Thinking Out Loud, Some Conclusions, Defining Style, and Moving Forward

As one year closes and another is upon us there are many thoughts that bounce around in my wee head. Projects that went well, and of course, those that did not. Plans and lists, great ideas and some not so reasonable. I have grand plans, great ideas, or delusions of a sort. How does this happen? In my little studio there is much to ponder. I have so many projects going at one time and now I find that few are getting finished. Very frustrating. I have had more legitimate excuses this year than I care to recall. But there has to be more. I love sewing, I thrive on artistic pursuits, I actually dream about projects sometimes.

The Dogwood Quilt: An example of a  sprinter project. It is still at this stage, actually several of the blocks have fallen off the design wall and are now jumbled up a bit.

 Conclusion number one. I have recognized that I am a sprinter. Give me an idea, a piece of fabric, a pattern and look out. I can be engrossed for 24 hours per day, for a few days, then crash. The tedium of doing repetitive stitching is mind numbing. After a while it starts to bore me, then the projects is relegated to the in progress area. Right now I have 12 quilts in progress, about 20 fashion patterns ready, fabric sourced and waiting to be cut. Ummmm...  

Conclusion number two. This is a relatively new phenomena for me, I suppose for about the last 18 months. I normally list the projects, source them, assemble work boxes and go to it. I documented progress in composition books, each element well planned. I kept one book for garments, one for quilts. I would price and define troublesome areas of the project. I made notes on patterns, on the instructions etc. so that when I would return to a certain pattern, the project would move along quickly. In the books I even kept fabric samples as reminders.

Conclusion number three. I must have a clean, clear and uncluttered workspace. Too many books, patterns, fabric samples, cluttered bulletin board distract me. Sorting the projects by priority leaving only one of each category in view reduces the tendency for my mind to wander and want to jump to the next project.    

Conclusion number four. I am what I am and that's all that I am. I procrastinate with my garment projects because: I need a better fitting bra, Bertie needs her padding shifted, I need to lose weight, I am too pale to wear this color, I should do this or I need to do that. Listen to me, by the time I lose weight the perfect bra will no longer fit. By the time the sun shines again in W. Pa. I'll be getting ready to move in to the next set of excuses. And another very important discovery, also fairly new to me is, I cannot eat one little bit of chocolate. Really, I can't, like a person with a problem, I must have more but if I consume more than a little bit I get sick. Conclusion, no chocolate. Oh my.

Conclusion number five.  The only way to develop new habits has been well researched and documented. Choose a new habit, practice it faithfully for 21 to 30 days (depending on who you read) and it will become an ingrained and permanent part of your routine. I want to be the Sewist  I used to be, just a little better. More patient. More consistant. I need to use up the supplies at hand. Quilting and garment fabrics included!

Conclusion number six; I agree with Ralph. (Lauren that is) My sewing has to suit my lifestyle, my preference and my level of comfort. So the mantra has to define the style, not fashion. I haven't been the fashionista-type for a long time, that will stay the same.  I do enjoy color forecasts, accessory accoutrement and general trends. I am pretty good at editing my likes and dislikes and rarely purchase something I regret. In addition, since starting the Mt. Everest Project, shopping is something I really avoid. Even "window shopping" might tempt so I don't. I do browse catalogs for ideas and inspiration. I use the tear sheets on my mood boards to direct my selections.

So where is all this going? I am thinking out loud I suppose. I want this next season, this next year to be more productive and more organized. I want to feel that sense of accomplishment and the thrill of a new project and seeing it to completion. I want to focus on each element. Searching for the new way to work, gathering ideas to use from the past while testing new processes to improve my outcomes.

As a closing note, another blog that I discovered recently Martha Moments shares an interesting conclusion for the Martha Stewart brand. Recent news about major changes there are rather unsettling to me. Sort of like finding out there is no Santa Claus, I too have noticed that the origins of the brand have been slipping in favor of merchandising and profit. Of course, I cannot imagine how much profit one needs to maintain that lifestyle but just one or two little inspirations from the kitchen, the home or the garden give us each a wee bit of that famous (although sometimes controversial) person who was a pioneer in the Lifestyle genre. If you have a moment or two, read the post. Understanding the problems at Martha Stewart Multimedia from an outsider illustrates how much Martha has impacted our lives. It is my hope that 2013 is the year where the brand and the person recognize the opinions of those who read, buy and admire Martha Stewart.