I'm a gay disaster

This tumblr sexyman is your son!

Cutting - in my opinion, the most labor intensive part of the process. The amount of time/effort needed varies depending on the pattern and if seam allowance is included or marked separately, but no matter what this process can not be done by machine. Each and every panel and piece of fabric that goes into a garment must be cut by hand by a person.

Pinning/clipping - pinning (or clipping) is the stage at which you align the pieces you are going to be stitching together and hold them together with — you guessed it! — either pins or clips. This can not be done by machine.

Stitching - the actual sewing. This can be done by a sewing machine, but that machine still needs to be operated by a human being.

Ironing/pressing - two words that mean the same thing. The iron itself is a machine, but once again, it needs to be operated by a human being.

Finishing - depending on the technique you use, there are certain finishing techniques that can only be done by hand. But, let’s assume we’re talking about fast fashion, which is usually just finished with a simple overlock/serger. Once again: these machines need to be operated by people.

These are just the basic steps to making a garment, and don’t include textile arts that I am not as knowledgeable about, such as weaving, knitting, and crochet. Also, it is important to note that there are a lot of things that can only be done by hand, such as certain stitches and decorative techniques.

Also, the machinery being operated in textile factories is not equivalent to a domestic sewing machine. We’re talking about one of these guys:

See that gray cylinder under the table, behind the knee pedal? That’s the motor. These machines can sew through your fingers bones and all and not even stop. The people in these factories and sweatshops are operating heavy machinery, and are subject to all the risk that comes with that in addition to all of the work I mentioned above.

as my studio friend Fire & Grace says, mugs are one of the most intimate pieces of pottery that we own. we hold them close. we handle them a lot more than a plate or bowl, and we bring them to our lips.

and hopefully we find moments to relax with them

so it doesn’t matter what kind, or where you got it, so long as you love it. reblog this, or make your own post and tag me in it, either way!

here's my favourite mug

it was wheel thrown for me by Fire & Grace and given to me as greenware, so I could paint and carve it, with a poem by Aaron O’Hanlon. I originally intended this mug to be for @subpar-lemon-bar but it turned into my favourite lol

(and here's the back)

I didn't know how to pull handles yet. The rim isn't smooth. The foot is shallow almost to the point of being non-existent. The kiln didn't reduce properly so the glaze ("purple haze") came out blue instead of purple.

But a potter's very first mug is always a special thing. Nothing beats drinking something from a mug you made yourself. Every sip reminds you that this is something you made. Where there was nothing before, now there is something; and it's currently full of tea; and you're using it. It is both a beautiful piece of artwork and a functional part of your daily life. And a tangible tie back to all the people from the past 30,000 years who also took raw clay out of the ground and formed it into something that made their lives better.

I can't believe this mug is nearly 20 years old now.

from a physics perspective, that means all the force he’s applying is concentrated at the point of contact between his sword’s edge and the target, and it moves at just the speed that breakage propogates through the material. too slow and it wouldn’t have enough force; too fast and he’d get ahead of the break, shoving the target over instead of cutting it.