2011 Reflections, 2012 Goals

Doesn't everyone who goes to the Rodin Museum have a photo like this?

While sewing recently, I got reflective about how much I’ve learned in sewing this past year, and what I’d like to accomplish this year.  I got my sewing machine a little over a year ago, because I have a decent job, but I don’t find it very inspiring, and I felt I really needed something creative in my life to help balance out the everyday responsibilities.  Sewing has definitely done that for me.  I find sewing very relaxing, almost meditative, probably because I usually sew at night (or occasionally during nap time) when the house is really quiet.  It’s just me and the machine.  Without the noise of every day life, thoughts and reflections just naturally percolate to the surface.  It’s a good time to sort out your thoughts and quiet all the anxieties that seek out your attention during the day.  I find a lot of satisfaction in being able to create things, too.  I think art and creativity are requirements in life, even though they often get set aside for more practical things.

Sometimes it is challenging fitting this “hobby” into my life, even though it’s so important.  I don’t have a dedicated sewing space, and sometimes it’s hard to get motivated to take all my sewing stuff out, knowing that I’ll have to put it all away again when I’m done.  I find myself saying, “When I have a craft room, I’ll sew more.”  But, you know, I have to remind myself that I can only work with what I have now.  We can’t wait for conditions to be just right before we do something.  So, that’s where I am now: sewing, creating, mommying, appreciating...  I’m focusing on that word “intention” and being more intentional about where I choose to spend my time, so that I can spend more time doing things that feed the soul.

I’ve collected so many to-do projects in this past year, I’ve been wading through some of them and prioritizing.  I thought I’d write down some of my goals for this year, to help me better remember them.

- I want to make a quilt.  I’ve seen a bunch of beautiful quilts out there that have been really inspiring, so I want to give it a try this year.  (I need to get a walking foot for this.)
- This bathrobe I made for the little guy is cute, but the Ikea towel I used wasn’t the best, and it’s fraying quite a bit.  Plus, the little guy says he wants a more “cuh-full” bathrobe.  (That’s four-year-old talk for “colorful.”)  Ok, I’m going to have to overcome my mindset that bathrobes should be clean and white.  :)
- Last summer, I thought I’d try to do an “assembly line” sort of process where I traced patterns and cut out fabrics for a bunch of different outfits, so that I could sew them all at once.  This seems to work for some people, but apparently not for me.  What resulted from that plan was I now I have dresses cut out in size 12-18 months, which doesn’t fit the baby girl anymore.  So, now I’ll just do one project at a time.
- Along those same lines, I’m going to go through my sewing drawers and clean out or finish those in-progress items.  I have a baby quilt I started cutting out, hooded towels, and potholders in that in-progress pile.
- I want to make a dent in my fabric stash before purchasing more fabric.  I know I keep saying this, but there is literally no more room for fabric in the house, so I’m going to work my way through what I already have.  I also keep holding off on cutting into some of my favorite fabrics, because I want to save them for something “really special.”  But I’m just going to live dangerously and use them.
- Oh, one more!  One of my mom friends was telling me recently that her mother bought a bunch of fabric with grand intentions of making her clothes when she was little, but never did.  All the fabric just sat there.  I’m sure this is not a unique story.  Moms get busy.  But please don’t let me be that mom, whose kids recall with distaste how she had so much fabric piling up and never did anything with it.  I’d rather be the mom whose kids recall with embarrassment that she made them so many “lame” outfits.  :)

Here’s to a creative, productive, and thoughtful 2012.