This is a chance to get to know some of the members of HandmadeMN and a little bit more about what they make and do in their own words.
Today we are getting to know Maggie Schultz from Bodice Goddess who lives in Saint Paul (you can also find out about her work at bymaggie.com).
What do you make and why? I make a lot of different things, but primarily it's costumes, clothing, and crochet. I costumed in high school, and that's when I realized that dressing up is FUN! So when I have the chance, I create costumes. I then realized that I could take everything I was learning from costuming and try making my own clothes. I spent all of 2010 not buying anything new, and instead only bought second hand items and altered clothing to fit or made something new.
I've gotten really drawn to crochet lately as well - there's something very zen about the patterns you can create with yarn. Also, crochet is portable, and I can work patterns with my mom and sister. I've also been trying my hand at making other things, too, like hair fascinators and garters. I made a pair of garters for my sister's wedding last summer - that was fun.
Where do you do your making?
It depends on the project. I can crochet pretty much anywhere. In fact, I worked my first team challenge for HandmadeMN next to a bonfire. Sewing, though, is trickier. Currently, I have a studio corner carved out of the "dining room" area of my apartment. There wasn't enough space for a dining room table, but there's plenty room for my airlift table once I took the extra 3-foot wing off of it. I like having my sewing stuff in a common room so I have access to a TV and a couch - that way, if I take a break, it's still there, guilting me into coming back to work.
I'm moving to a new place in September, and it'll be interesting to see how I work that space to suit what I need.
What do you listen to or watch while you are working?
What is your favorite part of the process? That's a complicated question. My favorite part of the process is seeing it DONE, and liking it. After that, there's a disconnect usually. Like the project isn't mine anymore, and it's off to live a life all its own. I feel a little bit like an eagle's nest. The babies leave and go off on their own, and I'm still here, getting stronger every year with every brood.
What do you listen to or watch while you are working?
I've got a little bit of (self-diagnosed) ADD, so I have to have something else going on practically at all times that I can ignore in order to focus. (For example, [at the time of writing], I've got the audio for an episode of "Boy Meets World" playing. :D) When I'm working on a project, I am a sucker for marathons. I crocheted a blanket for my boss's firstborn to a "Pirates of the Caribbean" marathon, and made a Joker suit to my "How I Met Your Mother" DVDs. OnDemand is my friend for that, too.
Tell us something else that we don't know about you. I'd rather make a custom item for someone than anything else in the world. I like nothing more than taking a little kernel of an idea from someone, running with it, and bringing it back, completed and perfect. I've made corsets, messenger bags, and crocheted items with this in mind.
Tell us something else that we don't know about you. I'd rather make a custom item for someone than anything else in the world. I like nothing more than taking a little kernel of an idea from someone, running with it, and bringing it back, completed and perfect. I've made corsets, messenger bags, and crocheted items with this in mind.
My current favorite is the Fiery from Labyrinth that I made for a coworker's baby shower because we used to sing "Dance Magic Dance" to each other at the office (and because I had orange and red fun yarn on hand). The Fieries are the guys that sing the only non-Bowie song in the entire film, and take off their heads and throw them at each other. I thought it was an adorable idea for a matched toy-and-blankie set for the little ovenbun, so I got to work. I didn't use a pattern at all for the Fiery, and made him up as I worked. His head is detachable using strings of yarn to stay CPSIA-friendly. The blankie is based on a pattern from an afghan book and worked incredibly quickly. Here's the blog post I wrote about him.
Of course, I'm not exempt from the "wanting a custom item" bug. In May, I made a red carpet gown for a movie premiere. The whole story's here.