Melissa of Cheap and Picky commented on my Meeting Melissa post that she doesn't know anyone in person who sews, but like me she has made lots of friends on the internet who sew. I know exactly one person here on the island who sews garments, but she isn't exactly next door and we've actually only met in NYC and not out here. But, how did I meet her? Through her blog. I am lucky in the sense that I live near enough to a fabric mecca that lots of people pass through and because I work for myself I can usually schedule a visit to the city. It's so much fun to be able to talk sewing and fabric without anyone's eyes glazing over. Lindsay T wrote that she is mentoring a new sewer. I'd love to do that. It would be wonderful to pass on my love of sewing to a new sewer. Of course I am talking garment sewing. No quilting or home dec sewing is going on here!
On the sewing front can you believe I'm still cleaning up and putting away patterns? In my defense I have had a busy work week and I can only stand for limited amounts of time because of my foot. I really let the patterns get out of hand. I had hung a lot of them up and since they are mostly Burda I have to make up envelopes with sketches of what they are before I can put them away. Then I got the bright idea that I should switch my sewing area with my work studio. It's much larger and I am taking up half of it already with my cutting table and filing cabinets and the top of my second drafting table. My new vintage sewing machines are making the sewing room/space really cramped. This entails not only cleaning up all surfaces but making a scale drawing. Seth will not move any furniture ever without a detailed drawing. Seems a small price to pay for free help. But I am itching to sew and I keep telling myself that I can't until it's all cleaned up. So, off to finish cleaning. I probably won't exchange spaces until the fall season is over and I have more time though, so I'll get some sewing in before that.
Have a great week.
Posts
Year end knitting and lingerie
3 hours ago
Nancy - the switching of the sewing centers is the only pause I have on my new sewing space. Things have to be pulled out and thrown away, stuff has to be decided upon and all of this takes away from the actual act of sewing. I know that these activities will give me a better place to sew...its just getting through them to the other side that's hard. So I totally understand how you feel!
ReplyDeleteNancy and Carolyn, it is soooo worth it in the end!!! Once you're all settled and organized, you can have countless hours of "quilt-free" sewing!
ReplyDeleteI'm work on making my sewing room more convenient, less cluttered, and prettier. But it's a slow go for me. I really want to get the walls painted a lighter color,make new curtains, and rip out this carpet. I'm sure your project will be completed in no time, and think how much better sewing will be!
ReplyDeleteGood to re-organize the workspace if you feel that it's not suiting your needs. Takes a bit of time, but like others said, it will be worth it. Don't know about you, but I'm always surprised how fast I have a lot of sewing mess around me when I've cleaned up after a project. Clean doesn't last long.
ReplyDeleteThe only real life sewing friend is someone I met through blogging, and it is so nice to go fabric shopping and talking sewing together. And I still immensely enjoy the internet sewing world and sharing this hobby online.
I know a lot of sewers IRL due to ASG; however, I spend more time with my cyberspace sewing friends
ReplyDeleteI don't have any sewing buddies, blogging is my only connection to other sewers. I know a few people who say they sew but I've yet to see anything and none of them are passionate about the craft. Thank goodness for bloggers.
ReplyDeleteNo sewing friends in person or on line :-( I read many and comment on some blogs, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteUp here in the Dacks I don't know of anyone. It's rare I see anyone in our local Joanns purchasing garment fabric but when I do see them I always try to strike up a conversation.
ReplyDeleteBack in NH I did have a very good friend who was a great sewist. She was my nail tech back in the day when I got my nails done every two weeks. We hit it off from the beginning before I even knew she sewed. I gave her lots of goodies when I moved out of NH. She helped me a lot with the entire move, not just the sewing part. I do miss her and her name is Heidi.
I know hundreds of people who sew, through work. It's great, especially when I have a big problem I don't know how to fix.
ReplyDeleteThe internet is my only connection to other sewers. Other people's blogs have been a huge help to me. If I was here on my own trying to figure it all out from patterns, I would have probably given up. But a troll through the internet usually turns up solutions, or at least commiserations! It's the next best thing to having an experienced sewer next door. I really appreciate your blog Nancy.
ReplyDeleteMom, if you want I can help you optimize your efficiency in a new spacial organization. You know how freakishly good I am at organizing things....
ReplyDeleteAll of my sewing friends are people I met online. I am also grateful for your blog, Nancy! And regarding the sewing room clean-up, I totally feel your pain. I cannot believe how much time and effort I have spent on my space over the last week. And it's still not completely finished. argghhh.
ReplyDeleteI only know people who sew from on line. No one in my area {Overland Park Kansas} I long for a sewing friend and not just someone who wants to use me to hem there new jeans,,,I would love for you to be ny mentor your garments are beautiful. And by the way why do people make so many quilts it is not like they can wear them... Hahaha. I enjoy your blog and all of the other fabulous garment bloggers out there!
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of sewists, because I belong to several sewing groups, ASG being one of them. I have to drive quite a distance to get to the meetings, but it's so worth it to be with others who share the same passion. I just put a new floor in my sewing room and reorganized it in the summer. It's such a good feeling to have your room just the way you want it.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky that Trena is just 40 minutes away and we talk several times a week. The internet definitely opened a world up for me. There is no one in my immediate social circle that sews. It's still a thing of wonder. But, I swear, at my next job, I'm not telling people I make my own clothes.
ReplyDeleteI would estimate that around 80% of my friends either sew or knit, though none of them do it professionally or work in creative jobs. For many years I had a kind of charm - I would meet people who sewed the most unlikely places. I could go to parties where I didn't anyone except the host and the first person I met would always turn out to be a former tailoring apprentice or have their own design shop. The best story was the time I got a carpenter apprentice as dinner partner. I was studying math at university and had no idea what to say to him, until I commented on his nice T-shirt and it turned out that he had sewed his own outfit and made most of his clothes. After that we had plenty to talk about :-)
ReplyDeleteI am lucky that my neighbor across the street sews and knits. Even though she doesn't get to sew as much as she would like she is always willing to have a sewing chat.
ReplyDeleteI only know of two people in my area that do garment sewing. They both work at fabric stores. I do think it odd that so few employees in fabric stores sew their own garments.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to read other people's comments. It looks like I am not unique at all in all my sewing friends being "virtual."
ReplyDelete