In addition to my studio, I have another work space. There are times when I can’t get to the studio, or I don’t want to because the weather is too hot to get in the car. Also, my need to make doesn’t automatically stop when I get home.

The things I make at home are generally stitched things, hand stitched, repetitive items that I don’t have to think about, like the vessels made from old t shirts. I now have loads of these. Still not quite enough, but probably over 100 now.

This weekend, being Father’s Day, and my son’s birthday, the family were gathered around. These gatherings now include a nearly three-year-old delightful boy who plays with us in turn and all together, wrapping us all around the cutest little finger. We are all glad to be so wrapped. An extra level of joy and exuberance and energy have been added to family get togethers. Anyway… this weekend, playing with the cars, creating a series of trip hazards as usual, he mentioned that this white car had doors that opened and seats that moved, but there were no people to sit in them! So of course, he has come to realise that his Baba (me) is one who makes things, so he said “Baba could make a person!” Having said this, his Mummy is also a maker, but in our house, my things for making are all at hand, so off I go to figure out how I can make a little person, about 3cm tall, to fit in the aforementioned car seat.

So I have a little rummage about in my armchair studio shelves to see what can be manipulated into a small person. One of the balls of stripped down t shirt is the right sort of colour, and so I start snipping and stitching, and come up with the basic plan for how to make it. It works, and said little, and apparently naked person is given his name, but then I am tasked with making a Mummy to go with him, because Mummy is the driver. So of course I do.

So now we have a car with driver and passenger and the game continues.

Trouble is I am now fully committed to making tiny naked people.

When dinner is had, stories read, pyjamas put on, toys put away and the little one is all ready for bed before the journey home, I start to think that I could make more little people. So we wave the family off and sit in grateful silence for quite a while…

Then I made another one.

This morning I get out the car with the others in and I can see that my construction method has improved with each one. Although the first one is a bit raggedy, it enables me to see that at a push I could suggest genitals. A few stitches in the right place and this could be a penis. Anyway, that is all a little bit too Louise Bourgeois, so I decide not to go full frontal, but that these little people would be so much better if there were more of them. 

How many is “more”? 

How many is “enough”?

How many is “unhinged”?

Because let’s face it, unhinged is the target number isn’t it?

So, I have abandoned the vessels for now, and my home studio space is now completely turned over to making little tiny naked pink people. If I had a range of t shirts in assorted skin tones, it would be even better. I’ll look out for something in the charity shops next week.

Final Photo: Painting by Louise Blakeway; “Gregg” pincushion by Holly Searle; Handmade notebook by Lucie Milosavljevich… the rest of the mess is by me.