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• creative peoplePhoto: Brad Bartholomew,copyright 2010 InterweavePress LLCfeather colours and body sizes.A bird is like a mini canvas for creativeexploration of colour and surfacedesign. I am attracted to the relativelysmall size of birds. If you make thecolouration and shape realistic enough,a soft sculpture bird could be mistakenfor a real bird and I think that is reallycool. It is so much fun to create agrouping of birds that resembles ataxidermy display in a science museum.The book includes patternmaking,turning and stuffing, wire legsand feet so is this book aimed atfairly experienced sewers or couldnewcomers take a stab?I think both new and experiencedsewers will find The Artful Bird ofinterest. For those who are newto sewing, there are photos andinstructions that take you through thefundamentals of successful softiemaking. Several of the projects can bemade in just a few hours and, once youget the hang of it, even less time thanthat. For experienced sewers, creatingthree-dimensional soft sculpture birdscan open up a whole new creativeavenue. I suggest multiple ways topersonalise and expand each project,including dyeing your own bird-makingfabrics and embellishing wings withbeading, paints and lace. And some ofthe projects, like the wading birds, aremore complex to sew and balance. Afteryou have sewn a few of the birds, youhave the fundamentals you will need tocreate your own original sewing patternsfor birds, which I think is really exciting.What other mediums do you work inand how do you manage to fit it all inwith raising a young family?I enjoy creating assemblages withfound objects and I am inspired byJoseph Cornell’s shadow boxes.I think it is especially fun to shrinkdown some of my bird patterns so thatI can sew up a little bird to include inthe box. I also keep a sketch bookwhere I draw ideas for new softiedesigns. And I still love origami!Crafting with my children is really funfor me. I was a teacher and still enjoycoming up with creative projects thathelp my children to explore new media.We recently made papier-mâché fruittogether and Roxanne loves to handsew little pillows and pouches. Bothmy daughters love my scrap bag andcome up with endless uses for thelittle bits of leftover fabric that are allover the studio floor.My blog is called ‘While she naps’because, when I began sewing inearnest, I was doing it during thebaby’s nap time. Those 90 minuteswere my time to play and have funand just be me ... when my daughterswere little and still napped I guardednap time fiercely. As time passed andRoxanne and Stella grew a bit older,I was able to sew while they went toschool. Now we have a new baby girl(born in November) so I will be back tonaptime sewing!What’s the state of sewing andhandcrafts in America currently?I am definitely seeing a renewedinterest in sewing and handcrafts.Here in my own community there areso many other Mums I meet who reallywant to learn to sew. Many of themhave sewing machines but don’t reallyknow how to use them and wish theydid. I have hosted some craft nightswhere a group of women get togetherand sew and chat and it’s fun.The Internet has created acommunity of sewers who canshare resources, ideas, patternsand inspiration. This community iswonderfully motivating and inspiringfor me and it has been marvellous towatch many of these crafters createbeautiful sewing books and amazingnew fabric lines. All of this creativity isspilling out into the mainstream craftworld and I am thrilled to be part ofthat movement. •@www.abbyglassenberg.comwww.whileshenaps.typepad.comwww.whileshenaps.etsy.com– birds for salewww.josephcornellbox.com90 spotlight.com.au