I haven't been sewing since before Christmas for two reasons, or so I thought: the lift in my sewing machine table broke and we were busy remodelling our living room. Well, we replaced the lift in my cabinet and the living room is nearly complete so I have time to sew again. But I'm stuck. Why do I not feel like sewing?
I walked into Sewing Room #2 (the supposed guest room that houses my cutting table and overflow fabric and other craft stuff), with the intent on getting started on a project, but I just lost my inspiration. It did perhaps have something to do with the mess that is Sewing Room #2. Before I can embark on any project, I must organize. Well, Sewing Room #2 became Christmas Wrapping Central before the holidays and some bits and pieces of Christmas still remained. There's also my yarn stash, doll house, collection of Martha Stewart Living and Threads magazines, and other odds and ends to contend with. I tried to tidy up a bit but the more fabric I uncovered, the more agitated I became. I want to make the jackets, tops, pants, and skirts I envisioned when I bought the fabric...I just can't get going. I'm stuck.
I think part of the problem is that I have too much fabric and I'm a perfectionist who doesn't want to fail at the item I'm making, so I'm scared to start. Another problem is that I'm overwhelmed by too many projects. I have a lot of fabric. I don't know what to start working on. Do I just pick the nearest piece of fabric and make what I planned to make with it? Do I go through my patterns and find something that's appropriate for the season and then find the fabric (out of my stash of course) to go with it?
At least the fabric buying has slowed. I have been sticking to my fabric buying diet, more or less. The last piece of fashion fabric I bought was in early November. I did go to Thai Silks on Saturday with my internet friends but bought only a little bit of fabric to embellish a blouse I plan to make out of fabric already in my stash. I say that doesn't count because it's like buying interfacing, elastic or lace. I've also bought some cotton quilting fabric for either quilts or small projects such as a laptop case. In my mind that is only straying a bit from the diet, like having a small bite of a fattening dessert. Because just like with a food diet, if you exclude all taboo things from your diet, you will surely fail.
Of course I really should finish the pink rayon Jalie top I started. But I can't seem to get motivated by it. Am I just not motivated to sew right now? Is that ok? Except for the Christmas gifts, I haven't made anything since last fall. The cooler weather drove me to pick up my knitting needles and I feel more content knitting at the moment. But my sewing machine(s) sit idle, my wardrobe is in need of some new clothes, and the fabric reminds me of the clothing I want it to become. I go to my sewing meetings and have nothing to show off. I have the fancy machines and more than enough fabric and patterns but I'm not doing anything with them. What a waste!
So I think I will not push it. If I make myself sew, I may be unhappy with the project and unhappy with sewing. I will not be without clothes if I do not sew. The fabric is not going anywhere. No one will die if I don't finish the pink top just yet. They won't kick me out of the sewing guild. I don' t have to sew. Whew. Ok, I feel better.
Wow, I think we may be twins. I have a fabric stash that my husband jokes could clothe a small third world nation. I have the same tendencies when it comes to my crafts. Yards and yards and yards of fabric and no clothes in the closet. My kids need clothes and I finally cut out 2 dresses for my daughter over a week ago and they are only 1/2 sewn up. the perfectionism extends into other parts of my life too, you should see my house, I can't do this until I do that first and I have to wait t6o do that until ________ (fill in the blank). It never seems to end. I just need to get off my high horse and do it.
ReplyDeleteHa! I can't sew either I've organized my sewing area. Sounds as though you've made peace with yourself about not sewing at the moment, but I was reading PR's SWAP discussiop--Why don't you do a summer SWAP using your stash? It's so fun to plan a wardrobe and you've got the stash to use, plus, you could easily justify buying more fabric if you had to have it for your wardrobe plan, hee hee.
ReplyDeleteI tend to sew a seam a day, because I have so much else to do and really enjoy just sitting in front of the tv, watching gilmore girls.... just doing nothing and then, I sew a seam ;) and after a week about 50% of my sewing thing is done :) without stress. We sew, because it helps us staying calm ;) never forget that :)
ReplyDeletebtw. I tagged you :) read my blog to see what that means ( it is fun, costs nothing but 20 seconds and does not mean anything :) no sales or spam or so :) )