There are the two little people running around, they seem to occupy most of my thoughts.
Then there's the job that I work to feed the family, that one always takes a big part of the day - and night - and I don't ever really get away from it since I work out of my house. It's relaxing, getting text and email messages on your Blackberry at 10:00 p.m.
There's the part where we're trying to get our house ready to sell this spring. Fun! I recommend this for people who enjoy root canals and the occasional colonoscopy.
My garden is coming up fast. I have a Master Gardener certificate, did I ever tell you that? Yeah. So it kinda bothers me when I notice my perennials have been overrun by wild onions or I haven't found the time to mulch my beds yet.
Oh, and then there's my other hobby. Sewing. By last count I have at least four projects cut out on the table, ready to go. The Parfait dress in linen, the Midtown Trench that's half-completed in Amy Butler twills, a stretchy robin's egg blue work dress for summer, a shimmery metallic linen sundress from a vintage pattern, and a beautiful blue knit top. Crap, that's five. And maybe sixteen, seventeen? other things rattling around in my mind that I'd like to get to.
Like this dress. I have a lovely beige silk with light blue flecks that I plan to make this out of. Some day.
And this! Who can forget this? It's my favorite vintage pattern of all time (at least today it is, I'm kinda fickle like that). I have a beautiful stretch silk/cotton print in blue and brown that is slated for this dress pattern. I happen to have two of this pattern (long story) so I'll be giving away the extra one soon.
The ubiquitous shirt dress pattern I've had on my table for two years now. I have a great stretch poplin in grass green I'd like to make it out of. When I have the time.
Oh, I almost forgot about this skirt! With summer coming up I think it would be so cute to have in my closet. But what would I make it out of? There's an adorable orange and white twill that would be cute. I just don't own it (note to self, place order with Fabric.com - wait, no! No more fabric!).
No wonder I do things fast. There's too much to do to be slow! But it's not fun, really, to be rushing through projects like this. It would be much more enjoyable if I could take my time and work on one thing at a time.
I'm going to continue the massive de-stash and sell at least one sewing machine on EBay. I have an older Bernina Record (800 series) that I'm planning to list soon, and maybe my newer Bernette 66? I can't remember the model number, but I'm not happy with it at all so it needs to go. And there's the two vintage beauties, the Singer 99k and the Elgin...yikes. It's not pretty when I start listing it all out.
In fact, I'd planned to have Free Fabric Fridays for a while, but there's so much fabric I need to de-stash, it's overwhelming! Maybe some of it will just need to go to St. Vincent de Paul or something. I took four bags of scrap to Newborns in Need last night. I have another two ready tonight. I wonder if I catalogued it all, would anyone be interested in just first-come-first-grab free-for-all over the internet? Kinda like a giveaway, except with a lot more things going out the door in a really rapid procession?
I think I need an intervention.
I think I have that first one; the collar detail looks super familiar. Love the shirt dress too, don't blame you for keeping it around. I have tons of vintage patterns, some going back to the 20s, that I've had for over 15 years (when I was in high school), that I've never even thought of using except in the abstract. Not to deprive the infants or anything, but I would love some of your scraps for my quilting--you have such awesome taste!--and I'm sure others who read your blog feel the same way. I don't technically need any patterns but I certainly wouldn't turn any down. Anyway, don't get down about it--having a dozen large rubbermaid totes full of fabric and patterns is just how seamstresses roll. Sewing is completely incompatible with minimalism. My grandmother, who would be almost 100 now if she were alive, was the neatest woman I ever met, but she had an entire spare bedroom full of sewing stuff that was like a labyrinth of shoe boxes stacked to the ceiling. And that was from when most women sewed--the rarity of cool vintage patterns now makes hoarding them even more necessary.
ReplyDeleteOh, you could be describing my life! working at home WHILE taking care of a 5-year-old AND homeschooling her and AND renovating the house AND dealing with the drawer full of sewing projects - all cut out and partly sewn AND the neglected garden AND on and on and on....it hurts my brain massively.
ReplyDeleteOn the fabric - I can think of a couple of things. There is charity (someone commented on my destash post about a charity that takes all sewing items); there are giveaways; and there is ebay. Get a bunch of (free!) flat-rate boxes from the post office, figure out how much will fit into each and list them quickly on ebay at a super-cheap starting price, then when they sell the shipping is paid for, you just print out the postage and slap it on the boxes and out it all goes. No muss no fuss! Sounds like you've got too much to give away here if you want it gone soon.
Although, if you've got some nice cottons in apparel lengths.... ;D
Look at what great use I made of your fabric scrap donation! My door is always open for your fabric strays. I'll give them lots of TLC. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Cara, you have no idea what you'd be asking for. I have two more bags of quilty scrap like what I gave you (the blues/greens and another hodge podge) plus many many many yards of prints. Out the wazoo. Most of it I space-bagged this week so it's a manageable size, but still...overwhelming is the right word.
ReplyDeleteHaHaHa! Are you peeking in my room? You just described my life too, except my 'cutting table' is our dining room table (who wants to eat at it anyway?) and my craft room in our front LR (Who needs to watch TV? Everyone should just stand in the kitchen!)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's a focusing problem, its a creative genius thing! <3
Oh my this sounds all too familiar. Except I have so much in my head I get overwhelmed and just want to sit down and cry! LOL!
ReplyDeleteoh man... I so feel your pain. never enough time!
ReplyDeleteHeather, have you considered donating a bunch of the cotton fabric and patterns to your local highschool's home-ec program? Just think of how divine it would be for those young girls to learn how to make clothes off such awesome (well-written) instructions!!
ReplyDeleteYou remain my hero.
I think we are in the same boat. I have so much fabric, and so many patterns!(last count I had well over 200!) I honestly don't know where they came from! I just can't seem to help myself! Love your blog, and I'm your newest follower!
ReplyDelete