Thursday, April 30, 2015

How I lost my motivation to sew and why I cant get it right.

Hey Y'all
I've been gone for awhile and its been hard coming back. I have no motivation to sew and when I do conjure up the energy its been wadder, after failure, after poorly fitting garment, after disappointment after... well I think you get the point? I have not made a single wearable garment in months..


What happened?
I lost my mom on February 9th, she lived with my husband and I for 3 years as she battled lung cancer. I was with her when she passed in her bedroom in our home. It was by all accounts a peaceful transition but it has left me empty. I have been trying to get back to things that I enjoy (sewing being one of them) but all the things I enjoy include her..

                                                My mom and I Mothers Day 2014

She was my #1 critic of my garments. As a young adult and single mom she used to sew all her own and my older siblings clothing when they were younger. Sewing was something she learned to do as a child growing up in the country on a farm. It was not a hobby it was a necessity for survival such as learning to cook, and clean and milk cows and tend a garden.  She had no formal training just instruction from her mom, trial and error and the need to "make it work". Man I miss her!


Anyway, its been a long slow process getting back but I have made a few things, none of which makes me happy but I'll share anyway.


The first is New Look 6301 which I have made before but this time I wanted to extend the length and make a maxi.. What I got according to my husband was a "flowery house dress" Sigh... He was right. Its just not doing it for me so I have just been wearing it around the house. As a house dress its perfect, as a nice spring maxi ..  FAIL!
 

Not sure what that pouty lip action was about

Then I tried another dress McCalls 6959 This was a pretty simple dress only 7 pattern pieces. It was made with a very pretty cotton sateen from Jo Anns which I loved when I saw it on the rack but once it was made up it reminded me of motel curtains OR a grandmothers old outdated couch. FAIL!



Ok, So I figured third times a charm right!? So I commence to make up New Look 6735 I extended it in length by about 9 inches or so to make into a cardigan/duster. This was a snowed in day, quick sew for me but I should have spent my time doing something better because this came out looking like nothing more than a poorly made bathrobe. FAIL!



I have another couple garments I could share but I'm still contemplating how to make them work (I'll share either way later) .
Needless to say I've been very discouraged with the outcomes of most garments and even when I try to do something simple to get quick easy favorable results I have still only been getting a BIG FAT FAIL!

So I'm taking a breather, not for long just long enough to get my sewing legs back under me. In the meantime I have visited the library checked out a few sewing related books and have gotten into sewing knowledge, dress making basics and other things that I never took the time to study before I delved into sewing.

What is your go to thing to sew to get you out of your sewing rut?

I'm hoping to be back sewing soon. In the meantime I'm hoping you ladies are having much better success than me.
See ya later!
NaTisha