Thursday Post: What Keeps You from Your Sewing?
Since I'm trying (again) to break bad habits by joining a sew-along (to be detailed in a later post), I'm running over in my head the things that prevent me from working on my projects.
LOTS of things.
Situational (as in "tangible"):
1) Work--this is a duh. When you're at a place, Monday through Friday, 8 or 9 hours a day, it tends to put a kink in your fun life.
2) Household Chores--We've all read the meme comparing the 1950s sewing handbook with modern sentiments ("why get dressed--sew in your pajamas!" and "Let this dishes pile up--sewing is more important because it's fun!") First of all, I do think it's funny that the 1950s book recommends you do your makeup and dress to the nines in case the postman comes by (gods forbid), but that's where it ends. Before I shoot into a long diatribe about how our society fosters enjoyment and fun at the expense of everyday real life and tasks, I will just say that the "modern sentiment" does not work for me. There have been times when I focused to much time and energy on a project to be exhausted, then turn around to a mountain of dishes and/or laundry, a filthy apartment, et cetera, and felt even worse. I need the other things to be taken care of on some level before I can enjoy and focus on my project. Also, I find it's very helpful to be fully dressed when making a modern garment, so I can easily test fit without having to change.
3) Social/Family obligations--I don't really need to explain this, especially if you have children.
4) Sewing Area is a Disaster Zone--This is a constant battle. No matter how much I try and make it "neat and orderly," the universe finds a way to fuck me over. Like, last January was the first time I ever felt happy and comfortable with it, then I get a call from a realtor to move everything out because the house is up for sale. :P I've kinda gotten a handle on it again, but I have so many UFOs and no real place to put them where they are simultaneously out of the way and visible so I don't forget them again.
The Mental and The Amorphous:
1) Exhaustion--After getting all the above out of the way, I have no good energy to put into a project. I guess I should just try to form habits or lists of things I can work on that require little energy, while I'm couch-flopped and watching British Kitchen Nightmares (it's so much more REAL and they don't bleep it! I love how Gordon Ramsay says "fuck!")
2) Depression/Apathy/Frustration--I don't know how much of this tied into exhaustion, but I have some serious issues with this. Like I've already decided I'm going to fail/fuck it up/make it look stupid before I've even started.
3) Loss of Interest--I'm sure this ties into the last issue as well. I have great ideas, get the pattern, get the fabric, and maybe go as far as cutting a muslin or even the garment before getting bored and folding it away. Usually I only get as far as the pattern/fabric part.
So, what kind of issues do you ladies have? Similar issues, different ones? What do you do to combat them or get around them for successful sewing? Do you have any advice?
LOTS of things.
Situational (as in "tangible"):
1) Work--this is a duh. When you're at a place, Monday through Friday, 8 or 9 hours a day, it tends to put a kink in your fun life.
2) Household Chores--We've all read the meme comparing the 1950s sewing handbook with modern sentiments ("why get dressed--sew in your pajamas!" and "Let this dishes pile up--sewing is more important because it's fun!") First of all, I do think it's funny that the 1950s book recommends you do your makeup and dress to the nines in case the postman comes by (gods forbid), but that's where it ends. Before I shoot into a long diatribe about how our society fosters enjoyment and fun at the expense of everyday real life and tasks, I will just say that the "modern sentiment" does not work for me. There have been times when I focused to much time and energy on a project to be exhausted, then turn around to a mountain of dishes and/or laundry, a filthy apartment, et cetera, and felt even worse. I need the other things to be taken care of on some level before I can enjoy and focus on my project. Also, I find it's very helpful to be fully dressed when making a modern garment, so I can easily test fit without having to change.
3) Social/Family obligations--I don't really need to explain this, especially if you have children.
4) Sewing Area is a Disaster Zone--This is a constant battle. No matter how much I try and make it "neat and orderly," the universe finds a way to fuck me over. Like, last January was the first time I ever felt happy and comfortable with it, then I get a call from a realtor to move everything out because the house is up for sale. :P I've kinda gotten a handle on it again, but I have so many UFOs and no real place to put them where they are simultaneously out of the way and visible so I don't forget them again.
The Mental and The Amorphous:
1) Exhaustion--After getting all the above out of the way, I have no good energy to put into a project. I guess I should just try to form habits or lists of things I can work on that require little energy, while I'm couch-flopped and watching British Kitchen Nightmares (it's so much more REAL and they don't bleep it! I love how Gordon Ramsay says "fuck!")
2) Depression/Apathy/Frustration--I don't know how much of this tied into exhaustion, but I have some serious issues with this. Like I've already decided I'm going to fail/fuck it up/make it look stupid before I've even started.
3) Loss of Interest--I'm sure this ties into the last issue as well. I have great ideas, get the pattern, get the fabric, and maybe go as far as cutting a muslin or even the garment before getting bored and folding it away. Usually I only get as far as the pattern/fabric part.
So, what kind of issues do you ladies have? Similar issues, different ones? What do you do to combat them or get around them for successful sewing? Do you have any advice?