Drop dead deadline
Sometime, most times, when you make creativity your business, you need to be creative on command. A concept that will fail you at times… But this time, it wasn’t my creativity that failed me, it was time.
I wish I could say that I was one of those people who can’t sit still for more than five minutes, and I always get a running start on my projects; but this most recent project, is proof that I am not one of those people.
Folklore was the project, my choice of garment: the Danish cassock (It’s the dress of the priest, for those who don’t speak dictionary)…
In most ways.. not the most inspiring garment, but I had my reasons. I was especially fascinated by the beautiful collar with has all this technique and geometri to it…
So I powered on (but not fast enough, thinking that I had plenty of time, and it would be no problem at all, if I took some time off to finish some of the other design projects I have running outside Kolding School of Design)…
I did a lot of experiments in the technique of sewing the collar.
… my new home… this year we’ve been assigned these beautiful tables, with our very own board and we even have a sidetable with drawers… it’s just… home sweet home!
As you can see above, it’s not like I was doing nothing for the first two weeks, but then came time for the sewing, and somehow I decided that the only way I could do this project justice was by ordering 30 metres of Organza (and on a student budget, this is no small cut in the budget) so I ordered it from a German webshop (www.stofkiosken.dk), to save a buck.
… this is where I won’t be writing about how, because of the time pressure, I had to find an address south of the danish border, to which the organza could be shipped over night. Or how my aunt have a friend who picked it up in Flensburg, so I could go to Krusaa to pick it up at my aunts. Being a designstudent takes a village – there I said it, sometimes you can’t do it all…
… moving on…
This is how 28 metres of fabric looks next to an industrial sowing machine. Yes, you are correct, it’s a mess!!
Minutes, hours and days went on. from 9-23 every day… for four days, and then it looked something like this…
I know… it’s kinda awesome… but, in case you didn’t notice.. it’s still not a garment, it’s just a very advanced textile. So in the nick of time, one day before my deadline, I could start shaping this giant load of…. fabric into a garment.
A cape, a couple of pants.. how hard can that be in a days time? HARD!
I decided to make a couple of pants, but quilted, and they will look awesome, when I’m done… Yes, it’s true, this time, I missed my deadline… and it hurts me, body, mind and soul!
I have a tendancy to underestimate time, and how freakin’ fast it travels. So maybe this time, I learned my lesson… But I doubt it..
However, I do have a little to show for this project…
This is.. in broad perspective, what shall become of my hard work, a (fruit-shaped) cape.
The fabulous (if I do say so myself) quilting, on the pants…
So this is a blog about not meeting your deadline, about disapointing yourself, and about taking time for granted, about biting off more than you can chew, and about having ambition.
Because, there is a silver lining! I will finish this garment, I promise you! And it will be fabulous, and it will be so, before my exam this Christmas!
So stay tuned on www.pernillekaab.wordpress.com to see what shall become of this mess!
- yours truely Pernille Kaab