Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Stop Blogging Your Perfect Sewing Life

Recently, an article entitled "Stop Instagramming Your Perfect Life" has been making its rounds among my IRL friends (contrast this to you, my dear readers, who are the friends I never know how to describe -- "this lady I kind of feel like I know from the Internet because we read and comment on each others' sewing blogs, but I've never met her, and I only know her by her blog handle and I'm pretty sure that's not her real name"). The author discusses how social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) can not only make people dissatisfied with their "normal" life, but it can also keep people from connecting authentically because everything looks fine in their pictures, status updates, and tweets. Since I'm an introvert, I don't do well with having to connect with multiple people all the time, so I actually find these snippets from people's lives helpful. Also, maybe it's just my perfectionist tendencies and Asian "saving face" upbringing, but I find it difficult to let others in on my messes. Still, I do understand the sentiment behind the article. When all you're reading is posts about perfectly fitted pants and sleeves that didn't have any issues with being set in, it can get a little discouraging. (Incidentally, I'm not accusing anyone else of doing this -- most of the other bloggers I read are lovely in their real-ness, but my personal tendency is to just blog tra la la it's fun with sheets, all the time!)

So, in the interest of being honest, allow me to share some not-so-perfect bits of my life from this very week, as they specifically relate to my sewing. 

1) Making a wedding dress for someone isn't all exhilaration about gorgeous satin. When I first put together the skirt for Elaine's wedding dress, I was pretty psyched about what I thought was a brilliant idea at the time: I would do flat-felled side seams, then thread a piece of ribbon through the inside of the seam to use for gathering up the skirt. That way, I wouldn't have to make a separate channel on top of the seam (and therefore stitch four whole extra lines). Killing two birds with one stone, so brilliant, right? Unfortunately, I neglected to think through the hemming...In order to hem the skirt, and still keep the ribbon free, I ended up ripping a tiny bit of the channel above the proposed hemline, carefully pulling the ribbon out of the hole, and then having to make a hand-worked eyelet around the rip to keep the edges from fraying. In the end, it didn't take too much extra time, but a bit of forethought might have been nice.
Pictures of this were too blurry, since 1) dark purple, 2) reflective satin, 3) the best thread-matching I've ever done, and 4) really tiny details. Instead, I settled for drawing a picture, with cats to illustrate my sentiments. 

2) I left my phone at a Joann's Fabrics in San Leandro yesterday. I stopped there to get some more thread (thinking foolishly that it would be more convenient to pick it up there after work instead of the very-difficult-to-get-to Santa Monica location that's close to home), pulled out my phone to check something and set it down, neglected to pick it back up, and then left the store. I didn't realize that I'd lost it until after the store closed. To my relief, a quick call revealed that they had found the phone and would hold it for me, but the problem was that I was restricted to public transportation today. Of course, the store isn't located near any convenient stops; long story short, I would've either had to walk three miles or take buses for an hour and half to get it back. I'm just so grateful that my principal was able to stop by and pick it up for me! But so much for thinking I could be really efficient with my sewing errands...

3) I've got someone coming over to stay tomorrow night, and this is what the sewing/guest room looks like right now. This is about as real as it gets, yo. Sometimes, in a fit of manic creativity, you just move onto the next project without neatening up, right? Please tell me you do that too!

As you walk into the room, this is what you see. Yeah, that's a pile of  scraps on the floor. And a piece of black fabric draped over the bookcase. And overflowing boxes and bags everywhere. And several shoeboxes of notions that just never manage to stay stacked. 
In case you couldn't tell that that was an ironing board on the left in the first picture. I wouldn't blame you, though, as it's covered with hats that I don't know how to store (I need some hatboxes!) and fabric. And bags of unfinished projects underneath, and a teetering stack of vibrantly-colored fabrics for this month's stashbusting challenge. It's a wonder I can ever manage to press my seams. 
At least the actual sewing area isn't as bad in comparison? At least my thread is organized by color? At least it's too dim under the chair for you all to see how many snipped threads are hanging out down there? 

Mr. Cation is pretty gracious about ignoring the mess in there most of the time (although he occasionally, jokingly (but also kind of seriously), complains that he isn't allowed into a whole room in his own apartment), but that just means that when I do need to make it livable, things are that much worse.

So there you go -- if all of that isn't wonderfully imperfect, I don't know what is!



On the other hand, Walnut is always fabulous. Oh, except for that one time (not this week, thank goodness) that he got diarrhea and some of it stuck to his butt, and then he sat down on some of my fabric. Yuck. I'm just glad that it was only a yard of cheap poly-knit that I had no concrete plans for, so no real harm done. But it just goes to show, even sewing with cats can't always be fun and games!

What kind of sewing-related disasters don't make it onto your blog? 

46 comments:

  1. The amount of stuff I pile on my ironing board always makes me want to punch myself in the face.

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  2. I feel so less alone, I mistake it with a side table

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  3. I can relate the sewing room, although I don't have one! I have to use our lounge and by the time I have finished sewing for the day I'm often too tired to clear up or I'm still midway through. The ironing board has been in our kitchen for nearly a week! I'll have to tidy for this weekend when we have the in-laws over!

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  4. OMG I am so glad it is not just me!

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  5. It is discouraging AND boring to see people only post their perfect sewing life. It's boring when all of a blogger's posts document just the sewing parts that went well (and sometimes you can see the imperfections clearly...).

    But I agree that we shouldn't blog our perfect sewing life. I like posts that document what went wrong with projects, because it makes me feel more connected to the blogger. That person in front of another computer screen is just like me!

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  6. I'm glad you're not perfect, and I'm sure your guest won't care...all that matters is making them feel welcome, mess or no mess. The look on Walnut's face is priceless!

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  7. Hahahaaha this makes me laugh, and makes me wonder if I'm too honest with sharing my fails.... Plus I'm pretty sure you took a photo of my sewing room. Even I am refusing to go in there.

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  8. I can also totally relate, I have a little craft room but spent a whole day 'mucking out' a couple of weeks ago. And I have stuff all over the dining room too - it's the only place with a surface big enough for cutting out. My dressform Doris is in our bedroom - wearing 3 UFOs! My family are tolerant but I'm pretty sure my OH invites friends to stay over so that we have to clean the house! :)

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  9. People just blog about their perfect lives let alone their sewing lives. I do however note that these are indeed popular blogs and can be enjoyable to read. I like a bit more realism, though!

    I enjoy spending time on beautiful photography, this can polish the proverbial turd... if my project has gone badly! However, I think aesthetics are important!

    Anyways, thanks for your post... food for thought!

    Bundana
    http://www.bundana.blogspot.co.uk

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  10. I can relate to your story. I want my blog a bit more realistic so I blog also about the real things that are happening in my life. The good bits, the boring bits and the bad bits.
    Funny enough I only did some major decluttering in my crafting area! It was such a mess!
    I really like your blog, keep going!

    Barbara
    www.busyfingersbusylife.blogspot.com

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  11. Your sewing/guest room looks a lot like my spare room except that I can't sew in there as all the space has been taken up by drying washing, stepladders and a dismantled bed frame.... My in-laws are coming to stay in a couple of weeks, I really need to tidy up, aaaarrrgggh!

    The Walnut story is hilarious!

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  12. How delightfully honest you are about your corner of the world. ---- And it makes me feel better about a skirt I attempted to draft for myself! LOL Mistakes are how we learn.... ;-)

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  13. I try to make clear that I don't have a perfect life on my blog. I would feel dishonest if I didn't face up to some things. Its like therapy and I know people prefer to know "real" people, not those who are infallible. Good blog post! I think more people should relax. No one in the sewing community is going to shout at you if you screwed up a zip or something. They are more likely to sympathise!
    (love the Walnut story! x)

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  14. I love that your sewing room looks like mine, when I see the 'craft' rooms that some people blog about it just seems so unrealistic, if you use it then it will be messy, if its PERFECT then you've never set foot in it! My biggest problem is not putting the remains of one project before starting the next one... and not picking up the pins from the floor... or the stray threads.... or bits of paper... or piles of fabric... I think I live by the phrase "Creativity is messy and I'm very creative!"

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  15. I had so much fun reading this. My "sewing-room" is just a corner from from kitchen, and because of that isn't as bad, and since I became a mom I had to take extra care with some sewing supplies so she wouldn't get hurt, so I became more organised and always try to clean after the mess, still I'm not at all, a perfect sewing life blogger, I actually always share my failures!!!
    www.houseofestrela.blogspot.com

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  16. we had a surprise sleep over guest today and the first thing the little girl said when she entered the apartment was 'wow, it's really messy here' ... hmmm, I suppose it has seen better days.

    I like your blog, because it seems really down to earth. I do follow some blogs where the author seems to sew one couture item after another (seriously how many tailored coats or jackets does one need) or another who seems to sew a new item out of luxury fabric (Liberty of London etc) every other day where I wonder whether her entire pay check get deposited at her local fabric store. Anyway I find some blogs rather intimidating, but yours is so friendly and nice and welcoming :-)

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  17. teehee! The grumpy cat face in your drawing is all kinds of rad! I must admit to shutting my sewing room door from time to time when peeps come by. It's just easier. Between all my skate gear and sewing bits and pieces it is cyclone times in there!

    In regards to sewing mistakes I always love reading how people manage these. And it also reassures me that I'm not the only munchkin who has made the mistake. Case in point my serged and sliced pockets. I must admit to feeling better once a few people commented that they had had the same problem... Curse you sergers!

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  18. I just want to say YOU"RE AMAZING for having a normal looking sewing room. It sometimes seems as if everyone on the planet has a sewing room that just fell out of a magazine into their laps one day. Nothing else frustrates me more than looking at my sewing room and reminding my self about all the pretty sewing room things that I can't afford... So thanks for being normal :) and then sharing it with us on the interwebs of course :)

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  19. My sewing room totally looks like that right now! Admittedly, it's because it's in a different town and I haven't fully moved into that house yet, so I'm still unpacking and organizing....but if you could see my bedroom right now, ooh boy! I'm pretty sure it could be declared a federal disaster zone!

    This post really made me smile--and I feel a bit justified now, since I've always been one to post about things while they're in progress and I'm trying to work out issues and sometimes things just don't work out. If I only posted finished objects, I'd probably only post once a month (or not at all for the last several), and though I love it when other people read and especially comment, I started the blog as a personal crafty journal. And it's still that. So yeah, let's see more mess-ups and learning and normality!

    Also, you should do cat mood sketches more often! LOVE IT!

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  20. i love honest blogs. i especially love that you were blogging about your imperfections instead of cleaning up your guest room :)

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  21. I'll tell what I would do: Clean the bed, change the sheets, make sure there are not pins, needles or scissors (check bed, floor), vacuum. Put a chocolate or any other small treat on the pillows and that's it! If your friend (s) know you they'll accept the sewing system you have hehehe!

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  22. This is a good point. I try to avoid posting too many fails because I usually think "who wants to read that!?" Ugh, I'm already lying... what I really say to myself is "you're lucky you have any readers. Don't bore them/scare them off!". But, I have to say, I enjoy the honest posts. My sewing has been limited lately but, I finished a UFO last week. It was so nice to finish something and I was so excited to share it, then I put it on and hated it. I can't do gathered skirts so, it's back in the closet until I feel like ripping off the waistband and changing the gathers to pleats. Hmm, maybe I should post it anyway.

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  23. You get lots of points for being honest and letting it out that your life is not perfect. It is very difficult to read blogs that are relentlessly perfect. It makes you feel a failure for your lack of talent and industriousness. Thanks for making it real again. Glad you are normal!

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  24. My sewing room used to always be a major mess, but I've done some organizing which really helped. I also just got into the habit of picking up the mess between projects. At first it was really irritating, but but by the second or third time, I realized that I was WAY more creative and efficient when I took that extra half hour to tidy up first. :-)

    As for blogging my perfect sewing life? Since I've never had one, I don't think I would know how to "fake" one, LOL! But I do know what you mean--it's like those people that you swear must be super organized and amazing housekeepers because every time you come over their house looks like something out of a magazine shoot. But in reality, they still struggle to hide the mail stacked up on the dining room table just as much as everyone else. I have several friends like that....

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  25. Aw, I love posts like this! Thanks for sharing. :) I actually don't really mind when people skip over the inevitable mess and problem garments either; I think bloggers should post whatever they are comfortable sharing, even if that means mentioning a failed garment in text only or posting less frequently. I do start feeling inadequate with those bloggers who post a new, beautiful, perfect garment a couple times a week, though, especially if you know they're also holding down a real job and/or raising kids. How do they do that without actually being perfect??

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  26. I love your hand drawn illustration of the eyelet, complete with cute kitties! :) I agree that some blogs can feel a little too perfect, but it seems that many that I read also talk about their failures, mistakes, issues, etc. Those are the ones that I most enjoy, because they seem the most real. I know that life isn't always perfection and roses in a spotlessly clean house, well, at least not for me. As for life's everyday messes, my mom has this great saying hanging in her house: 'If you want to see me, come any time. If you want to see my house, make an appointment.'

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  27. I LOVE that the state of your sewing space and mine could be twins right now, right down to the CAT(s). I have several, okay seven, and most are FASCINATED with the ironing board. I even had my big, fluffy Ashton kitty help me "paint" my Bowie jacket for Tempest's Bowie sew-along. Yes, I wonder about people's 'perfect' lives on Instagram and in their blogs. I talk about the real world but try to keep from sounding like a grumpy or unhappy person even there are days or weeks I feel like that. That goes on facebook : ) A friend of mine started the Spontaneous Smiley project and taught me that even in my darkest days a smile can help. And before that sounds too perky she did this in the midst of my then-husbands cancer journey so it helped me realize that the entire world didn't totally suck. It's nice to see that behind the smiles and gorgeous makes we have similar struggles. There are LOTS of things I "should" know better than do but they sometime happen. Thanks for sharing a corner of your world! BTW I live in the Bay Area, not far from San Francisco : )

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  28. Ha! Read my most recent post and see what kind of sewing disasters DO make it on my blog. Honestly, I think the fails are some of my favorite posts to write because I try to see the humor in my sewing mishaps and that helps with the, um, healing. ;-) Also, they are some of the most commented on posts because - let's face it - we've all been there.

    I also wonder about social media and what it does to real human intimacy. Relationships between humans are messy because we are not always at our best, don't always say the right thing, and are prone to disagreeing. It's easy to see how people can find validation through social media where they can project a tidied up version of their true self/true life.

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  29. thank you for posting this!! i feel the same way, and i'm glad to hear other people do too :)

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  30. You are so funny! I love your cat doodles! :)

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  31. Hahahahahahaha! Man. Sometimes I feel like every one of my posts is just a sad story about the mistakes I made and how many times I cried throughout the course of the project!

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  32. I really appreciate this post (and the link to that article!). Over the years, I've stopped following several very popular blogs because I was tired of feeling badly in comparing my lack of perfection to their seemingly perfect lives. Life is about learning and refining, and would be so boring if one was actually perfect.

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  33. You work in San Leandro but live near Santa Monica? That's quite a commute!

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  34. Yeah, messy sewing room is totally normal. I laugh that people think mine is so clean all the time just because I posted about my cutting table and how I made it. Right now, the room is a disaster! I still have sequins and thread all over the floor from when I started throwing it at the end of the cheer build. I have a cycle of not being able to completely clean up after a project and just starting the next on top of the previous mess. I think I'm about 3 messes deep currently.

    I need to get some more photos but a not quite perfect (by my standards anyway) sewing project is coming as soon as I have all the pictures I need to blog about it.

    ~ Brooke

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  35. It's me too, except the ironing board is clear. That's the only difference though.

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  36. My sewing room is also my bedroom (I'm fortunate enough to have a two bedroom place in the bay area, but my husband's office is the spare room). I think it drives my husband crazy that I have crafting supplies all over the place, and everything is covered in threads because I never vacuum.

    Also I can't figure out how to get the .com removed from my name. I'm usually able to post as "Lauren B" with a link to my blog. I'm not very good at figuring out the internets.

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  37. I'm not the only one! Actually, I think my sewing room is probably worse. I've got a couple of SHBs running around dragging toys in and fabric out all the time. And, it's maybe, just possible, that I not only throw scraps on the floor but also throw pattern pieces in a pile on top of my yarn cubby (oh yeah, just try adding yarn into the melee; not pretty). I have to stop doing that, though, because I can never find all the right pattern pieces. I just spent half an hour cleaning up my sewing room so now it looks like yours lol. I always see those perfect craft rooms on Pinterest and think that there is no way somebody actually sews in there!

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  38. How right you are, my internet friend. This discussion makes me want to post my recent fails and pics of my quote unquote fabric storage - a bunch of teetering piles in the corner of our office (which my husband finds alarming also!) I actually had to stuff all the piles in the closet and close the door real fast before they fell out so my mom would have a place to sleep when she visited...
    Also, can I just say that I feel like all my sewing screwups would be so much less awful if they were communicated in cat cartoons? You should make an app or something.

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  39. Realness vs. keeping up appearances. /sigh. I strive for realness (especially when it comes to sewing/fitting disasters---I don't like to read about perfect finished products, it's the process and the hurdles overcome that make for a good story) And yet I definitely cringe at the thought of showing my sewing space in its usual chaotic state---I mean I mean, it's about on par with your worst photos, but with more thread bits and stuff. Embarrassing.

    And I definitely don't get into a lot of real-life stress, partly because blogging is where I go to get away from it, and partly for keeping-up-appearances reasons. Which is maybe justifiable but then there are a lot of bloggers who get into that stuff and that's why I read them. I love glimpses into other peoples' lives. I guess that makes me kinda nosy, but that's part of being human, right? And better than reality TV, anyway.

    Great post. And good work on the wedding dress!

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  40. This is hilarious! Thanks for sharing the not-perfect you - although if that is the worst you can come up with I think we're still cool. I don't blog often enough to say much about my life at all but I don't think I'd ever try to dress it up as anything it's not. And my sewing room doesn't quite look like that - but that's because we also have a guest room and I shove everything in there. But we have a guest this weekend so panic cleaning coming up! (this is where I shove everything back into the sewing room briefly...)

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  41. I just started following your blog (I think I ended up here one day from a link on Seamstress by Night...I think, maybe?), great post! I've got a pile of fabric scraps on my sewing room floor as we speak, and my most recent blog post shows the gaping hole that was supposed to be an armhole on my most recent tank top! Rookie mistake I guess, lol!

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  42. I have made a few disasters that didn't get posted... and the closet where my sewing materials leave is seriously unorganized! I can relate!

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  43. I love it! I have just sat down to cool off from an angry cleaning binge. I have to add that I threw away (during said binge) the most hideous 'wearable' muslin. Which if I am not going to wear it, must be truly awful!

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  44. The very first photo on my sewing blog was something akin to your photos. So there...

    But I do try to keep it nice. If for no other reason, because it forces me to clean up from time to time. :D

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  45. Your sewing room could be described as tidy when compared to The Sewing Dungeon. The Dungeon is in the unfinished basement with an assortment of carpet remnants, area rugs and the concrete floor. What walls there are are cleverly decorated with fibreglass insulation and plastic sheeting. My furniture is cast offs from everyone I have ever met and of course they don't match. I find it impossible to keep tidy. I try but it just can't be done. You are not the only one.

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  46. Awww, thanks for this post, and clearly making so many of us feel better! My sewing room is a complete state too, also because I use it as an office at the same time, but then it's also the spare room with all the spare stuff... One of my resolutions for 2013 is to have a tidy sewing corner by the end of it :) And I'm trying to get better about tidying up after projects. It can be annoying though to visit friends, since they *all* seem to be really tidy, all the time. I'm still secretly looking for the 'tidyness switch': if I can just find it within myself, I will be forever tidy... So far, no luck :(
    I do like posting about failures though, usually because I find them quite hilarious - I'm like, so, I followed the instructions, and created this monster??? Burda patterns are quite fun for that, for me :-)

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