The sewing machine resistance
No, I don't mean taking up your sewing machine in a revolt against the only clothing available in shops seemingly made for tiny, wafer-thin twelve-year olds (although that would be reason enough to get sewing), instead I'm talking about my reluctance to use the machine at all.
I'm not sure what it is, but I have these seemingly fixed ideas in my head around when I can use the sewing machine and why it's a hassle to do so.
First, is that the machine is a pain in the neck to set up, it takes ages to get it all out, and then once it's out, it's a chore to pack it up again. What a load of rubbish this is. I timed myself this afternoon -
55 seconds it took to get the machine out of the cupboard, onto the table, unpacked, plugged in and turned on.
Next is the idea that I need a full day to sew or it's not worthwhile. I don't know where I get this from, and it's so silly. I rarely have a full day that I can sew and when I had the machine out today – for an hour in total – I managed to sew one side strip onto every square of the quilt I'm sewing. I call that progress!
Lastly, and this might be the biggest reason I don't like getting the machine out, I think it's having that extra something, a machine, between you and the thing you're crafting. I seem to get much more pleasure out of hand stitching, knitting, crochet, designing a craft piece or even choosing and cutting the fabric for a quilt, because there's nothing really between me and the object, save for a needle or a pair of scissors.
The process seems more in my control and more immediate. Sewing with the machine I sometimes equate to finishing off the ends in a piece of knitting - a bit of a tedious necessity.
Is there a part of your crafting process you don't like, or procrastinate over doing? Do you have any techniques you use to get past these road blocks?
First, is that the machine is a pain in the neck to set up, it takes ages to get it all out, and then once it's out, it's a chore to pack it up again. What a load of rubbish this is. I timed myself this afternoon -
55 seconds it took to get the machine out of the cupboard, onto the table, unpacked, plugged in and turned on.
Next is the idea that I need a full day to sew or it's not worthwhile. I don't know where I get this from, and it's so silly. I rarely have a full day that I can sew and when I had the machine out today – for an hour in total – I managed to sew one side strip onto every square of the quilt I'm sewing. I call that progress!
The process seems more in my control and more immediate. Sewing with the machine I sometimes equate to finishing off the ends in a piece of knitting - a bit of a tedious necessity.
Is there a part of your crafting process you don't like, or procrastinate over doing? Do you have any techniques you use to get past these road blocks?