Sewing

Have you ever felt so busy or stressed that even things you usually do to unwind stress you out? Yeah? That's how I've been feeling lately. Especially today. Maybe it's just because things that should be simple and fast are turning out to be taking forever. Or maybe I'm just making too big a deal out of it.

I had to bring work home with me today. It wasn't a big deal....just seaming the backing on a quilt. Once I got down to it, it only took me a few minutes to seam and press it. I think part of the problem is my sewing environment. I don't have a ton of room.

This picture is from when we first moved in. As you can see, the counter at the end by the dishwasher is not much larger than a laundry basket. That is where my sewing machine lives.

Why? you ask. Well, because I don't have an actual kitchen table yet. Right now we are using a card table. Mike's parents gave us a table, but since we don't have a truck we haven't been able to haul it up here yet. Oh I can't wait until I have a table to sew on... er.... set and eat dinner at.

Right now the card table is covered with my cutting mat, a scrap bag, and various random bits of fabric. There are also about 10 projects sitting on the table and 3 of the chairs waiting to be started, finished, or both! So, this means we eat dinner on the couch in front of the coffee table, about 6 feet away. Which is fine with us. But occasionally we would like to be able to use the table. ha ha! I rhymed!

Anyway, I think that because I'm sewing on the counter my enjoyment for sewing is decreased. I have been working on this cute little backpack/diaper bag for Marshy, in the cutest fabrics (they are dinosaurs!) but I have to force myself to sew it. It's not that I'm not excited to see the end product. I am super excited. This is something I designed, I figured out how to do (with Lola's help on the whole zippered pocket thing. That was really hard for me for some reason. Thanks Lola!) and I am determined to finish it....someday. Hopefully soon.

Tonight I forced myself to get something done on it. I had most of the pieces cut out and made, and ready to be put together. I didn't have the center piece for the main zipper though. Oh that was a hard bugger! I finally got it figured out, and put together. Then I went to sew the center to the front, and I found out that my center piece was too long. Oh well, I can fix that. All I had to do was cut it off even at the bottom, and it only ended up being about 2 inches too long anyway. Then I went to sew the back to the center, and realized I still needed to hook the strap adjuster to the bottom straps, and baste the straps onto the back of the bag, and the hook strap to the top of the bag and.....well, I lost all motivation.

I love sewing! Why am I feeling so unmotivated?! Is it like when you get into a scrapbooking groove and then get burned out? But how can this be? I haven't sewn at home for at least a week!! *sigh* I really hope I get my sewing groove back. My machine has even been nice to me! I think she knows she needs to make up for all the crap my Gammill is giving me at work.

Oh! And I haven't named either of my three machines yet. Any suggestions? These are the ones I have:

Singer HD110- She is PERFECT! I love her. She is my favorite. She does everything I could ever ask for...except a buttonhole stitch, but I forgive her for that.Janome Harmony 2049 - she is EVIL. Her tension doesn't work, ever, and she is more of a pain than anything.
Gammill Classic Plus - I swear she is the devil incarnate right now! No matter what I do, I can't get her to totally cooperate with me. I guess she is almost 10....which in machine years makes it what? a teenager? Great! Maybe she's just going through her rebellious teen years, and she'll settle down soon.
Anyway, so there are my three machines. They all need names. Please help me! I am so bad at naming inanimate objects. My old car was Vader, because the license plate was VDR. My car that I currently drive is Baby, because I'm always saying "You can do it Baby! You can make it up that hill! Keep going!" But, if I were to call it something else it would be Mraz....like Jason Mraz, because the license plate is MRZ. Yeah, I know, I'm so creative! HELP ME!! Okay, done begging for help now. I guess I'd better get back to work on my projects. Ugh!