Sewing Machine Packed Away

Well, I have finally hit the wall and as much as I love sewing, just cannot bring myself to do anymore.  I guess with a huge baby bump it is hard to get comfortable when sewing and I am just too tired to think logically about what I am doing.

I have had two projects on the go.  First was a library bag for 6y old, and although it is usable and looks OK, it is not going to last long, I just stuffed it up in too many ways.  It will do until after bub is born at least, but honestly, you would think I would be able to make a library bag without stuffing it up to much.  Apparently Not.

The second, I have put away unfinished.  I actually hate doing this as I know very well that it will never get finished.  However I am using a Burda pattern which I usually love using as they seem to follow a different technique to most of the patterns I have used, but it always seems to be a better way in the long run.  The trouble with Burda is that they don't use illustrations, and being a very visual person, I have to read the instructions 5 or 6 times before I can get a clear picture in my head of how to follow the instructions.  I am making a very simple skirt with pockets at the moment but my baby brain can NOT get into gear and I have already made a mess of it.  So I have put it away in the hope that I will go back to it when I am thinking a little more clearly - so maybe in the next 2-3 years.

Both machines are now off to the repairers for a service so I have no other option but to give sewing a miss for a while.

Jen & Row
www.shimi.com.au

How do you find time to create?

How do we find the time to create?



I think I can safely say most of us out there that create also have jobs, and or families that we need to devote time to. I don’t work anymore, but have a 6 and a 4 year old and another little one due in February so my time is ever dwindling. Even though my older two are self sufficient in that they don’t need me to help them with the toilet (thank god, wiping bums is really not my favourite job), they can get themselves a drink, etc, the time saved here is now spent helping my oldest with homework, and involving my youngest in learning. So what do I give up to get more time? I am quite fond of eating and sleeping, but one has to make sacrifices, and being a woman I can multitask so eating can stay – guess it is sleeping....


I find it a constant struggle to find the time to really focus on whatever I am embarking on at the moment. If I paint, I start at 8 o’clock at night and I paint until I am finished that canvas (needless to say my paintings are NOT full of detail, but they are full of colour!!). Or I try to find projects that I can get my kids involved in, so while I work away I have a miniature version of what I am doing set up so we can all work together. This isn’t my favourite, as just when I am starting to get focused on what I am doing it is inevitably the time when my kids have had their fill of the project and are ready to move onto the next thing. Oh well, it is all fun.


Sewing (my first love) is a little more challenging. As mentioned with my painting, if I can’t get it done in a small amount of time, I will not start. Whilst I pick things that aren’t going to take me days and days to make, sewing is a long process regardless. First it is cutting out the fabric as per the pattern (really not happy that that is part of the sewing process), and then the pinning, measuring, sewing, pinning, measuring, sewing, and on it goes. So rather than a day of sewing and I have a new outfit, which was possible pre kids, I have a week of trying to sewing and maybe a new sleeve. However au vante gaurd that may be, I am not Lady Gaga and I require more than a sleeve to make an outfit – I appreciate the value of pants ever so much.


I have adopted a new strategy though, which is working for me. Rather than just focus on sewing one item, I will pick a few different things to sew (generally something for me, for both my kids and maybe a new cushion) that all require the SAME coloured sewing thread. The really time consuming part is all the prep work – 4 patterns does take a while to cut out, and I tend to use Burda. (I LOVE Burda, but the tracing is very hard, especially now they have taken the pattern sheets down from two either side, to one either side). Once that is done, I have my four little piles and I methodically work through each pattern, pinning the first step on each item, then doing all my sewing at once, then pinning and sewing, etc. I have found it is far more time efficient and I have become a far better sewing because I am not rushing to get through the pattern and ignoring steps so I can get more than a sleeve made. I always thought I was a reasonable sewer, but after working through patterns this way I have found so many new techniques that make my final outcome look much better and are in most cases far easier.


So this is how we evolve I guess. I am determined not to give up the things I love just for the sake of time (or sleep) but my first and most important role is mum, so I just have to work with it. We would love to know how you manage your time, leave us a comment, you never know we all might pick up a new trick or two.

If you are an artisan and are wanting to display your work, drop us a line at Shimi, we are always on the look out for new designers to contribute.

T-shirts

After nights of sitting up embroidering my goods by hand I am pleased to say I have or had should I say a small range of t-shirts based around my "bird" theme, with a small range of sizes. Unfortunately now I am down to only size 12 as my beautiful children took to some of the shirts with scissors. Oh well, a couple of friends have benefited from this misfortune, as while the shirts are not to my standard to sell, they are still wearable, with only the sleeves missing.

My fault though, who leaves their work out with young kids who like to snip and paste? This idiot. In the end I am still happy with the designs and I like to be generous with my friends so I am happy the shirts will still see the light of day.

This is not the first time this has happened to me though. Years ago when we went through the "21St's" party stage I was making my outfits as the parties came up. I worked all night on a lovely shirt and only had to put in the zip the next day after work in order to make it to the party on time. My lovely (and extremely good sewer) mother offered to help by putting in the zip. I reiterated several times that she needed to sew off the base of the zip so the zipper foot didn't come off all together making the shirt a throw-away disaster. Yes, Yes, Yes I heard. But - you guessed it, she didn't do it....... Needless to say the inevitable happened and I went out to a flash party in my nice new pants and .... a plan white t-shirt.