It has been so long since I actually sewed something. I love to read the posts & especially see pictures of the things others have made but it seems that sewing is something I spend more time reading about & less time actually doing. Anyone of you find yourself in that situation? How do we break free & get back to sewing again?

I read the title and immediately thought about my cat. She loves to sit on my sewing table right by the machine. Very much my audience!

For me, it's cleaning up the sewing area ,,, and some new fabric or idea,, and then I am back at it,,, but I too have days where I am spectating too... it's okay .. that will get old and you will get back in gear.

guilty as charged here! I have to rethink quality time and not quantity each day>

I do wonder sometimes if I like the choosing of fabrics and accessories more than the sewing. I love seeing what other people have done because it gives me ideas and goals. But sometiimes I have so many ideas in my head I can't focus on one. Once I do get going, though, I lose all track of time and feel immersed in it. I just wish I could do it without work getting in the way!

darned work!

For a long time it was for me because I didn't have a place to leave it out. The dining table was the only place to set it up, then the kids were always helping or getting into things, or I couldn't find thread or notions. Now all my sewing fabrics and supplies are stored in a closet, and my machine has it's own table in my office/sewing&craft room. I can work on projects until they are done and not have to drag the machine out and put it away everyday. When I need to I can close the closet and office doors and things are neat and tidy for company.

It comes and goes...I do find myself 'tied' to this computer a little too much some days...and end up not getting a single thing sewn!

But, I try to sigh up for some "sewing" swaps...instead of just fabric swaps (although I enjoy those soooo much as well)...

I have a goal and a task when I sew for someone else too...I love the challenges!! Thanks to all the wonderful ladies that think them up!

I found that I really had to push myself to get into my sewing room to work. I have a Janome 6500 for about three years. The lighting on it is terrible. I had to have a lamp at the back of the machine and an OTT Light in front with the light at my forehead. I just purchased the Bendable Light and attached it to my machine. It is worth every penny. I sewed a little a few days ago and really enjoyed it. I thought to myself that I had really missed sewing and have to carve out time to get back to it. The problem is that I have too many interests and have to schedule things to give attention to them all. I am a decorative painter, a knitter and crocheter, and a reader. I crochet afghans for Hospice patients at the local hospital and find that I am always picking up the crocheting to see how the colors are working, etc. I am handquilting a wall hanging for a little over two years now and really want to get that done so I can sew on the binding and have that completed before attacking another quilting project. I used to get more done when I was working than now. Can't seem to figure that one out, but I know that I should be getting more done than I am. I am always buying the quilt magazines and saying that I would really like to make that one, but that's as far as it goes. I have a very large stash of fabrics, all put away in groups for future projects, but have not made a dent in anything as yet. I have just come to the conclusion that life is short and that I would like to accomplish something in my lifetime to give to my children. I am hoping to get a handle on all of this and get into my sewing room and get some sewing done.

Quiltmaker

I agree about trying to finish some of these quilts to give to my children. I just wish my cat would cooperate. She gets onto my machine whenever I move to the computer and she knocks everything to the floor.

I have to cealn counters and put away stuff that starts getting piled around, then I put away other things that have been diverting my attention, then I get mys ewing area all ready to use.. then I go shopping!! Even one new tool or fresh thread will get me going again. But I have to focus on that part of my interests or I get all amuck and get nothing really done. I just stored away 2 quilt tops because I don't want to work on them just now - and having them there staring at me - well they were holding me up from something else I want to do. When I get off here it's back to starting again ...

Okay EvelynB why did you take my cat???? Yup we have exactly the same type and mine loves that position on my machine as well, that is when she is not actually wraping herself in the quilt I am working on. I have only come close to sewing her into a quilt once. That is when she fell asleep while I was stitching in the ditch and wasn't looking at her. I think she used to be a quilter in another life and has come back to be my supervisor now that my kids have moved on.

I have a longarm machine and my cat jumps or walks through the middle while I'm sewing. I have to be ready to stop at a moments notice.

I made a sewing machine caddy about 2 weeks ago and that was the first thing I've done since Feb. I go back and forth between decorating the house and sewing. Maybe painting the sewing room and decorating it will feed both of those needs.

My dog Lilly cannot get up to the sewing machine, but she can get up on the furniture.. I have a custom designed chair protector for my big recliner..

Hi IB1RU12!!!! I hope things are going good for you!!

I am working way more hours than expected, but that is not my reason for not getting things done...... I just haven't made it a priority, and that is something I am having a hard time getting myself to do - make me, make time to do it!!! I love loosing myself in the whole process, love the relaxation it gives me, love the sense of accomplishment - so what is my problem!!!!

I keep thinking, tomorrow, I will get in there and make up at least one blk (knowing, if I get in there, I won't be able to stop at just one!!) but today, I helped tear down the deck out back, and now we are watching a movie (okay - the movie is on and most of us are watching it, I'm here talking to you!!) See, I could be in the room, made especially for me, to spend some quality time, sewing.......
I am getting little comments from the movie watchers "yeah mom, you'll be right here......" - so I guess I should go!! lol!!

So, to all of us who are not doing what we want to do, lets make it priority to be in our sewing area and work for at least a half hour... and maybe it will be more!!

Lets make May our month to finish the project we are working on now!!! (just pick one okay!!! You don't have to finish them all, just pick one!! lol!!)

That sounds like a good suggestion. i'm in. how about you Quiltmaker? You in? and of course LL & anyone else who wants that little push to actually sew something. Lets keep each other updated. BTW Sandi, love that chair protector.

LOL Thanks Lilly2 .. the price was right - I took it off the wall because I was tired of cups banging around under the cupboard!

Oh my.

As soon as I saw this title, I knew I was busted!

Being in my sewing room is not the problem...a TV and computer are in there. It's turning the machine on....

I find I am becoming more of a spectator than actually sewing. I'm looking for that divine spark of inspiration that will get me away from the projects that seem to be overwhelming me and finally get something sewn.

I have these projects with instructions and fabric, stacked on my sewing table, right now:

2 Forum BOMS
3 Rice bags with fabric for covers
11 Oven towel dresses
3 Stacked posie projects
1 Flannel quiilt for the GGS
1 potholder
1 Block I just gotta try
1 Block I designed and have to proof
16 swap blocks
The sewing machine and tools of the trade plus my cat as soon as I go near the table.

Under the sewing table are bunches more. I have overwhelmed myself and am avoiding the sewing I love doing; hoping the quilting elves will show up.

Yeah, I know. One project at a time...and I'm lookin' for that one. lollllll

O-Mi-GOSH MOVE THAT CRAP OFF THE TABLE GIRL....GET IT INTO A DRAWER OR BOX OR CLOSET..out of sight .. YES it is overwhelming.. yesterday I took all the HOTB C/W type fabrics off my cutting table and back to the bedroom and piled them on a fabric-full dresser - out of my sight out here in the very public "Sewing Center" .. I have 2 projects out - the blocks for HOTB which I made up kits for and have a little stack always by the machine, and my niece's quilt.. oh, and of course the growing again strings pile!!
Rule #1 .. clearing the work site - clears the mind
Rule #2 .. start something
Rule #3 .. if you aren't going to finish it, go put it away somewhere and start something else - this facilitates Rule #1.
Have fun. Feel free to plagerize, I'm sure I must have

I, too, find myself spectating more than producing at times. It is so easy to get sucked in at the computer with everyone's work to peek at, flickr, blogs, quilt patterns. etc. One thing leads to another as you click on links and get lost in all the wonderful stuff out there. I can kill some serious time just looking! But, all that inspiration is for naught if I don't actually do something and express my own creativity.

So, I decided to adhere to the same rules I have for my kids. LIMITING THE COMPUTER TIME! We have a timer right here at our computer desk and I set it for myself. I have 15 min. to just browse quilting stuff everyday. I do get on the computer at other times to check email or look stuff up, but once I've used my 15 minutes I don't go browsing quilt-related sites (including this forum) anymore that day. By sticking to that I find myself more picky about what I look at and accomplishing a lot more actual sewing in my spare time.

I have concluded there are a lot of "closet sewers". They don't admit they can to avoid jobs they don't want.

Wonder if more people will begin sewing again to save money in this recession? I can't believe the construction and mortgage industry are the cause-it's got to be the result of out of control gas prices. People have less to spend after filling the gas tank, paying for groceries which cost more to cover the higher cost of transportation to the store, and so on for everything we purchase. Gas gouging affects everyone, not only people who might consider building. Today around noon a spokeswoman for the oil industry smilingly informed us one of the major oil companies will make 11 billion next month and it didn't relieve my anxiety about gas prices when she tossed around the amounts of some executive salaries. OUCH! I've got enough fabric stashed to hold out through a long recession.

I've been following this thread with interest, because I've been at a standstill since I got home over a week ago. I walk into the sewing room, maybe sew one piece, and then move on back to the TV or the computer or a book.

Right now I have a double wedding ring quilt to piece, and I've finished all the straight seams on the arcs. Next I have to make the melon things. I've watched the Fons & Porter video several times and it looks so easy when Marianne does it!! Well, it's not easy or fun to do it myself.

City/Sandie's rule 3 doesn't work for me - I can't move on to something else until this is either finished or disposed of (not a runner on this one!). I once gave up sewing for three months because I had a quilt top that needed to be fixed and I did NOT want to do it. (Silk fabric and lots of ravelling made it trickier than it sounds.) Letting myself start another project = chaos and madness for me!! If I know in the back of my mind that I have an unfinished project I can't go on to something new.

Quilttherapy, I could never get down to 15 minutes of quilt related computer time a day! Maybe I can start by limiting myself to 2-3 hours. (Many of my emails are quilt/embroidery related groups).

Tangles, those who admit knowing how to sew often get stuck with requests for alterations -- the most horrible form of sewing there is IMO! I've made a couple of clothing items this year, and by the time I've bought the pattern, fabric, thread and notions I've spent more money than it would have cost to just go out and buy ready-made in the first place. Of course if you have a stash of garment fabric that doesn't really apply!