Sewing, cooking and browsing

I have my fabric all spread out ready to start cutting out the prototype for my new set of stuffed animals but I have sewer’s block – or performance anxiety or something like that. I just can’t start. It’s the same problem I am having with the glorious bag o’ wonder. My beautiful Rowan wool gets hauled out to show every unsuspecting visitor, my new pink pearl needles are sitting on my desk looking lovely and capable but it’s like the anticipation of the project is so exciting that starting it seems like an anticlimax. How complex!
As soon as our car is back from the repair shop (back windscreen leaked rain water all through the car! argh!) I am driving out to our nearest asian supermarket to buy some bamboo steaming baskets as I have the sudden urge to cook Chinese Steamed Pork Buns. I have always thought they might be quite difficult to make but I stumbled across a recipe in Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook that doesn’t look too tricky. Stephanie Alexander has included a recipe for plain steamed buns in this morning’s Epicure magazine but I can’t imagine going without the delicious filling.

And here are some links that I have been enjoying in the last day:

Illustrator Justin DeGarmo’s site (via wee me). As Melanie points out – check out the sketchbook pages – totally amazing.
The Graphic Novel – A Visual Language (via Robot Johnny) a slide show and audio presentation of the work and thoughts of such graphic novel artists as Chris Ware, Seth, Chester Brown and Art Spiegelman.
Andrea Dezso (via Miriam and Rosa) beautiful embroidered illustrations – as well as stunning artist books.
Seamripper – one of the talented girls who organises the Renegade Craft Fair has a site selling her wares.

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11 Responses

  1. ptregunn@bigpond.net.au says:

    Had a disaster happen to me this week. Was knitting my daughter a beautiful jacket with Jo Sharp Tweed wool. Not a great knitter so a bit slow. Had bought over $100 worth of wool with about 6 balls on hold (had collected another 6) from Wool Barn at Albert Park. Went with my daughter to collect balance yesterday only to find they had not kept the remaining balls for me. Not their policy to ring to notify customers if they are putting wool back in stock. Couldn’t have cared a less! Don’t want anybody else caught.

  2. rockin’ stuff 🙂 if the buns turn out will you post the recipe? i still pine for the ones i ate in melbourne just before leaving oz. ahhh melbourne.

  3. oh my goodness i LOVE those buns. my friend and i always order 3 each of char sui bau (oink!) when we go out to dimsum. you have made me feel VERY hungry now – PLEASE post the recipe?!

  4. tokisi@hotmail.com says:

    My year 11 art teacher, a hippy type, with jangly bangles, beard, piercings and cowboy boots who thought a sweatlodge would be cool for a school art camp, gave me the best advice ever for a creative block..
    The only way to start….is to start.

  5. sabine516@hotmail.com says:

    claire!
    thanks for all these great links! i’ve been enjoying them very much – like how i adore your blog!

    keep it up 🙂
    sabine

  6. I loved this comment so much, I just recently posted it on my site….hope it’s helpful….
    Despite her disciplined work ethic, Patience, like all creative souls, occasionally experienced artist’s block until an artist friend, Margot Datz, gave her a permanent cure. “She told me to think of someone I love, hold that person in my mind’s eye, and start drawing,” Patience says. “It worked. The art came out beautifully, like a gift for both of us.” Patience Brewster, Home Companion Magazine

  7. peach_tea6@yahoo.com says:

    You are such an inspiration 🙂 i finaly couldn’t fight the urge to learn knitting anymore,after reading your delightful knitting stories.ps: try red bean as the filling for those chinese buns, thick custard goes well, too.

  8. tiffanyhutton@indigoink.com.au says:

    My parents edited the first edition of Charmaine’s book, so I can vouch for the recipes! If you get struck by severe laziness, however, you can usually buy the buns frozen at Asian supermarkets … My kids LOVE them.

  9. A sewing block! How awful. I hope it goes away soon, so your stuffed animals can finally strech into lively shapes – I’m sure they’re eager to come alive!

  10. Claire, I adore all of your illustrations…but something about this one just made my day.

  11. I know what you mean about sewer’s block – all that lovely fabric, full of potential. As long as it is uncut it can still be perfect.
    I also suffer knitters block at the end of the project. I just don’t want to do that last seam in case the finished product ends up being less lovely than I thought it would.