Leslie Norman Bundy

I’m Leslie, currently a stay at home (Richmond, VA) mom of a toddler. I was a jeweler before that, and I’m a perennial crafter/artist with a BFA in painting. I’m alone a lot with my daughter so I try to infuse some daily creativity into my parenting, both for my own mental health and for her. We cook together and draw a lot, or I let her explore (destroy) my sewing space while I work on a little something. Sometimes I knit while we watch a movie. At night is when I get most of my sewing done, in 20-40 minute increments usually.

Having my body change so much postpartum was a big motivator for me to start sewing regularly again. I’ve always been picky about how my clothes fit, something I got from my extremely skilled seamstress grandma, who taught me to sew at ten. I hadn’t really sewn much since college, but now it’s both a fun pastime and a necessity and feels like coming home.

The Instagram sewing community been amazingly inspirational for my sewing, and I’ve discovered so many indie sewing pattern companies I love, great tools, support, and tips. The sheer volume of posts I save has help me nail down what I really like, style-wise. Which seems to be color blocking with bold solids, stripes, pattern clashing, white lacy tops, and chunky knits. I’m working my way to my dream wardrobe in fit, utility, and aesthetic, and having a blast. The more handmade clothes I make, the more I feel like “me’.

What influence does music have in your life as a creative?:

I don’t listen to music that much on a daily basis, or when I sew, but it’s something that has become part of my studio practice when I do metalsmithing. My work ritual was always lighting a candle or incense and putting on something relaxing to listen to. I gravitate towards whole albums, I really appreciate the way each song adds to the entire story. I listen to the same ones over and over, and sing along periodically. I like a lot of folk and other soft genres that I don’t have the bandwidth to name right now. Sometimes I’m pushing through really frustrating puzzles with my work, so I think having a chill background helps me maintain my calm (not saying there isn’t crying anyway though). For some reason I listen to books more while I sew, and watch movies while I knit. Maybe every craft I do needs a different sort of background brain stimulation.

I will say, musicians’ wardrobes are some of the most aspirational things out there. I love the over-the-top flamboyance, and effortless coolness of it. I don’t think there’s any reason we all can’t do that in real life, and even though I don’t always come off like that in person, it’s inside of me.

Tell us about your playlist:

These are some of my favorite songs, or things that I felt fit in from the albums and musicians I have on heavy rotation. Since I don’t normally listen to anything but straight albums while I work, I focused on getting the overall studio vibe. I also made it about two hours long, because that is how much unbroken time I wish I had to make stuff. I used to work on projects for hours on end and I really miss it.