The Story-Beginnings Box

My studio storage is not what I’d call elegant; all of my fabrics and wools are kept in labelled, stackable plastic boxes. I’d prefer them to be on bright open shelves, or beautifully displayed on an antique dresser, or in wooden boxes or woven baskets. Something appealing to the eye, natural and warm to the touch. But sadly, plastic has been more practical in these recent times of house moving, renovation, dust and builders. At least all the boxes have enticing contents clearly written on the front; patterned non-stretch fabric, fastenings, ribbon and lace, 4-ply wool, Aran-weight wool, doll stuffing. Distracting and alluring labels that call me to open the boxes and take out the contents, to feel the textures of wool and cotton and smell the scent of old print fabric. 

But I’m ashamed to say there is one box which almost never gets opened. I feel so guilty looking at it that I have turned it around so I can’t see the label. This one is my ‘Unfinished-Doll’ box. Or, for any of you who have read ‘The Artist‘s Way’, my creative U-turn box. I used to make lots of dolls, teach doll workshops and design patterns before I became too busy with illustrating and learning to live in a new country. These days, as I draw and write and collage characters at my desk, these unfinished dolls stare balefully out at my, waiting desperately for it to be there turn for attention. “Are we not characters and stories too?” they seem to say. One of my good friends, who is also a doll-maker, came to stay in our house and was deeply distressed by this box. How could I abandon all of my creations in this way? 

With the start of this new year, (and finally with some breathing space between projects), it seems the moment to turn more often to creative play and tentatively re-open the unfinished-doll box. Yes, it’s scary because there’s so much work there to do; it’s scary because doll-making takes so much time and maybe I could be putting that time to better use; it’s scary because it’s something that I really love doing and what if it doesn’t work out the way I hope? So, to try and get over these fears, I’ve renamed the box. Now labelled the ‘Story-Beginnings’ box, it is hopefully a tantalising store of new inspiration and possibility, rather than a dose of guilt and regret. I’ll work steadily through the contents, completing every project and finding the character and story for each one as I go. It could take me months, but at the end I’ll have a whole range of new illustrations and stories featuring characters that I can give away or sell. This has to be better than leaving them sightless, limbless or clothe-less in the box for all eternity. Just think who might be out there waiting to meet them?

I’m starting today. Right now. Here we go with my first choice: the most hopeless-seeming case in the box. This doll was begun 8 years ago as a prototype for knitting coloured bodies into squishy, soft, simple characters. I didn’t like the proportions, the knit fabric didn’t behave as I wanted, the skin fabric was wrong and the stuffing went lumpy. So, into the bin box it went. Until now. Out it comes again, and out also come my needles, threads, crochet hook and scissors. I’ve rummaged through my stash of wool-ends and fabric left-overs (I’m attempting to use only materials I already have or have upcycled for this project) and put this beautiful palette together. Two stretch-cotton fabrics left over from sweatshirts my mum made for my daughter, and a range of soft cashmerino yarn-ends from when I first began knitting mittens for our new-born children (now all teenagers). If nothing else, this project is a trip down memory lane for me. Eyes, hair, clothes and let’s see where this game takes me. Wish me luck, illustrations and new stories! I’ll let you know how I get on.

My thanks go to Julia Cameron, writer of ‘The Artist’s Way’ and to Andy J. Pizza’s ‘Creative Peptalk’ podcasts for spurring me on to begin this new project. Both are wonderfully inspiring for any sort of creative endeavour and I wholeheartedly recommend them.