rounding out the top 10 truths about sewing is you get a lot more stuff done when you stop talking about sewing and actually start sewing. this is also known to some as shut up and sew or less talk, more sew. i figure this post is quite timely because i've been AWOL from blogging because i've actually been sewing. :)
the disclaimer: i've had this conversation with quite a few people, and no, the topic isn't always about sewing. you can really apply it to anything - laundry, reading a book, vacuuming, etc. this is in no way, shape, or form about or directed toward any person in particular.
so, yeah, this truth isn't rocket science. we all have things on our checklists that need to get done. maybe it is the laundry because you have zero clean socks, picking up milk from the grocery store, or getting the oil changed in your car. life gets busy and chaotic and maybe everything but the absolute essentials falls by the wayside. i don't know a single adult that hasn't experienced this at some point in their lives. hobbies seem less important and then you're stuck with staring at a huge pile of unfinished projects or a huge stack of projects that you haven't had time to start. it sucks, i know. when i think about the satisfaction i get from sewing and the magical stress reducing properties that it has for me, i know that it should always be toward the top of my priority list.
what i'm really talking about is carving out a few minutes out of your day to do something you actually enjoy. again, it doesn't matter if it is sewing (if it wasn't, would you really be reading this blog?), learning a foreign language, or reading a magazine. maybe plan to spend one day pulling out your fabrics for a project then pressing the fabric on the following day. from there, the day after could be a cutting day. you get the picture. you don't have to plunk down a giant chunk of time to get projects done.
i'll admit that i do have more time than most of my friends to work on my projects, but this isn't a race. it isn't a contest either. we all have strengths and weaknesses, and some of us put an extraordinary amount of effort into keeping the weaknesses in check.
the key to all of this is that you have to actually be willing to make the time. if you don't want to do it (to where it is not enjoyable vs just being lazy), consider admitting that the task doesn't hold your interest. if you do have the interest but are struggling with time management, maybe it is for the best that you decline your friend's offer to meet up for dinner and you stay home and work on your project. in the end, you can't do everything. something does have to give, and that's what you need to figure out for yourself. slowly chipping away at the stack of stuff that sits there and mocks you (at least that's what my stack does) isn't easy, but for me, it is worth the pain to have the feeling of accomplishment that comes along with crossing off something from my list.
for those of you that aren't list-makers, it might be worth it to try making a list. having the visual of all of the pieces might be helpful with allotting time for activities, or maybe the feeling of drawing a line through a completed task/checking it off of the list will help you find the motivation you need.
so, back to the beginning... you have no clean socks and you have some pillowcases that you said you would make for a friend. why not start the load of socks and then work on the pillowcases while the washing machine is running? if that is too much time to allocate, what about setting the timer on your phone or a kitchen timer for 15 minutes? you can spend the time going through patterns, pressing fabric, or practicing a new technique that you learned in a recent class.
if you are in the middle of a project that you aren't in love with, that's totally fine. you can set it aside and come back to it later, give it away, or just suck it up and finish it so that you don't ever have to look at it again (i usually opt for the last option and then i give it away/donate it). it gets put to good use, AND i never have to see it again. double bonus!!
that's it for truth 10. so, stop reading this blog and go do something sewing related.
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