tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post6790583663917436529..comments2024-03-14T16:03:32.434-04:00Comments on Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing: Work Week SewingGertiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04314542159287533507noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-79403156619647760502010-04-02T18:16:05.080-04:002010-04-02T18:16:05.080-04:00I'm so inspired by all of you to find time to ...I'm so inspired by all of you to find time to sew just a little during the week. I will try and turn the TV off in the evenings and work a little bit at a time at my sewing and drawing. Nothing like a little work life balance!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00317699324829089485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-48185494681086718642010-03-25T12:57:05.801-04:002010-03-25T12:57:05.801-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.sanjeethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043304632873778108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-70366990684472951992010-03-24T15:52:08.545-04:002010-03-24T15:52:08.545-04:00oops--forgot that I was replying to this after cat...oops--forgot that I was replying to this after catch-up reading! Glad to hear he got a great contract :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-24300286229044533002010-03-24T15:39:23.299-04:002010-03-24T15:39:23.299-04:00I'm amazed to see how much balancing people ha...I'm amazed to see how much balancing people have to do to get their bits of sewing time in! <br /><br />Up until a few months ago, I got a couple of one-hour sew sessions in once or twice during the weekdays and fit it all in with working full-time and running or swimming an hour or more a day, plus cooking (my main contribution to household chores) and getting evening time with the husband. Weekends were prime sewing time. <br /><br />Since January, though, I've been working full-time AND about three hours in the evening, so those weekday sewings are gone! So I've had to rearrange the schedule to get all run training in the early AM (6 am, yuck), swimming at lunch (very nice change!), and major sewing for the weekends. I usually save small handwork tasks for weeknights, when I might get a burst of energy for a hem or a button after the freelance job and blogging (which I'm usually done with around 11). Thankfully, this arrangement is only for a few more weeks... But whew. Sleep is at a premium.<br /><br />I can't imagine how people with kids (or neat house people) manage!<br /><br />I definitely think about sewing more now that I have so much less time for it... And I pick out projects that I'm 100% DYING to make.<br /><br />Congrats to Jeff! I hope you celebrate some great news tonight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-69489951390501108522010-03-23T13:31:21.833-04:002010-03-23T13:31:21.833-04:00The vast majority of my sewing happens on the week...The vast majority of my sewing happens on the weekends when I can devote large chunks of time to it. Weekdays are mostly taken up with work, gym, making meals, and some basic housework, though there is the odd hour here and there that I can squeeze in a little sewing time. I wish I could do more during the week, but it just hasn't happened as of yet.amberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12029076436322883513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-35165440887917938112010-03-23T12:20:54.662-04:002010-03-23T12:20:54.662-04:00I work from 9-6 and am at the dojo between an hour...I work from 9-6 and am at the dojo between an hour to 3 hours 3x a week. I sew at night (usually from when I get home to when I have to go to sleep). I try to leave my more complicated sewing (cutting, pattern adjustments) until the weekend when I don't feel rushed. During the weekdays I do less complicated tasks like creating muslins, adjusting for fit. I don't sew when I am tired or upset. I also try to take the time to master patterns so I don't have to re-fit and make muslins for basic wardrobe staples.<br /><br />Housework I usually leave until the weekend. I cook on Saturdays and Sundays and cook enough for the whole week.Janicehttp://shesinfashion.meladori.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-53677880455559413602010-03-22T14:11:35.135-04:002010-03-22T14:11:35.135-04:00I work full-time, have a 2 hour commute to work, a...I work full-time, have a 2 hour commute to work, and am going to grad school part time. That doesn't leave a lot of time for much else. The house I live in with my fiance is very small and up until last weekend my only sewing space was the corner of my bedroom. But my fiance, being the wonderful guy he is, bought be a vintage kitchen queen Saturday. Although it's function if for cooking, I have turned it into my sewing nook. It makes me happy beyond belief to have a spot that is mine that I don't have to "set up" just to sew a seam. I can just get right to it!<br />It will be interesting to see how much more work week sewing I can get done now with my own space. <br /><br />Sometimes it just feels like too much to try and sew mid-week, but once you are in the zone of sewing something, I find it hard to find a place to even stop! This is how I ended up spending Saturday sewing a Sencha blouse until 12am!honeybeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09649111317528918305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-80898410312444681502010-03-20T20:26:08.061-04:002010-03-20T20:26:08.061-04:00I'm a stay-at-home mom to two kids. A five ye...I'm a stay-at-home mom to two kids. A five year old and a two year old. My son just started kindergarten this year, so that has made my life a lot easier. I do most of my sewing at night after they are in bed. Unfortunately that's only about half the time, because alot of the time, I am so tired, I just crash down on the couch with some knitting. Sometimes I can sneak in a bit of sewing during the day, mostly when my daughter is napping, or having a snack. <br /><br />My sewing space is set up in our living room. I find that having it relatively organized, and being able to leave my ironing board out (with any wip's on it) makes it much easier for me to get some sewing time in. I have gotten really good at doing little 5 or 10 minute sewing sessions. It doesn't seem like much, but it's better than nothing and it does add up eventually. Ironically, I don't have as much time to sew during the weekends because I have three people under my feet instead of just one. Ha!Rosehttp://thelaughingmonkey.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-85073808374459213412010-03-20T19:01:18.876-04:002010-03-20T19:01:18.876-04:00Well, I've been a stay-at-home wife and mother...Well, I've been a stay-at-home wife and mother since 1976. I didn't do much sewing when my kids were very small, partly because I was so busy. But mainly because I didn't have a good place to sew in.<br /><br /> I think that what is crucial if you want to sew every day, is to have a dedicated space, someplace where you can leave your machine and project out and have it be accessible whenever you have a little free time. When you have very small children this means a room with a door which you can shut and maybe even lock! That way you don't have to deal with having to clear your sewing off the dining table before every meal. And you don't have to worry about small people (or cats) hurting themselves with your sewing stuff while your back is turned.<br /><br />Another thing I have found helpful, especially when you work on several projects at once, is some kind of container for each one. I often use the flat plastic boxes sold to scrapbookers. I keep the pattern, instructions, fabric, notions, etc. for each garment in one of these. As the garment progresses I might hang it up on a hanger, but I still find the boxes handy for keeping everything for that project together. This is especially so for quilt projects when I also need to store cut patches and completed blocks.<br /><br />--C.B.<br />http://quiltingbibliophagist.blogspot.comCatholic Bibliophagisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10697706672495544901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-90990903112747747162010-03-20T15:06:37.821-04:002010-03-20T15:06:37.821-04:00Congratulations to Jeff! We already knew you were...Congratulations to Jeff! We already knew you were lucky on that front, Gertie, but he cooks most nights too? *wistful sigh!*<br /><br />I'm another single girl with full time job who manages to do precious little sewing on weeknights and has to make up for it on weekends. Also I've really fallen into quite the late-winter slump and there is so much I had planned for this winter that is still undone. I am always super amazed by Gertie and all the other sewing bloggers out there- to maintain hectic lives and find time for both sewing and blogging! And add parenthood to the mix in some cases- gah! What do I do with all my footloose & fancy free time, anyway?<br /><br />Part of my lack of productivity lately I think is that we are on a pretty extreme "do more with less" (ie. fewer people) direction at work over the last year, and I come home so much more drained and wrung out most nights. I try to save simple bits and pieces for weeknights- straightforward hemming, seam finishes, etc, but I'm not very good at getting them done anymore, until the weekends. Maybe with the longer hours of sun in the summer I'll go back to getting more done on the weeknights- I'm pretty solar-powered, makes a big difference!Hillaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01324854929065302634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-41860954072759941342010-03-20T06:15:23.090-04:002010-03-20T06:15:23.090-04:00Hey Gertie, I have two children (one is 2 and the ...Hey Gertie, I have two children (one is 2 and the other is 10) I work part time and my husband works shifts. I have to fit in sewing as and when! My 2 year old is into everything and when I tried to do sewing while she was around, she got everything out of my sewing box, pins were everywhere and my sewing machione screwdriver was wedged into the backdoor lock! Needless to say I have to wait when she goes to bed then sew but sometimes I'm so tired I only manage an hour or two. Sadly, in my head I have so many projects that I want to do, I just can't keep up! She will start playgroup in September so will have two blissful mornings to myself then!<br />ps, well done Jeff!Janenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-49897788657606074572010-03-20T02:13:02.337-04:002010-03-20T02:13:02.337-04:00I work full time but live close to work so I go ho...I work full time but live close to work so I go home at lunch and sew for 30 minutes. I try to sew for an hour in the evening but life gets in the way too often! I encourage my husband to hang out with his friend so I can sew! When my girls were little and I was a stay at home mom, I would put the baby gate up in the sewing room door and lock the girls out of the sewing room. They had the run of the house but they would stand at the baby gate and want in with me! It always cracked me up.Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06430065113036026350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-40221830007920436872010-03-19T18:02:41.203-04:002010-03-19T18:02:41.203-04:00I think anyone who sews or does crafts and works o...I think anyone who sews or does crafts and works or has kids feels like there is never enough time. I am always telling my work colleagues that work gets in the way of my sewing/knitting/spinning/dyeing. <br /><br />I work full time and have a child who resists going to bed at night. I have taken a 'Zen' approach. Be in the present. I try to do a minimum of 10 mins a day. No matter what I am doing I am focused on doing what I can in that time. I never think about how long it is taking nor when it will be finished. It helps me to relax and get into the right head space to achieve a whole lot in a little time. All the little bits add up and I end up with finished pieces before I know it.<br /><br />congratulations Jeff.Vickinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-74145656369927134742010-03-19T17:54:21.501-04:002010-03-19T17:54:21.501-04:00I'm a stay at home mum, but i am lucky enough ...I'm a stay at home mum, but i am lucky enough to have Mondays to myself when my son goes to his playgroup, i try to keep this as my sewing day but often that doesn't happen, lol. I squeeze mine in during nap time or after bedtime, sometimes it hard if I'm working on something I'm really excited about. It can be hard to find time for everything but if you want to do it you find a way. Being organised helps and sometimes you just have to let the laundry sit an extra day.<br /><br />:-)Ruby Slippers<br />rubyslippersvintage.blogspot.comrubyslippers_86https://www.blogger.com/profile/18357170072138624681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-5348035261842780622010-03-19T17:35:28.358-04:002010-03-19T17:35:28.358-04:00I'm a stay at home mom- My blog is called Slee...I'm a stay at home mom- My blog is called Sleepytime Sewing because the only time I can really dig into a project is when my girls are asleep. My 5yo is in preschool, and when the school year started, I hoped to be able to do some daytime sewing while my 2yo napped. About a month after school started, the baby gave up napping! So for me it's all about finding time when I can. Often that means staying up until WAY past a reasonable bedtime. When I try to sew with the girls around, the toddler yanks on the iron cord or pulls the spool off the machine or empties the shelves of fabric. The 5yo wants desperately to "help." I think she'll be getting her own machine for Christmas this year :) For me, having a dedicated space makes a huge difference. I also leave the house once a week for a 3-hour sewing lab with my sewing teacher. That chunk of time is sanity saving. I can work on projects without being interrupted, I get professional help when I get stuck, and I'm hanging out with other sewists. Plus my girls get some special alone time with Daddy. Win win!Leighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05806062068498419949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-16647814786205991152010-03-19T17:29:51.656-04:002010-03-19T17:29:51.656-04:00Hi Gertie! I work full-time at a quilt shop, and ...Hi Gertie! I work full-time at a quilt shop, and spend all of my work day handling fabric, planning and making shop samples, and helping customers with their projects. It is kind of a dream job! I end up sewing after work a few days each week; I too have a sweetheart who cooks often. That helps immensely, though he has to ask more than once to get me to the table if I am sewing. If I am too tired to sew (sometimes I spend my creative energy at work) I look at fabric and sewing blogs online! On the weekends, I marathon and get the bulk of my sewing done.britthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05336503511284714109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-21649831050996055122010-03-19T17:17:15.260-04:002010-03-19T17:17:15.260-04:00I've enjoyed reading your post and all the com...I've enjoyed reading your post and all the comments about squeezing sewing into busy lives. As a grad student, I've struggled with finding the time as well as the physical and creative energy to sew. However, I know that when I do manage to squeeze sewing in, I feel more balanced and even more confident, simply because my identity is not based solely on academics but on my own creativity as well. <br /><br />So much of my time is given to abstract thinking that may or may not produce anything; with sewing, however, I’ve got something concrete to show for my efforts and tangible problems to solve. It’s refreshing to see my progress week by week—I may only get a few buttonholes sewn or pin fit a new pattern, but at least I’ve made real progress.<br /><br />Thus I’ve dedicated Thursday evenings to sewing and nothing else; it’s the one time I know I can set aside my schoolwork (guilt-free) and just sew for a couple of hours with an audio-book on in the background. I enjoy these evenings so much!Valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219151953729018730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-17003644248671106662010-03-19T17:12:40.976-04:002010-03-19T17:12:40.976-04:00What a great post! I haven't had a lot of tim...What a great post! I haven't had a lot of time to sew lately and I've been missing it so much! So, I've been trying to do a little bit every morning before work. I usually like to spend long stretches working on something, but the little bits that I take during the week to sew are really adding up and giving me a little bit of happy time before I go off for the day. But I will definitely be spending Saturday and Sunday working on some long-awaited projects! :) I love your blog Gertie - keep up the great writing!Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01265328363979957133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-47340301144284233992010-03-19T17:02:17.909-04:002010-03-19T17:02:17.909-04:00I work from home, and I work whenever the mood str...I work from home, and I work whenever the mood strikes, which is all the time.<br /><br />I also haven't sewn much in months.<br /><br />I have to have everything spotless to sew, and I need to get on a schedule where I am working regular hours, but haven't managed it yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-763863951953557232010-03-19T16:18:18.200-04:002010-03-19T16:18:18.200-04:00I'm a single working gal so I, too, feel bad w...I'm a single working gal so I, too, feel bad when I fall behind on sewing and/or my blog. I finally realized that if the blog and the sewing are to be priorities, then I have to accept that other parts of my life will have to be sacrificed. I've decided to cut out house cleaning. Ha!Twill Jillhttp://www.peoplearentflat.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-69630956814615779362010-03-19T15:30:13.672-04:002010-03-19T15:30:13.672-04:00I have my own business and work out of my home (I&...I have my own business and work out of my home (I'm a piano teacher,) so you would think I would have lots of downtime to sew, but it really depends. I hardly ever sew during the daytime (except on weekends) so most of my sewing happens at night. I have insomnia, combined with a job that doesn't start til afternoon, so I do most of my sewing in the wee hours! I try to do something every day, even if it's just planning a project. My husband and I share a hobby room (our recently finished 3rd floor) so I can spend time with him while sewing sometimes on weekends, which is nice. I didn't take up sewing when I was working away from my home, but I'd imagine I would have had a hard time juggling everything!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-53418905730377323922010-03-19T13:40:28.593-04:002010-03-19T13:40:28.593-04:00First of all - congratulations to Jeff. I hope whe...First of all - congratulations to Jeff. I hope when his book is published you will let us know, Gertie. How very exciting!<br /><br />I'm one of the ones who constantly marvel at your energy and ability to get work done. I haven't sewn in 6 months (if you don't count hemming a tablecloth at Christmas). I'm freelance, working from home, which is great as it gives me the flexibility to look after my two children. But like many freelancers will know, when work comes along, you take it... which can result in months of working days, evenings, weekends, fitting work around time available. I'm lucky that I have a husband who cooks nearly every day and takes over childcare duties at the weekend, but it is nevertheless exhausting at times.<br /><br />It got to me being so tired a couple of weeks ago that my husband actually offered to pay me to turn work down... only for him to be outbid by a job offer I couldn't refuse! I wish I could say I was making tons of money on it sadly I'm in the wrong industry for that... Still, at least it keeps me mentally stimulated, so I can't complain.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm now taking my husband up on his offer and the next week is off. I have curtains to make and last year's Father's Day present (!) and I'm really hoping to get a couple of dresses in there too... Even when I've been away from the sewing machine for months, you manage to be such an inspiration and you keep the thrill of sewing fresh in my mind.Nathaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11570545194570856281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-12823494933299744262010-03-19T13:36:18.500-04:002010-03-19T13:36:18.500-04:00I'm a sahm. I used to sew during nap time but...I'm a sahm. I used to sew during nap time but sometimes my machines bother dd so I like to trace and do finishing work then at least when I'm not doing other chores. thankfully I also have a very supportive husband who likes to live with a sane wife so he handles most of bed time for our 2 kids so I can go up and sew in the evening. I don't get to every day though and I start to get more stressed out if I can't. It also helps that I have a sewing room so I can leave projects half finished. Sewing is how I relax.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18258328541859721624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-15244330569004549962010-03-19T13:16:44.759-04:002010-03-19T13:16:44.759-04:00I work full time and have an 18 month old daughter...I work full time and have an 18 month old daughter. I usually work from 5am to 2pm Tues-Friday and 5am to 9am on Mondays. After work I pick up my daughter at my MIL's house and by the time I get home my husband has dinner going (I strongly second the yay for guys that cook!). Luckily mt daughter goes to bed promptly at 7pm with no fuss so after that I work out for 30 minutes and then sew until 9:30 then it's off to bed. My husband and I also work at home together so finding time for us to be together in the evenings isn't as big deal when we see each other all day. On Mondays and the weekends I usually don't get to sew that much since I'm usually running errands or cleaning, but I can squeeze in a hour or two here and there while my girl naps. Sometimes I'll do things like cut and prepare my fabric while my girl is playing so when she goes to bed I'm all ready to sew. <br /><br />I have lost some of my "me" time for sure but keeping my girl on a consistent schedule has really helped me reclaim some of that time. It's nice to always know that I can count on certain hours of the day for myself and, really, a schedule is better for babies anyway. I also highly recommend an early bed time for little ones. My daughter sleeps from 7-7 everyday and my husband and I always have our evenings to ourselves, and keeping her up later never means she sleeps in any later.Elizabethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3259455441759015869.post-69413381297864206802010-03-19T12:37:50.051-04:002010-03-19T12:37:50.051-04:00I work fulltime with 12 hour days and even though ...I work fulltime with 12 hour days and even though single and without kids I find it difficult to sew on weeknights. For a while I was making myself sew for just 30 mintues a night. I found I was very productive and re-energized. Being sick in February put an end to that.<br /><br />Now, I am just sewing on the weekend.Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02201661697973537974noreply@blogger.com