Ombra

Pricked fingers; eyebags and blisters. These are common maladies for Ombra the seamstress. She came to the island to escape the hyper-intense hustle and bustle of city shop life. She drove herself to the brink of exhaustion out there, working late into the night so that Mistress So-and-So could have such-and-such for the Spring Gala, or Master Something could have his breeches repaired by tomorrow. There was never any time to rest. Anxiety piled like loose fabric, towering and towering until she had dreams of getting tangled in her own thread. That was how she knew it was time for a change. She had heard rumors of the mysterious floating island that brought peace and prosperity to its inhabitants. She wondered what it would be like to live behind the veil of mist, safe from the world of rush orders and overnight requests. She resolved to find the floating isle, and succeeded. Unfortunately, her stress followed her. Now, she finds herself moving at the pace of her internal clock. She has considerably fewer blisters, eyebags, and needle wounds, but she’s still working on learning how to rest. When she first got to the island, sometimes she’d start her sewing machine in her sleep. It’s not like that anymore. Through years of therapy, Ombra has embraced a pedagogy of rest as resistance. Rest as resistance to the ticking clock. Rest as resistance to the wounds of the past. She will embrace rest and recuperation, abandoning her older, more unsustainable ways.

Now, fashion design is more like a hobby for Ombra. She still has a shop so she can make a living, but she doesn’t feel as pressed to work on other dragons’ timelines. She takes it slow, ensuring that everything is done well and done right. She even has time to experiment with sewing– something she hasn’t been able to do since she was young. Once, she made an orange-red chiffon dress that looked just like a grapefruit. It was so colorful and bright that folks would smile every time they saw it displayed in her window. She especially loves to play with glitter and jewels. All sorts of shiny treasures wash up on the floating island’s mysterious shores. Ombra collects these items and brings them home, just to see what she can create. Her favorite piece of all time is a cloche hat decorated with miniscule pieces of abalone shell. It looks like a shimmering opal when the sun hits. What a treasure!

Ombra has become quite the beachcomber. She has always believed natural materials to be best of all. She’s even figured out how to make adorable little buttons out of aged driftwood. Her driftwood button coats are some of her most popular artifacts. Parents like to bundle their hatchlings up in Ombra’s tiny brown jackets. She loves how the youngsters look like pieces of driftwood themselves, tumbling around in the streets. They call her ‘Miss Ombra’ and come to her when they tear holes in their clothes. She patches them up free of charge and sends them off with small trinkets: extra bits of ribbon, tiny gemstones, or perhaps a scrap of tulle she wasn’t going to use. This Tundra’s endless generosity is part of the reason she struggled so much to begin with. She couldn’t bear the thought of letting a customer down. Now, her customers are her community members. Many of them have become her friends. It feels so much better to make clothes for dragons she cares so deeply about, rather than wealthy socialites who she usually wouldn’t see ever again. Clothes are about connection for Ombra. All she’s ever wanted to do is make other dragons feel good about themselves. Finally, she has a chance to do so in a way that makes her feel most comfortable.

On top of sewing for her community, Ombra has picked up another hobby (much to her therapist’s chagrin). She has started to make doll clothes. There’s something so joyous and satisfying about making garments that are extra tiny. She always loved the rare occasion back in the city when she’d be commissioned to make baby shoes or bonnets. Now that she can create whatever she pleases, she makes artistic outfits for dolls. Her tiny clothes are incredibly detailed. From the stitching to the embroidery to the add-ons and frills, her talents shine in miniature. Doll clothes are not in high demand, which means Ombra gets to keep most of these pieces. This is something she’s doing for herself. She loves it! Doll clothes are helping her fall in love with sewing again. She’ll spend hours upon hours attempting to get the lace trims just right, or figuring out the appropriate fabric rose placement for teeny doll pajamas. They make excellent gifts for hatchlings and are popular around birthdays or holidays, but apart from that, the itty bitty dresses and caps sit like small ghosts in her shop, keeping her company on rainy days. Her nimble fingers breathe life into each and every creation, making her miniature doll boutique the talk of the island. Ombra loves the idea of creating something that people won’t buy because it means she’s making something just for the sake of exercising her talents. This differs so much from life in the city. She’s endlessly grateful for the slower pace of the floating island. Now, instead of a shopkeeper, she can be an artist. This is what makes her happiest of all.
by ScorpiosHeart

your hair is neatly tied,
your hands scarred and manicured,
graceful and gentle and smooth as they glide.
hours, days, years;
you’ve always dreamed not of smiling at the camera
in a pretty gown and prettier smile,
but rather being the hands and eyes that have
turned passersby into someone worthwhile.
the work is hard and the pay is low,
but everything is worth it if you get to make others shine
like the stars you used to watch —
bright and glorious as they glow.
oh, darling, you naive fool!
you forget you need to sell;
even as the money flows
in, so do the demands —
include this gauze, put away this silk,
add some pearls and diamonds,
and lord forbid you even think of making this dress grand!
this is the price you pay for rising high, leaving land;
icarus flew oh so high, but he fell eventually,
into a sea where he cannot survive.
do you want to be the same?
would rather drown in fame than fly down
before you burn as a flame?
the care and love you have put into your craft,
was it not for your enjoyment?
when you, yourself, are good enough,
why seek for others’ endorsement?
the clothes you make, the fabrics you weave;
they should be comforting!
they are not just add-ons for your suffering!