Sewing was a language, their aunt said. It was the language of shapes. A good seamstress could envision a garment encircling a body and see the same garment laid flat on a cutting table, broken into its individual pieces. One rarely resembled the other.
--from The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles
Funny how I discovered
The Seamstress while in the midst of writing October's fashion-related posts. And funny that in an historical novel of love, sisterhood and Brazilian outlaws, I would find a description of the art of sewing that relates so closely to how I decorate. When working on a room a flashbulb explodes in my brain--a mental photo of what the completed space will look like. Then I must weave together the elements of that room as though they were pieces of a pattern. Each piece must add to the whole and the final living space must complement the owner's lifestyle and taste while offering comfort and beauty. Since my version of sewing consists of using Scotch tape to keep a hem in place, I never thought I could understand how a seamstress turns fabric into fashion. But now I have a glimpse.
READ: The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles
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