[meleliza]

Have you noticed how busy the flickr group has been? I thought I had gotten a fair amount of sewing in this summer, but when I see what everyone else has been up to, I don’t know what the heck I’ve been doing with my time. (I suppose having three small children including a baby home all summer may have been taking up a few hours a day.) I had fall projects planned early, then got distracted with summer projects. After all, we’ll still be wearing summer clothes for two more months. But now I’m ready to start the fall things yet I really must fnish what I’m working on first. And then these children want things like food and attention a couple times a day.;) I was so excited for that picnic blouse, for example, but put it away because it had longer sleeves. Now I’m a little jealous every time I see a new one on flickr. Silly, huh? At least my knitting is coming along nicely.

[sayiamyou]

I don’t think it’s silly and I know how you feel. It feel especially difficult for me because honestly, I would love cooler weather all the time. So I start pining for fall sewing the minute it’s hot here in the states, and moreso when I see my Aussie friends sewing yummy cool weather goodies!

Don’t fret. Work at your own pace so you can enjoy it fully!

[Mama_Knowles]

I am there with you too. I have so much I wanted to sew but haven’t gotten to it yet. I wanted to make a bunch of shorts/pants up for my boys but I have just started to cut them out and school is just around the conner. I have thress boys and one toddler,8,7,5 & 18m. Where did the summer go?

[meleliza]

August seems so busy too. School uniforms to figure out, supplies to get, forms etc. My oldest starts kindergarten so it’s all new to us.

I do like looking at the flickr group, though, it’s really fun to see what everyone else makes. And it gives me ideas.

[beachmom]

Summer is meant for enjoying!;-) I’m the same way though…more than ready for fall/winter sewing but I have a few summer projects that need to be completed. Also, as fast as my kids seem to be growing, long pants/shirts would probably be too small by the time it got cold.

[Tamara]

Oh gosh! You are speaking my language here. I empathise and sympathise for and with you. Sometimes, we as mums place so much pressure on ourselves to make and meet a deadline and we just kick ourselves to kingdom come if we don’t make it. Don’t lose heart! It’ll be ok. Sewing is supposed to be enjoyable and so is summer. It is a time for relaxing so go with the flow and don’t worry if you haven’t finished all your pieces… at least you got some done.

Look at me talk! It is winter here and literally the coldest we’ve had here for a while. I’ve had lists made daily of what I want to do and I confess that I haven’t done nearly as much as the list has stated (but then I like writing lists!).

With getting your big little one ready for school, this can be daunting but don’t lose heart, enjoy the time and remember it and then you can reflect that in your sewing projects after the event has been dealt with. I mean this in a good way, you won’t know yourself with one child at school and only the two little one’s during the day. It means possibly squeezing in a bit more sewing time? Not to mention more opportunities to sew because being at school means exciting things!

Summer here is really busy also. You have dance concerts, swimming lessons and family coming to stay and going away for a break plus Christmas and don’t mention finishing harvesting! Add school on top of this and you have presentation nights and Christmas gifts for friends and teachers not to mention getting ready for the new school year only 4 weeks after you break up. Somewhere in the maze of events the sewing machine keeps whirring away but not as much as now where we are in the lull before the storm so to speak. I brace myself for summer because it also means thunderstorms and power failures!!!

Hang in there, you are doing great with churning out the projects you’re making and I really admire that because you have more children than I do and I couldn’t do half as much as what you are doing sewing wise when my two were smaller. So try not to be too hard on yourself … there is always the next block of time to sew.

hugs

Tamara

[yellow_blue]

I was really moved by the fact that you could write both so simply and at the same time so honestly about how you feel about running out of time and behind time.I don’t have as many children as you do but like Tamara and others out there, I do know what you are saying. And so, to not say anything so different from what others are saying, hang in there and enjoy the things that you are making and the joy that those things bring. If it makes you feel better–know that all out there there people just like you with long lists who are hardly able to finish all items on their list.

much love,

[Kim]

I am a mom to 3 young adult children in their 20’s and I thought once my youngest was on her own I would have time to sew. Seams like suddenly a found myself a grandmother to a 2 year old, a 9 week old and another one due in January. Then really the time crunch sort of starts all over again. You make plans for what you want to accomplish then you modify. You have to be willing to change your plans and not feel guilty. What is it John Lennon said “life is what happens when you’re making other plans.”

[Emily]

One of the things I notice about my “sewing backlog” is that as soon as I finish an item and move it off my list, I have a tendency to forget that it was ever ON my list! I think it’s the nature of many type-a moms to disregard what has already been accomplished and focus on what remains to be done, which can at times feel overwhelming and frustrating. I have this feeling like I haven’t finished any sewing projects lately, but when I sit down and think about it and make a list of sewing projects that INCLUDES recently finished items, I feel much more accomplished. I’ll go back 3-6 months to make my list, too, because the things that are still left to do extend 3-6 months into the future, and it feels more balanced that way.

And then, like everyone else says, sewing is meant to be enjoyable. Work at a pace that allows you to enjoy both the sewing and the other parts of your life and it will be fulfilling.

[Adrienne]

I know what you mean. I am a kindergarten teacher and in the midst of the beginning of school. This is such a busy time and the only sewing that I have time to do right now is to read about it here! Like you, I love to look at the Flickr page for inspiration…..and with school starting I’m wondering if I’ll ever have time to sew fall/winter clothes for my little one! Summer is my biggest block of time, but once everyone gets used to the routine (at home and in my classroom) I’m hoping to be able to “steal” a few moments a week to sew! It might take me longer to finish a project…..but that’s okay…..it’s therapy!

Emily – great advice….I think I need to write that and post it all over my house! ; )

[homefire]

Emily, that was a great point about not seeing what all has been accomplished because of all the things left to do. As I was putting away my two dd’s clothes last night I suddenly realized that 99% of their closet was mama made (and most of that was o+s :))!