{"id":82699,"date":"2024-08-29T11:32:42","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T15:32:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/?p=82699"},"modified":"2024-08-30T09:14:33","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T13:14:33","slug":"do-you-sew-socially","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2024\/08\/do-you-sew-socially.html","title":{"rendered":"do you sew socially?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, 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?)<\/p>\n

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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?<\/p>\n

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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<\/a> 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…)<\/p>\n

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?<\/p>\n

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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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you sew alone, or do you prefer to sew with friends? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":82707,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20687],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/social-sewing-03.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5jZS5-lvR","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":125,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2008\/11\/at-last.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":0},"title":"at last!","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"November 12, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"When we moved into our new studio space in early September, I knew almost immediately how I wanted to use the space. But it took a lot longer than that to bring it all together. Now, at long last, we're settled in with countertops under the windows, lots of shelving\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/DSC_0073-739645.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":57097,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2016\/09\/weekend-links-34.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":1},"title":"weekend links","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"September 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Liesl is here with her usual Friday round up of what's inspiring her and what she's been reading this week. And she mourns the fact that we have decided to give up our studio in Brooklyn.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/banner-image.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5880,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2013\/03\/introducing-grainline-studio-patterns.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":2},"title":"introducing grainline studio patterns","author":"Todd Gibson","date":"March 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019re happy to announce that we are now carrying the complete Grainline Studio line of digital patterns in the Oliver + S shop. To launch the collection, we asked Jen Beeman, creator of the brand, to write a short guest post introducing herself and her work. Hi all! My name\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/JB-Grainline.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":48738,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2015\/07\/hola-madrid-and-friday-picks.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":3},"title":"hola, madrid! and friday picks","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"July 31, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This week's links and weekend reads contains a special announcement. We're moving to Spain!","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/madrid-piso.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":83143,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2025\/01\/old-year-new-year.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":4},"title":"old year new year","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"January 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Do you make personal time for yourself to sew? To get lost in the process of making something, even when you don't have time? Here's why I think it's important.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/new-year-feature-2025.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6705,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2013\/05\/introducing-heather-jones-studio-quilt-patterns.html","url_meta":{"origin":82699,"position":5},"title":"introducing heather jones studio quilt patterns","author":"Todd Gibson","date":"May 8, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"We're happy to introduce Heather Jones, the designer between the Heather Jones Studio line of modern quilt patterns.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/HeatherJones.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82699","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82699"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82699\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82715,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82699\/revisions\/82715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82707"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82699"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82699"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82699"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}