Friday, July 6, 2012

Settling into Sewing at Home

I've been at home in SF for a few weeks now, but am still having a hard time settling into any sort of routine, at least when it comes to sewing. Part of it is that this is the home I grew up in, and because of that sewing is not an established pastime for me here. Every time I've been in this house in the past, reading has been the mode of recreation. So the plus side is, I've been reading* a lot more (my husband has experienced a little of this, too, as normally he watches TV or plays Call of Duty at our apartment in TCOCC; here, there's been no TV-watching to speak of, and Skyrim has replaced CoD). It feels odd to be in a place that is so strongly home for me, and yet not. This is the home I grew up in with my parents as the authorities, where I had a curfew and had to be accountable to them for my time. Now, as an adult with a husband and a cat (who is having his own issues adjusting**), it's strange navigating between being technically autonomous, but still wanting to respect and honor them.

Anyway, the result of all that is my sewing time has been erratic. If my parents don't have errands they want me to run that day, I can get in lots of sewing time, but only as long as it's not too cold downstairs. In case you didn't know, San Francisco, especially the Sunset District, is notoriously wintry even in the summer. Foggy and overcast outside = cold and gloomy in the office where the sewing machine is set up. Those sunny days when I took pictures? Flukes. And coming from SoCal, where I'm seriously spoiled by sun, I have a hard time sewing when it's not brightly lit in my sewing room. I know, I know, this is nothing compared to people in the UK (like Jane and her seasonal sewing lamentations!), but my sundress plans seem a little silly right now. I've got my Spiderman dress for the throwdown with Tanit-Isis cut out, but that's about it. Even then, the cutting was ridiculous as all three cats wanted to get in on the new fabric.

Adding onto the weather is the actual sewing situation -- I've come to terms with most aspects of my mom's old Kenmore, with the exception of how long it takes to switch out the bobbin thread. It's funny, I can forgive its rattling and occasionally erratic feed dogs, the lack of needle position adjustment, and even its temperamental thread snapping, but the non-drop-in bobbin really bothers me. Funny, what things get to you, isn't it? There's also the fact that the seam ripper here has a perfectly round handle, so whenever I set it down it rolls away, off the edge of the desk, and into the trashcan, as if it was trying to shirk its job. Okay, I know, now I'm just being a drama queen. Also, I have the sewing machine set up on part of my dad's desk in his office, which is much less space than I'm used to, and if he needs to use his desk that gets precedence, of course. Sigh.

I think the solution is a quick and easy project, just to get my sewing mojo back, but I only brought relatively complicated projects with me. Or at least more complicated than I feel like dealing with now. Maybe it's time to return all the books to the library so that I have to sew something. The silly thing is I even miss sewing! I just can't bring myself to go downstairs and brave the cold, cramped office.


Wow, that was a lot of whining. I'm pretty sure I should have just titled this post #firstworldsewistproblems, especially in light of my mom's griping about hobby sewing vs. making a living.  

Have any of you ever had similar issues? Tell me about your most difficult sewing situation to make me feel better! Alternately, you could just tell me to shut up and stop egoizing.


*World War Z and The Dispossessed and several short story anthologies.
**Walnut's uncle Gummy has turned out to be a bully. He's always jumping out at him from behind corners and trying to bite him. This has made Walnut very nervous about being upstairs, but we spend most of our time upstairs since it's cold downstairs...looks like we're going to have to just suck it up and wear sweaters in July.

Right after this picture was taken, Gummy jumped at Walnut, who went racing across the house and back downstairs to his safe zone. There's been quite a bit of yowling going on as well.

17 comments:

  1. Well, being back in the parental home tends to bring out the childish in all of us---including whining! ;) My sewing room is in the cold, chilly basement, and I keep a little space-heater in there even in the summer otherwise I can barely face going down there. I confess it was even running the other day for a little bit, when it was sunny and at least 70F outside here (which, around here, is a small miracle.)

    I actually made some progress on the spiderman dress this week, but the zipper I bought last week seems to have gone AWOL, so I got stalled until I could pick up another today. Who knows when I'll have time to work on it next... /sigh.

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    1. You deserve an award for sewing in that basement! Plus you have small human beings to contend with...it's amazing what you produce under such conditions!

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  2. I haven't even completely unpacked my sewing machine and iron since the commercial I stitched for a couple weeks ago! I find myself avoiding sewing every once in a while - especially if I have a new book. So I completely understand. =)

    And yes, being around my family can make me regress a little too. I don't have to deal with the going "home" exactly (my parents moved twice while I was in college and once since I got married), so even though I recognize a bunch of their stuff from when I was a kid, I don't really know where anything is and I don't have a room at their house anymore.

    Trust me, once you get back into a project, you will jump completely back into the sewing mode. Sometimes you just need a break to get re-energized. =)

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    1. I feel like I've been given permission to read instead of sew :)

      Even though being back home makes me regress, I'm glad that my parents do still have the house I grew up in...everything makes me nostalgic!

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  3. I was going to say what Tanit-Isis said. Space heater. Warms up and takes away the damp. Look and see if you can find a small table - folding, card table. Something where you can make a small corner to call you own until you head back south.

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    1. I've claimed the extension of my dad's L-shaped desk now, and acquired a space heater, so looks like I'm good to go now! Thanks for the advice :)

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  4. Oh, poor Walnut! I have sewing slumps and sewing marathons, so I understand what you are going through, it's hard to make a new space your sewing space, and it's hard to re-evaluated your childhood home as an adult. Take it slow and yes, get a space heater. And new seam ripper. You're allowed.

    strugglesewsastraightseam.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks for the seam ripper carte blanche, Leah! Walnut appreciates your sympathy very much.

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  5. I totally am with you about the gloom making sewing less appealing somehow. In Santa Barbara the daily gloom had descended again, and we won't get sun until 4 or 5 in the afternoon if we see it at all - it does make sewing sundresses seem pointless. Hopefully the fog will lift for the whole coast soon! I've been having some success sewing tops recently - quick and easy and less connected to the the weather since a t-shirt can be worn no matter what the temperature, really.
    And my condolences to Walnut - I also know what it's like to be the low cat on the totem pole (in my household, husband is alpha cat, the cat is beta cat, and I am the lowest cat there is), and I frequently get randomly bitten or chased out of a room by my Orange Terror. I'm sure Walnut will be strong and learn to stand his ground soon!

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    1. Well, the sun hasn't come out yet, but I did get a ballpoint needle for the Kenmore so I can sew up some quick and easy tops, so hopefully that gets me going!

      I'm so sorry to hear that you're the lowest cat :( Walnut is definitely the alpha cat with us, so I think he's in shock at the treatment he's experiencing!

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  6. Poor Walnut! At least he has a safe zone! May be you could make a reticule for your steam punk outfit. It wont take up much space or time. That may get you going again.

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    1. Oooh, that's an excellent idea! I do need one...

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  7. twinkle lights! get over to target or raid the holiday boxes and throw some twinkle lights all up over that room. plus space heater, you'll feel like you're sewing in a wonderland.

    (walnut has the best facial expressions.)

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    1. That is brilliant! I know we have some in the garage somewhere!

      (He does, doesn't he?)

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  8. Poor Walnut. It sounds like a territory issue. This guy is the Dog Whisperer of cats; you might find some useful info/ideas to help Walnut. <3

    http://animal.discovery.com/tv/my-cat-from-hell/

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  9. I am a veterinarian. There is a product that is a pheromone for cats that is calming. You plug it in a electric socket like an air freshener. The refill lasts for 1 month and does 700 sq ft. So you put it where Walnut and the other cats spend most of their time. This is to help them feel less anxious and to work out their problems with a little less aggression. In Canada it is called Feliway but I have seen it under other names. I love reading your blog and your nerdiness and sewing!

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  10. I honestly can't imagine getting my sewing mojo on in a different setting with a machine and a space that isn't or doesn't feel like mine... so I can totally relate to your dilemma!! Even in my own place, everything has to be 'just so' before I can concentrate enough to work on something with care.

    LOOVE the kitty picture... Walnut is so adorable... look at the look on his face! He has so much personality! ^_____^ Please give him a hug for me - I'm sure he will adapt soon ^__^

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