What sparks You? Katy Dill

There have probably been a handful of times when I have fallen asleep before Ryan in our 11 years of marriage.  Post-surgery and post delivering a baby are among those times.  Those few minutes that I truly have to myself, when I know our 5 girls are asleep and Ryan has just dozed off are packed.  That's when the blueprints for my projects are initially created--in my mind.  I imagine sewing details, how I'm going to construct something, what colors I envision it, the details right down to the buttons and handwork.  

ruffled bloomer tutorial

Once I have a clear vision of what I'd like to produce, it's hard to keep my mind (or hands!) on anything else.  If my hands aren't doing something, I fell unproductive.  Even sitting down to read a book, I'll think, If I could just listen to an audio book I could enjoy literature and be productive!  I've always been that way.  I used to crochet during recess in elementary school (that and play tether ball).

ruffled cLOVEr dress tutorial

Of course, not everything I conjure in my mind during those quiet moments at night come to fruition.  I have had my share of "failures".  Recently I started making myself a Maxi dress.  It was in white linen, and I could imagine myself and my 8 month pregnant belly in it, with photos on the beach and how I would cherish having those photos.  The further into it I got, the more I knew it wasn't going to work out...for me.

all in the details sundress tutorial

And it was disappointing, like seeing a beautifully photographed cake and attempting to recreate it, only to end up with a crumbly, bland mess.  So, I altered my plans and it turned out to be a darling summer dress for my oldest.  I think that's part of the creative process that gets overlooked sometimes.  We see other people's creations, the finished and polished projects and assume the road there was a straight and smooth one.  Creativity, like anything else worth doing in life, takes work, perseverance, and sometimes alternate thinking.

a biased skirt tutorial

I don't think I'll ever outgrow the need to create.  Once my five girls (and whomever I am carrying right now) are grown and gone...I'll have grand children that will need me to sew for them, right?

hand pieced and dyed lace skirt

Ryan and I are the parents of 5 girls with another little one on the way.  I don't have any formal training in clothing design, just trial and error and a couple of high school sewing classes.  When my hands aren't busy sewing or taking care of my family, I enjoy baking and playing the harp.  We hope to sell everything we own (except the harp and sewing machine) and move abroad one day with our baby Dills.

Katy Dill is the amazing blogger/mom/seamstress behind the successful blog No Big Dill. She is one of those women that inspires on so many different levels you just wish you lived next door to her so that you can suck up some of her creativity through osmosis.