CynicalGirl

I have always been fascinated with the process of creating sculptural form from a flat surface. Garments, with their tucks and folds, imposing dimension to enhance the figure, is to my mind one of the most amazing engineering feats known to women (and men). I have never studied draping or flat pattern design. Thank goodness sewing patterns take the guesswork out of clothing construction.

Since high school, in the 70's, I have been an avid collector of vintage housewares, furniture and clothing, with a special interest in Mid-Century Modernism. That period, that spans the 40's and 50's, brought forth designs that were elegant, dignified and what are now considered classic.

As quality vintage garments become harder to obtain, the patterns to recreate these fashions has not. What started as a search to repurchase some of my favorite patterns from the 60's and 70's, has become an obsession. After witnessing thrift shop workers dump boxes of patterns into a dumpster, I started my quest to rescue these icons of women's history one pattern at a time. I'm up to around 20,000 and going strong.

I blog over at http://zipsanddarts.blogspot.com/. It's a blog dedicated to bringing to light some of the overlooked aspects of fashion and women's history, and sewing in particular. I also use my blog to share patterns. I am constantly finding odd patterns from the past that I cannot part with and so have them available to anyone to download for free. To my mind the most wonderful thing I have found while sorting through the patterns I have accumulated, is how often these were used and shared. I continue the tradition of sharing at Zips and Darts.

Besides rescuing patterns I am also an artist. http://www.bobolinkbooks.com/MSB/Home.html My training was primarily in drawing and painting but sewing and fibers have always been my first love and have worked their way back into my artwork. Since a child I have always pursued drawing and craft as my preferred activities. My first weaving loom was gifted to me from Santa when I was 7 years old. I have woven fabrics, sewn quilts and garments, spun wool and even taught handspinning and natural dyeing at our local weavers guild. As a fine artist I have had many solo shows and had my work featured in exhibitions all across the US as well as Europe, South America, Korea and Japan.

In addition to fiber arts, I am an avid gardener and conservator of nature, providing habitat for all manner of species that wander onto our little 5 acre paradise in the middle of the cornfields.