Yawwwwn. Well, the title just about says it all. I really haven’t felt like sewing at all this week. I’ve sort of started making a muslin of the Burda ruffle blouse, if you count cutting out the back and front pieces, and pinning the darts in one of them as muslining. I’ve listlessly pawed through my back issues of Burda and Patrones, and kept an eye on Fabric.com and Fabric Mart to see if anything interesting has come in, but lack of nice fabric isn’t what’s stopping me from sewing. So pretty much yawn. Unexcited about sewing. I’m not sure if I’m just burned out, or perhaps these recent non-successes have dampened my enthusiasm for the sport:
Or maybe it’s because I don’t have a project right now that I’m really really excited about, and I’m just trying to sew for the sake of sewing? Or trying to sew just so I’ll have something interesting to share with you? After all, if I’m not sewing, I can’t complain loudly about sewing on my blog. Oh wait. I’m doing that now, so I guess I can. At least I never get bored of complaining!
Yawwwwn.
Dan suggests I go for an “easy win,” something that will go off quickly and without a hitch and that I’ll love. Or maybe I need something challenging and complicated that will feel like a huge sewing accomplishment rather than a way to pass the time? Or perhaps I need to indulge in new patterns or fabrics that will get me excited to pick up the scissors? Or maybe I should do a big cleanup and reorganization of my sewing box to renew my enthusiasm? Maybe I could go so far as to plan an occasion for which I would need a perfect outfit and make that? Ho-hum.
I do have some S.W.A.G. sewing that I need to do, but I haven’t had time to go get fabric for it, so I can’t even sew out of obligation at the moment. (Yeah, I know, but it’s for my sister and I like her and it’s one of the important birthdays. Don’t give me the stinkeye. I have no patience for your stinkeye and I will stinkeye right back at you.)
What do you think, dear readers? Is there anything you think I should take on? Or should I go for a little sewing hiatus? Take a little time to focus on my poetry for now, perhaps?
The Selfish Seamstress 
23 comments
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February 12, 2010 at 11:28 am
CindyC
How about taking your modified pattern for that black wrap cress you just did, ditch the sleeves, draft a ruffle for it, and zip it up in a deep, saturated rose pink/fuschia knit. (That bubblegum pink would wash you out.) Outdo the outdoers who are vying for your vintage pattern!
February 12, 2010 at 12:00 pm
lin3arossa
I just went through my stash and it helped a lot. Now I have tons of garments cut out and waiting to be sewn together. Most of them summer garments for my DD as I’m fed up with winter (we got an unsually cold, snowy and long winter). Maybe switching to spring/summer mode would help too?
February 12, 2010 at 12:25 pm
StefM
Knit
February 12, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Ponybalony
There once was a certain married couple who fell into a rut with their sex life. They loved each other, but just lost that fire. A very wise therapist absolutely forbade them to have sex for two dull weeks, and bam! They wanted nothing more. So now, SS, I FORBID you to sew, to stash fabric, to stash patterns, or to even plan any future projects. (You do have to keep up with your blog though because I need my regular giggles.)
February 12, 2010 at 12:41 pm
peter
I think Dan would appreciate a pair of Forties boxers, don’t you? Would that be considered S.W.A.G?
For me, a fun day-project helps restore my enthusiasm when I feel I’m not meeting my own standards on the more challenging ones. Leave the perfect pencil skirt for another day.
Then again, maybe you’re just tired….
February 12, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Katie B.
I actually really like that skirt.
February 12, 2010 at 1:06 pm
Tenshi
I’m all for something quick’n easy. Nothign restores enthusiasm like instant success. ;)
Then again, you know, you don’t *have to* sew. No one forces you to. It’s a hobby, so you should do it when you want to, not out of a sense of obligation, not even to yourself or your readers or your stash or whomever.
It’s perfectly okay to spend a day or two with a good book, or going to the cinema, or the theatre, or going for a walk (I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but we have winter wonderland here), or whatever you feel like doing. There are other ways to spend your pasttime. ;)
February 12, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Laura Georgina
I’m with Ponybalony (though sadly less witty)…. Take a break, do some window-shopping of ready-mades, find a few more nemeses to take on, and before you know it you’ll be back at the machine. I’m sure you can be funny and selfish about LOTS of things and we’d all still eagerly read about it.
(says a woman on a sewing blahness hiatus so epic she’s afraid to look at her sewing room lest spiders have taken over)
February 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm
katy
i’ve been feeling the same way lately… my solution – i’m trying to learn to draft my own patterns, teaching myself a new skill to refuel my enthusiasm. also – checking books with patterns included out from the library (like the new ‘twinkle sews’), so i know i only have three weeks to make anything in said book, because there’s a waiting list and i’ll have it take it back soon…
maybe you should play around with different fabric manipulations, not sewing a garment, but just experimenting with things that fabric can do? sometimes that can spark something creative and get the enthusiasm levels back up.
but if you need to – just take a break and don’t even THINK of sewing.
good luck!
February 12, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Grace
Maybe it’s time to start on that purse making you mentioned a burgeoning interest in a few posts back.. working with more sculptural shapes and not worrying at all about fit might be the change you need… and we all selfishly want to see you continue to create, if only so we can try unsuccessfully to rip off your ideas.
February 12, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Julie
SWAG sewing is not what you need when you’re bored. I employ a variety of tactics to restore my sewing mojo. A massive cleanup of my sewing space did the trick once. A simple, easy project is a good idea too. Sometimes I just switch hobbies. I love learning something new. Or you could write a bunch of witty haikus and post them for everyone to love. Either way, you’ll get your sewing mojo back soon.
February 12, 2010 at 2:10 pm
Kristine
I think revisiting the stash is a great way to rekindle the fire, and get you excited. Another is to surf the web for an inspiration, but it always happens when you least expect it. I, too, love the pencil skirt, and think an easy quick and dirty win may boost your spirits. Good luck, I’m sure your mojo didn’t stray far…
February 12, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Kerry
Forget about sewing and instead write lengthy blog entries chronicling all things you find irritating like skanky fashion, bad sewers, people who try to sew dresses using quilting cotton, poorly drafted patterns, people who cannot spell, etc.
Here’s one I find irritating: people who sew their toddler/elementary school age kid a little outfit and then photograph the kid so upclose that it creates a fish eye lens effect and totally detracts from the sewing details of the finished garment and instead gives you a freakish closeup funhouse mirror image of their 6 year old with chocolate or spaghetti sauce smeared all over his face.
Or, you could watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics tonight and then make note of all the hideous outfits the various countries’ athletes have to wear when they march in – and blog about it.
Or, you could write a scathing critique of the figure skaters’ outfits for their competition.
As long as you keep blogging I really don’t care what you do. Just.Keep.Writing.
February 12, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Threads
Don’t sew just for us – you can have plenty to write about without actually making anything! Sometimes you need to take a break and spend some time on another hobby.
I like to sew a quilt when clothing gets dull, preferably one with a very detailed pattern so no thought is required, and even better if it exists solely of strips of fabric and squares. But even better than sewing a quilt is buying quilt fabric, which requires hours of attention to subtle color shading – lining up bolts of fabric next to each to get the perfect movement from one to another. And when the colors are perfect, set them aside in a drawer with their friends while you read quilt books.
February 12, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Dana
Take a break. It’s like writer’s block. It will come back. It always does.
February 13, 2010 at 2:58 am
Bron
Nah, give up sewing, pack up your stash and send it to me…
Is that selfish enough?
February 13, 2010 at 5:23 am
Anonymous
I agree with Peter. Mae
February 13, 2010 at 3:24 pm
La Contessa
>Or, you could write a scathing critique of the figure skaters’ outfits for their competition. <
And snark the outfits worn by the media faces.
Sign up on Ravelry and snark the Olympic sweaters. You'll love the group dedicated to Selfish knitting; their mascot buttons alone are worth the effort.
February 14, 2010 at 12:49 am
jillnjosh
Hop on the el for valentine’s day and go shop at Vogue. I’d say do it for me, as I haven’t been there for a couple of years (huge fabric stash) and need a fix, but that would be selfish of me, wouldn’t it? Go and fondle some fabrics, pick through their wonderful remnants, browse the designer fabrics, and then bring home a bolt or two, just because you’d piss off the other people on the el who have to make room for you, or get hit with the bolts. Jill
February 14, 2010 at 6:53 pm
formalsandmore
You are experiencing what I call ‘sewing slog’. It happens during the long cold dreary months of winter when the sun only comes out if you are locked indoors with a project that has a deadline. When the snow (or rain , here in Georgia) never seems to end and the temperature outside never seems to get above stiff arm snowsuit weather. You need a complete change. Here is my suggestion. Try a new project – and I suggest this only because this is a new interest of mine, but I have no time to begin a new project right now; therefore, you could begin this project, and I could live vicariously through you! The project you ask? Silk painting. I have a picture in my head ( it just appeared one night as I was sleeping) of a white silk sundress, fitted through the bodice, with a slim to a line skirt, and several large vividly painted flowers on the skirt, maybe a bit of smaller painting done on the bodice. But it’s my idea and you can’t have it. You can , however have a go at silk painting, as long as you blog about it so I can live vicariously through you.
February 18, 2010 at 9:20 am
amber
I hope you found your sewing mojo again.
February 22, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Amy
Perhaps you’re just tired of blogging? I hope you get un-tired of it again soon :)
February 24, 2010 at 6:48 pm
luna
When I get all bored with sewing it helps to get really excited about a new skill. Like, for example, learn to make purses, like someone above suggested, or shoes (if you can find someone to teach you), or lingerie, or bathing suits, or any crazy skill you can think of!