money to purchase specialized fabrics and tools to create fabric art pieces.
I have defined systems to control and organize the overflow of fabrics and notions that I have acquilred over the years. Color coded boxes for the fabrics and visually organized containers for my buttons, beads, laces, zippers and cords.
When I sort fabrics I first do so according to color and then subject, teaching pile, art pile and then do a more defined breakdown of the art pile.
My art and fiber pieces which are mainly created from smaller remnants, are divided by subject according to the tutorials that I write or have in mind in my "focus". Waves, Fragments, Textures, Mosaic, Crumb and Floral.
The pieces are divided into small geometric pieces, strips, oddly shaped pieces and circles. These then go into the boxes that I have marked for the tutorials. The remnants from these pieces will go into the Fabric Beading box.
And of course my huge button collections divided according to color. Buttons are used to create button jewelry as well as for embellishing art pieces.
The art pieces that I create using my tutorial techniques are exhibited.
I will be showing a series of the specific breakdown of how I choose fabrics and colors for each of my art techniques so you are invited to follow.
My techniques can be found here on Etsy
and here on the site
and the video tutorials can be found here