Around the World Blog Hop

Hello everyone!

It was pretty quiet for me on the blog front last week, but I plan to make this week more productive. For today, I have the pleasure of participating in the Around the World Blog Hop.

I was nominated by Kyle, from Vacuuming the Lawn. We met through the blogosphere, and had the opportunity to meet in-person in Atlanta a few years ago.  She has much more sewing experience than I do, and I have always admired the garments she has sewn.  I love the embroidered labels she does (so creative), and she seems to have the same fascination with New Look patterns as I do! Thanks for the nomination Kyle!

What are you working on?  What would you like to work on?

If you have been following along with me (thank you) then you know I am working on my first pair of jeans!  I thought they would be finished by now, but alas, I have more work to do.  My projected finish date is October 1st.  I am figuring out that I may have to skip a lot of TV shows in order to accomplish that goal.

I am also working on another stylish tee that I will be posting this week.  My Fall sewing plan is pretty extensive (see right), so I am trying to figure out a way to balance productivity and quality workmanship.

I would really like to work on a little bit of everything!!  Really, my Fall sewing plan encompasses every category of item I would like to sew, so that is taking priority right now.  After that, who knows what I will do?  I am open to sewing a lot more pants, for sure.  I would like to see where that goes.

I can tell you what I DON"T see myself doing, though.  I do not have a desire to sew
bras or coats.  Whenever I see people who have sewn either or these items, my mouth drops open in awe. I respect all the time and hard work they have put into these items.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I think my story is what makes me unique.  When I started sewing, it was not for myself.  I had two young children, and really wanted to find a way to create special items for them.  I enjoyed the creative aspect of sewing, and while I sewed various items for myself along the way, my main focus was sewing for my children.  It is only my undertaking of the RTW fast this year (sewing anything I wear) that shifted my focus from kids to me.  That shift has exposed aspects of sewing I never thought about such as proper fit.

 

Overall, I would say my work is as varied as I am.  Sewing is a great tool I have used in direct relation to where I am in life.  When I had a lot of friends having babies, I used sewing to make cute baby outfits, and even a quilt.  Now I am using sewing to explore fitting my own body, and developing techniques so I can learn, grow, and pass it on.

Why do I write/create what I do?

Because I love it!  I have always loved to write while growing up.  I was an avid reader, and was fascinated by imaginative storybooks by authors such as Roald Dahl.  I loved reading about faraway places, and lands where limits were stretched.  It was only natural, then, for me to blog about my sewing journey.  It just seemed like a natural transition since I enjoyed reading and writing so much. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine people would read my blog, but I was hopeful they would.

Blogging was also a great outlet for me in my early days of having two kids under 3.  It was hectic! Sometimes taking the time to sew during my kids' naps was a challenge, but I still remember the peacefulness that would sweep over me when I did.  It made it all worth it, and helped keep me moving forward as a mom.  Forward, past the sleepless nights, cranky moods, and toddler disobedience.  The feedback and encouragement I received through my blog motivated me in that season of life.

How does my writing/creative process work?

I never anticipated how much work it would be to create a blog!  It is one thing to finish a project.  It is a whole other thing to photograph that project, edit the photos, create a post, and insert the photos.
It can all be a little overwhelming, and I often find that the pressure of getting a new post up can dampen my creative flow.  So, most times, if I know what I will post about, I begin my writing a few days in advance.  I start a preliminary post that has some of the specifics of my project, or what I want to say, and save it for later.  I then pull up my post and add the final touches before I publish it. It works out pretty well to keep me from getting too frustrated.

So the next stop on the Blog Hop is...

Olivia from the Sewing CPA!!  I recently discovered her blog a few months ago, and I am amazed by the wonderful projects she creates.  She has a way of taking a simple pattern, adding a fabulous fabric, and constructing a beautiful garment in the end.

Please look for her post next week, Sept. 22nd.

Stay sew-filled!