A couple of days ago I assembled two Ikea bookcases for my new studio. I’m so excited to have a co-working space just around the corner from my new apartment, and I’ve taken a studio in that co-working space.
For the past nine years of living in Madrid, I’ve been working from home, but now that I’m an empty nest-er and living alone I’m so much happier to work in an environment with other entrepreneurs and creative people. I leave the house every day and go to work, just like I did when I had my studio in NYC, but now I can pop home to do a load of laundry or to make lunch or visit the cats whenever I want. (Or, often, to take a short nap with the cats!) My new work colleagues are architects, business people, a jeweler, a ceramicist, other clothing designers, a translator, and even someone who designs water slides. It’s so fun to see what they’re doing and to get to know them. Being in a co-working space means I’m not spending each day alone, but I still have a dedicated space where I can close the door if I need to focus. My studio isn’t visually pretty like the one in NYC, but it’s organized and dedicated to my work, without the distractions of home. And, most important, I can sew in peace, knowing Luna isn’t going to un-thread my serger the minute I turn my back. (Why do cats like to eat thread?)
In any case, I love to assemble Ikea. I think the instructions are incredibly well done–no words, just illustrations to indicate each step. Everything is clear (most of the time) and concise. Some Japanese sewing books follow this model as well, although in my experience not as successfully, since sewing is often a little more nuanced than assembling pre-fabricated Ikea products. But I had to laugh when I saw the first set of illustrations: do not assemble alone, do it with a friend! That doesn’t always apply when it comes to sewing, does it?
This got me thinking: knitting and embroidery can be done either alone or as a social activity, but machine sewing tends to be less social. It CAN be social, of course, but I think most of us tend to sew alone, at home. And that got me wondering, are most sewists a bit introverted? Do we choose sewing because it’s something we can do alone? Does sewing appeal to introverts more than to extroverts? (By the way, if you haven’t read it yet, the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain is a great tool for understanding introverts and extroverts better. It really helped me to understand myself so much better, and how to take care of myself when I teach weekend workshops as well as how to relate to my introverted and extroverted friends. Highly recommend…)
Crafting retreats have become especially popular lately as we’re looking for experiences, chances to get out of the house (especially after the pandemic), ways to meet other people with similar interests, and maybe a chance to really focus our our interests without distractions and the basic demands of regular life. Do you every sew in social situations? Have you considered a sewing retreat? Or a sewing getaway with friends?
Maybe I need to add one of these illustrations to our sewing patterns: sewing with others brings joy! What do you think? Personally, I think I’m still happiest when I can turn on some music or an audio book and sew alone. But in the vicinity of others.