What's on my sewing table?

A sneak peak...

Just so you can see that I am actually doing some sewing.  I know there hasn't been much recently but I am doing something.

What's on your sewing table?

Forward Planning

Over the last few days my thoughts have been largely directed towards my need to increase  productivity.  Many things have been getting in the way of my sewing lately leaving me less productive.  Not happy about that at all!  There are so many lovely patterns out there.  The more blogs I read the more patterns I find that I want to make.  My wishlist has become so large I don't think there's enough time left to make everything. 

Sooooo......I decided to make a list of things I want to sew.  (yes, I'm a list maker.  It would be even better if I was a list finisher! hehehe)  But then that started getting waaay too big!  Mmmm thinking.........I'm never going to have the time to make all the things on my whishlist.  Where to start?  I should be writing lists of what I want to make now!  For the current season!  For my wardrobe needs! 

The solution it seems is to make smaller more manageable lists.   After me-made June it became apparent where the gaps in my wardrobe were.  So keeping this in mind here is my list for the month of August.

Some possible pattern choices

1 skirt - for weekend wear

2 or 3 long sleeve t-shirt tops

1 dress - I'm joining the Rooibos sewalong but I'm planning that one for Spring wearing so maybe another dress as well


I may add to this list depending on what time allows and how much I can achieve.

I know this list is short but we are already into August.  I have not sorted out any particular patterns or fabrics to use leaving me less time to source patterns and prepare them.  I also need to choose fabrics once I have selected the patterns. 

I will have to start preparing a list for the Spring/Summer.  Ohhhh....There is so much I want to make how do I choose what I want on my list and what do I make first?  After all there are only so many things a girl can wear.

Do you make lists?  If so, how do you choose what should be on it?

Sewing Productivity

While reading through blog posts yesterday I came across a guest post written by Debi from My Happy Sewing Place titled 'Increasing Your Sewing Productivity' on Tilly and The Buttons blog.

Now, this got me thinking.  Why am I not as productive as others seem to be?  I love to sew; it's something I have been doing since I was a young teenager, so why aren't I very productive?  Admittedly I have not been sewing for several years due to other commitments but these are no longer an issue.  So what's my problem?

Debi mentions procrastination as an issue.  Well, I think I invented the word!  I procrastinate about everything and believe me it is a time waster.  How do I get around this problem? I feel that Debi is right in saying that external deadlines are one way to achieve this however, I'm afraid that I would procrastinate on this also.  I agree that self-imposed deadlines are too easy to break 'cos the only person you are letting down is yourself and if that doesn't bother you, you will never meet any deadline you set for yourself.  I know, as I have done this many times and become so frustrated that I can't even make the commitment to myself.  So maybe I do need an external deadline.  Having said that, I don't think I could make the type of commitment  Debi made, sewing one outfit  a week for a whole year, but there must be some other external deadline suitable for me.  If you know of something suitable please let me know.

Now, there is also the act of negative thinking, another thing I excel at!  Why do I do it?  I don't know.  Generally speaking I'm a very positive person, an optimist, but you can be sure that I will have doubts.  I usually know what I want to sew to the point of having a vision in my head of what I want to make but somehow when it comes down to it I start to think to myself that I don't  have the necessary skills required.  I could always take classes to gain more skills I suppose.  I really haven't done that before as I was I so young when I learned to sew and classes for dressmaking are few and far between here in Melbourne.

And then there are priorities.  What is more important?  Do I need to do the housework? Do I need to sit and watch TV with my husband because I think it's the right thing to do? Perhaps not.  Maybe I need to change my priorities.  Maybe I should put myself and the things I love to do first for a change.

The outcome of all this; I do need to change my priorities and my way of thinking in order to increase my sewing productivity.  I make a commitment to myself that.....

'I will endeavour to sew something every day even if it's only for fifteen minutes.  I will try not to doubt my skills.  If I need to improve or learn new skills I will seek help in learning them but first and foremost I will start by putting something I love at the top of the list.  "My Sewing"!'