As I mom I love giving my son things that was made by my hands. It makes him see the value of something.
Jac and her family!
This week’s feature is on Jaclyn Colmenares-Zapatos of I.am.Handmade by Mom! She sews lovely fabric dolls, and as a mother, understands the importance of imparting the value of handmade objects to her toddler son. Be sure to check out her Waldorf-inspired doll making class in November!
How long have you been crafting?
I’ve been sewing since I could remember. The 1st project I did was way back when my brother wanted to join the comic con and dress up as Rurouni Kenshin. Not knowing how to do patterns I literally draped the fabric over him and cut. I then used a pedal power sewing machine to make it. After that mom asked me to salvage old t-shirts (shirts from our childhood) which I turned into quilts. Ever since then I was sewing, mostly quilts.
What’s your favorite medium? Why?
Sewing give me a needle and thread and am ready to go. I don’t know why but love sewing. I never hard any formal training so you really see my works progress as the years passed.
Handmade love.
Tell us about your favorite projects.
Right now it’s the dolls. I enjoy making them and love how they have evolved. It really show the mood I am in, the inspirations around me and the process each take.
What’s the one crafting skill you’ve always wanted to master/learn?
Embroidery. I know how to but I really would love to master it, actually I want to get a chance and time on making a project that required lots of embroidery work. Projects like table runners, quilting by hand and so forth. Remember the table covers and napkins our grand mothers used to make.
Dressing up these dolls with hand-sewn accessories should be fun.
What are you currently working on?
Right now I am focusing on the dolls. Currently I am fussing over the Japanese girls in yukata outfits which I still haven’t come around on sewing. I bought these Yukata fabrics from Japan and its been taunting me to sew it. I want to finish all my waldorf dolls firsts before diving into that project. But I love bouncing from one project to the next so I may just make that after this.
What’s your dream project? What have you done to make it happen so far?
Right now I would say just finishing the long list of collection of dolls I have in mind. If I think of I new project I’ll end up jumping on that one.
Aside from crafting what else do you do? I have a FULL TIME day job and I have a toddler. I always remind my self I am a mother first. So all my crafting has to happen after I tend to my son.
“Plan out your time and projects. But be ready in case those plans don’t get followed.”
How does creativity influence the other areas in your life?
It has made made me value time esp. since i have to balance my craft business with everything else. Also it has made things more fun, like recently for Halloween where I got to make my own version of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
Any advice for other aspiring crafters?
Nothing is impossible as long as you make time for it. Plan out your time and projects. But be ready in case those plans don’t get followed. And be ready to let go of a project if you can’t make it.
What do you do to beat a ‘creative block’?
I stop, and re think what I was planning to make. Or I’ll jump on sewing a completely different project all together.
Give us 3 crafting essentials you must have in your toolbox at all times. Needle, thread and scissors.
Why should people get their hands busy (and start crafting)?
As I mom I love giving my son things that was made by my hands. It makes him see the value of something.
Check out Jac’s other stuff.
Where can we find your work?
I finally have opened my on line store, so they can check out my collections at the following sites: iamhandmade.multiply.com ; catch the process of each collection at imhandmade.wordpress.com and of course my face book page facebook/i.am.handmade