I get asked a lot how I find time to sew. Or at least, I used to get asked a lot. Come to think of it… It’s been a while since somebody has asked… Maybe, by now, people just think I’m off my rocker and totally neglecting my children. The point being… how do I find the time?
Answer: I don’t find it. I make it.
Breaking it down, there are three things that need to happen for me to sew (besides marrying an amazingly supportive man).
#1 – Prepare for it.
Motherhood has taught me that my time is a precious. If I plan out ahead of time what I want to accomplish, I don’t waste those rare free moments when they present themselves.
a bag in progress
- Assemble all the materials your need for a project into one place – a pretty basket, an old diaper box, a grocery bag. Grab the basket/box/bag and flip the machine on and go for it.
- Give yourself options. I used to be a One Project At a Time Gal, but now I enjoy having at least a couple of projects in mind in the works. Different projects for different moods or amount of time available.
- Read over any directions, tutorials, and sketch out designs in preparation for sewing time. I do a lot of my reading and daydreaming over my morning coffee, or while nursing the baby. If I am not sewing, I am probably thinking about sewing. (Hi, I’m Jodi and I’m a Sewing Addict.)
#2 – Schedule It In.
It’s hard to recognize a free moment when every moment of every day is filled with an unending list of “I really should…” ‘s. Planning out my week ahead of time means I know when I will get a chance to sew and when I will do my other work. Then I can sew without guilt, or at least guilt.
- All your kids at home? The Train to Crazy shared her summer schedule strategy on her blog, complete with activity rotation to keep her older children occupied during nap time. Genius!
- If a daily sewing time doesn’t fit in to your routine, could you shoot for a weekly? Maybe one morning or afternoon that the kids can watch a favorite movie? The kids are happy. Mama is happy. Everybody wins.
- I don’t advise staying up late to sew on regular basis. It is too draining to do every night, but I do enjoy getting together with some girlfriends once a month for “Craft Night”. We bring our sewing, crocheting, and crafting and spend the evening chatting over our projects. I always look forward to it. Stephanie of Unfinished Sewing Project Party gathers her friends together for a whole Saturday of sewing. Doesn’t that sound like bliss?
#3 – Seize It.
The final hurdle is the “doing”. Why is this one such a hard on to get over? Pinterest and blogs make it so easy to feel crafty without any effort at all, but spending hours browsing doesn’t feel nearly as satisfying as doing even for a short time. Usually all the preparing and scheduling makes doing a lot easier to begin, but even at the end of a long day when I don’t feel like sewing, just trying to do a little bit will result in a burst of energy and enthusiasm.
So those are my tips… Not that I am always great at following them (especially this past summer with nausea and crazy summer schedule-lessness). Plans fall through and more important things like… I dunno.. children… take precedence. Overall, it seems to me that finding time to spend on our passions, while mothering children, is a lot more doable than “they” say, but it takes flexibility, creativity, and determination.
Don’t believe me? See what these sewing divas have to say…
- While She Naps: “How to Get Crafting (Even When You Don’t Have The Time)” – – Abby’s key to getting a daily craft time in is a dedicated craft space. Again, having all your materials ready to go means you have more time to sew.
- Domestic Anarchy: “Five Ways to Find TIme To Find Time To Sew – Maddie calls the “I don’t have time” excuse B.S. I think her Easy Dinner nights are a great tip and they fit well with “scheduling it in” approach.
What do you think? Do you find it hard to find time to sew? Any tips or tricks up your sleeves?
I just happened by your blog and your statement, “Pinterest and blogs make it so easy to feel crafty without any effort at all, but spending hours browsing doesn’t feel nearly as satisfying as doing even for a short time” really hit home. So very true. It’s kinda like gambling vs. shopping, you’re still spending money, you’re just not going home with anything (most of the time).
Good insight. Great encouragement. You’re awesome!
My studio is in the basement, which also has a giant play room. I can sew while my kids play. Total win-win!
That’s exactly why I sew in the living room! Do what works!
I find the supportive husband is the key! The more I sew, the more I find I’m able to realistically estimate how much time something is going to take me. Only have half an hour– don’t pull out the sewing machine, cut out a few patterns instead. by the weekend, when I have a chunk of time, I have a few projects ready to sew and serge.
very smart!
Very good advice. =) The biggest thing for me is just doing a little bit of sewing even if I don’t feel like it at the moment. Once I get started, I usually want to keep it up.
I couldn’t agree more!
Great post! Timely. Inspiring. You are so good at priorities…
Not always, but I try. 🙂
Jody, thanks for posting. I get this question all the time too, and I feel people truly think I am just neglecting my family. I like to think of myself as organized. I schedule my days/weeks in such a way that I have ‘sewing’ time on the weekends. I can’t relax and sew if the house is falling apart around me, so I focus on getting as much cleaning/laundry as I can get done in little spurts during the week. Instead of reading a novel at bedtime, I will read directions for the next project I want to tackle. If I find I have a few minutes free that were not planned during the day, I will cut out the fabic needed for my next sewing project on the weekend. Sewing makes me feel whole. It calms me. When I sew after a long week of homeschooling and work, I feel the peace return! When I used to live there, sewing was not my thing. It would have been fun to learn with you along the way…
When you find your “thing”, you fight to give it time!
I’m a single & childless teacher with roommates, a second job, and graduate classes. Recently, I hit on packing a project bag with everything I need to prep a project for machine sewing. At lunch now, I eat then prep. So far, I’ve transitioned two pullover sweaters into cardigans this way. My colleagues are fascinated with it & are constantly asking about what I’m doing and seeing my projects progress. Now I just have to work on staying awake long enough between my activities outside of teaching to actually sit and sew!
PS — I love those little Cabbage Patch doll baby cheeks! 🙂
I know that planner! 🙂
Maddie, who does sew at night but thinks that the real key is having young kids with early bedtimes. Mine when young went to bed.. by 7pm. ( yeh baby!)
I find the hardest part is I make a huge mess when sewing — and we live in an NYC apartment, so that means my sewing mess is visible no matter where I am…which makes me kind of crazy. And in the thick of things, I need a lot of things at the ready that are dangerous for kids — iron, scissors, pins…I prefer sewing when my kid is out with her dad. So teamwork is key for me.
Ooh, this is a really good one. I love all of your ideas!
The organization of my “sewing time” continues to be a work in progress. When my little ones were younger (we have 6), there was no such thing as sewing time. My sewing projects were sporadic at best. Now that they are older, our youngest is 5 now, it’s a lot easier. Because sewing is a practical function for me (I usually sew rather than buy), it’s understood that my sewing is a regular part of the day, just like washing the dishes, or folding laundry :). It has also helped to include the kids in my projects. I always ask for design ideas from whomever I’m sewing for at the time. It seems to make them more patient (and excited) with my efforts.
Honestly, I do get overwhelmed at times with the number of projects I have swirling around in my head at any given moment. I’m going to try your scheduling and preparation technique. Maybe they’ll help me nail down some of those projects. (Thank you!!!)
I’m guilty of spending time on Pinterest and preparing to sew than actually sewing. I’m new to sewing and with a 10 month old I’m also struggling to find time to get into a project so these tips are a great help. I use the dining room table to sew and last night I found a pin on the floor which freaked me out as my little crawler could have found it first! Going to have to be much more careful now. I live in South Africa and it’s difficult to find nice fabric (and which doesn’t cost a small fortune). Make me sad :-(. I need all the help I can get with sewing so your blog is great – thanks for sharing:-)