Go ahead... let it hit.
So I owe a few apologies out here in LJ land. Solid apologies to people, of whom, I have been bad about getting sewing orders out to. Most especially debunkshy and bifemmefatale but also , issahla, stephanieb and jinxedkisses. There are probably more but it is fuck cold here and I can't keep typing lj codes.
In many ways I took the good graces of my friends a little too lightly. I took "whenever!" to mean whenever and I felt as though their understanding of my life would allow me flexibility. I was wrong - mainly in my own actions of taking too long of time and being a bit too loose with it all. I apologize. I am sorry. More than you will know - because honestly, guilt is one of those things that really gets my core and busts me up. I don't like disappointing people.
For the record, one of those orders is a year old and the rest are about six months old - which is unacceptable. I just got overwhelmed and many days I still am. Before the move, I was finishing school and that last semester was hell - not to mention the abdominal hernia and surgery that put me out for over a month. Then after moving and setting up shop in August, I couldn't really do it any more. After being out of the house for 10 hour days with work and the kids, I couldn't get motived to sew to save my life at the end of it. I just zoned out to the internet wishing I wasn't so god damn tired. I resigned myself to sew on weekends but now, I no longer have kid-free weekends and the stress of them playing around the house and in my workspace (which is much less separate than the loft was) while I tried to work in the same space was a disaster.
I have been on slow sewing since August - damn slow. It was moving best when I wasn't working another job. I was starting to really get through orders but I did take a stupid liberty and work first on those orders from non-friends. Once again, I made the mistake of taking advantage of my friends' good will... I must also admit that I am not good with un-firm deadlines. "I need it by 10/1" is so much better than "whenever" and it is my mistake for not asking for firm deadlines when I know that this is my problem. But I have been turning out orders - at least I really was for those 4 weeks I was on my own.
Now I had to get another day job due to C not sending child support - so this month I have been working 8 hour days with a 45 min. commute each way and yep, I have been fucking wiped out each night with weekends of hell on my hands due to not enough space or distance from the kids to actually get my work done. This is my truth. My non-friend customers were getting fair service (not great - but not bad) and my friends were getting none. This last month flew by so fast as I had to buckle down to work - I barely realized it was so far gone. I lost my sitter who was willing to take the kids at her house for hours on end. My largest support group is now 300 miles away and I get worn out balancing work, kids and home on my own. I am not good at it - it takes a real effort for me to do it alone and my learning curve on that bit of knowledge was the last 5 months.
I finished debunkshy's kilt tonight and it will hit the mail on Friday as I leave town - I can't get to the mail any sooner as it is only open the hours I work. I got spoiled by late hrs. in Madison. It has taken me a year to make this one... mainly because it started out as the old design and then when I changed the design, I just got frustrated and put it aside. I didn't want to restart with a new piece of fabric because they no longer make that kind (so I didn't want to shorten my stash of it) but I couldn't face the reconstruction. I let it slide and in doing so, I fucked up and I provided crappy service to my friends. This kilt became my own personal cross to bear - silly as that may sound, projects can do that and this one did. I offer my sincere apologies.
I do not take obligations lightly and I have the wherewithal to complete all orders out to me right now and more promptly than before. I have just answered a bunch of emails regarding this to people out there on my list that I know are most concerned. Please email me if you need to discuss this with me - I will be out of town this coming weekend but will try to get to all emails before I leave on Friday. If you need a specific date added (as much to help you and to motivate my ass) please email that also to me and I will push for it.
I can do nothing but admit my mistakes. I keep getting really good reviews for my work from clients and it is something I want to see grow over time. Currently, my plan is to finish all orders out without taking in any new ones. I am applying to vend at CONvergence with stock to sell on site and taking a few orders. I, however, am human so life is not always in my control. It is my responsibility though - so, here my apology. I am sorry for the delays that have happened. I hope that they can be forgiven.
In many ways I took the good graces of my friends a little too lightly. I took "whenever!" to mean whenever and I felt as though their understanding of my life would allow me flexibility. I was wrong - mainly in my own actions of taking too long of time and being a bit too loose with it all. I apologize. I am sorry. More than you will know - because honestly, guilt is one of those things that really gets my core and busts me up. I don't like disappointing people.
For the record, one of those orders is a year old and the rest are about six months old - which is unacceptable. I just got overwhelmed and many days I still am. Before the move, I was finishing school and that last semester was hell - not to mention the abdominal hernia and surgery that put me out for over a month. Then after moving and setting up shop in August, I couldn't really do it any more. After being out of the house for 10 hour days with work and the kids, I couldn't get motived to sew to save my life at the end of it. I just zoned out to the internet wishing I wasn't so god damn tired. I resigned myself to sew on weekends but now, I no longer have kid-free weekends and the stress of them playing around the house and in my workspace (which is much less separate than the loft was) while I tried to work in the same space was a disaster.
I have been on slow sewing since August - damn slow. It was moving best when I wasn't working another job. I was starting to really get through orders but I did take a stupid liberty and work first on those orders from non-friends. Once again, I made the mistake of taking advantage of my friends' good will... I must also admit that I am not good with un-firm deadlines. "I need it by 10/1" is so much better than "whenever" and it is my mistake for not asking for firm deadlines when I know that this is my problem. But I have been turning out orders - at least I really was for those 4 weeks I was on my own.
Now I had to get another day job due to C not sending child support - so this month I have been working 8 hour days with a 45 min. commute each way and yep, I have been fucking wiped out each night with weekends of hell on my hands due to not enough space or distance from the kids to actually get my work done. This is my truth. My non-friend customers were getting fair service (not great - but not bad) and my friends were getting none. This last month flew by so fast as I had to buckle down to work - I barely realized it was so far gone. I lost my sitter who was willing to take the kids at her house for hours on end. My largest support group is now 300 miles away and I get worn out balancing work, kids and home on my own. I am not good at it - it takes a real effort for me to do it alone and my learning curve on that bit of knowledge was the last 5 months.
I finished debunkshy's kilt tonight and it will hit the mail on Friday as I leave town - I can't get to the mail any sooner as it is only open the hours I work. I got spoiled by late hrs. in Madison. It has taken me a year to make this one... mainly because it started out as the old design and then when I changed the design, I just got frustrated and put it aside. I didn't want to restart with a new piece of fabric because they no longer make that kind (so I didn't want to shorten my stash of it) but I couldn't face the reconstruction. I let it slide and in doing so, I fucked up and I provided crappy service to my friends. This kilt became my own personal cross to bear - silly as that may sound, projects can do that and this one did. I offer my sincere apologies.
I do not take obligations lightly and I have the wherewithal to complete all orders out to me right now and more promptly than before. I have just answered a bunch of emails regarding this to people out there on my list that I know are most concerned. Please email me if you need to discuss this with me - I will be out of town this coming weekend but will try to get to all emails before I leave on Friday. If you need a specific date added (as much to help you and to motivate my ass) please email that also to me and I will push for it.
I can do nothing but admit my mistakes. I keep getting really good reviews for my work from clients and it is something I want to see grow over time. Currently, my plan is to finish all orders out without taking in any new ones. I am applying to vend at CONvergence with stock to sell on site and taking a few orders. I, however, am human so life is not always in my control. It is my responsibility though - so, here my apology. I am sorry for the delays that have happened. I hope that they can be forgiven.