“Always Sewing” – Not

Machine

“Always sewing” are two words on this blog header which I aspire to; sadly it is not happening in real life. Below I give you 10 (there are more but let 10 suffice at this time) things which cause a sort of “sewing atrophy” in myself. Morbid word – “atrophy”, but it fits what I’m writing about.  Does this happen to you?

  1. The Never Ending Project Effect: Sometimes it’s the finishing touches that get you. The end does not seem to come fast enough. “I think I’m done! Wait, I need to sew a hook and eye above the zipper and the facing needs to be tacked down”. Darn. This is taking forever. I’ll do it another time. Into the unfinished pile it goes. Need a cup of tea.
  2. Fabric Selection Syndrome: In spite of the equivalent of a fabric store in your house, none of the pieces seem just right for your project. Of course you want your project to be perfect. You’re putting away the pattern until new fabric is purchased for it.
  3. Fear of Fabric: You have the perfect fabric and pattern for the garment you so badly want to make. But, but, but…. you’ve never sewn on this material (say, cut-velvet) before, and are afraid to cut into it. What if the project is messed up? I’ll think about it tomorrow like Scarlett, before taking scissors to cloth. Whew, need a soda after all that.
  4. Wardrobe Need vs Trend Temptations: The closet seems depleted of pants. Wait, sweatshirts are so on-trend. One with quilted touches is featured in fashion magazines and is so pretty. Sewer’s paralysis strikes since you are kept from sewing what you really want to sew (sweatshirt) but the pants need to get done. The sewing room is deserted yet again. You will have a pant-less season and will never get to make the trendy sweatshirt knock-off before it becomes “so last season”.
  5. The Need More Time Excuse: You have 15 minutes to sew a couple of seams on an ongoing project, but would really like a longer stretch of free time. What’s the point of sewing for just minutes? But I can have a doughnut in those 15 minutes.
  6. Cleaning Impulse: Heck, I can’t sew in this mess. I need to vacuum, dust and re-arrange my sewing stuff before taking up last week’s project again.
  7. The Social Media Allure: The sewing room seems so inviting, I think I’ll finish a project today – after checking my favorite sewing blog; and the Twitter feed is going crazy with sewing and fashion related tweets! I love Twitter!  Oops, no time to sew today.
  8. The Print Media Allure: Yippee, my favorite sewing magazine arrived! I’m off to go shopping for fabric and notions today, to make that pretty bag on the cover.
  9. Where has the day gone?: It’s time to prepare dinner. Yawn. Too tired to have a night sewing session; besides, don’t want to wake up the family.
  10. Blogging Ironies: I need to work on the next post on my sewing blog; shoot pictures, edit pictures, write text, edit, format, proof, re-read, add links, upload, read again, publish and publicize. Sewing will have to go on the back burner this day. Oh, the irony…..

Anything like this happen to you? Can you add to the above list? Or is it just me…

On a happy note, I’m cutting out a sewing project as you read this!

Samina

 

19 thoughts on ““Always Sewing” – Not”

  1. Samina, you’ve said it all! I can now print the list and have it readily available so I won’t need to use any ‘sewing time’ trying to come up with an excuse, now I can just check one off.

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    1. Absolutely, it does. Reading about sewing counts. Don’t gardeners spend hours pouring over garden catalogs & garden magazines? Not all of them have spectacular backyards… 🙂

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  3. this is why I have a sewing “competition” with a girlfriend. We meet every 6 weeks or so and show off what we’ve made and then decide on what we’re going to sew for the next 6 weeks. Nothing like a little peer pressure/deadline to finish up a project!!!

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    1. Yeah, the peer pressure does it everytime. I personally know of some friends though, who cheated and came to a meeting project-less. Hahaha. We were glad to have them anyway.

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  4. I can certainly relate to most of your list, especially the neverending project – stuff that needs more than one muslin seems to fall into that category, and finding the right fabric and fear of fabric. If you have some expensive fabric, sometimes you need to have some distance from it so you can cut it. Or buy some cheap version of it and practice on that. Another reason: I’m just tired from a ling day at work so I can’t muster the energy to sew or I do have the energy but my husband would prefer that I spend time with him, not my sewing machine. 😉

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    1. I don’t have the work excuse anymore, that’s why its not included in the list. But it should have been. Thanks for your comment, Chuleenan! I do have the elderly-mom-living-in-my-house excuse, though 🙂

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    1. I used to be oblivious of the cleaning thing, until I started to watch “Hoarders” on TV. Everytime I watch that show, I scramble around to find something to throw away…..

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      1. I love hoarders! It makes me feel like my clutter is not too bad… The package arrived the 2nd of May (I wasn’t home though) and has been put away until we move back to our place in about 2 weeks! Thanks again!

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  7. I can relate to your list! My recent ones are: can’t make a decision about which project to start, too hot to use the steam iron, reaching a point in a project with a technique I don’t know how to do, and the dreaded need to correct a mistake before continuing (seam ripper time). But I consider sewing related reading/thinking/planning/watching videos/looking at Pinterest to be part of the fun, and how I relax.

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  9. Thanks for the comment! I guess we sewing enthusiasts are so much alike. Should there be a personality quiz for sewers only? That’s an idea for a future blog post!!

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  10. Sorry I didn’t see your list sooner… I was stuck by an additional item, which is avoidance — as in not reading blogs about sewing because I feel guilty that the big mess and those UFOs with deadlines are down in the studio and if I just don’t look maybe the Good Fairy will come and fix it all up! LOL!

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