Finding Time to Sew
If you’re a mom and you love to sew {like me}, I’m guessing that you feel like getting everything done is impossible! I know I feel it almost every time I open up Instagram and see these moms posting picture after picture of their lovely finishes and children. And then I feel a little jealous, as I look around at my messy house, still in my pjs, and see all those projects that I’ve pulled fabric for but haven’t started yet…and then I got the e-mail from a friend…asking me how I do it all…and I realize maybe I am one of those moms who seems like she does everything!
So, today, I want to tell you, if you feel like some people just have more hours in their day than others, you’re not alone! I feel the same way most days, as I scramble to make sure everyone is dressed, fed, has a book read to them, got their doll dressed, and found their missing toy, while somehow trying to carve out a tiny bit of time at my sewing machine too.
I generally try to avoid sharing about all the things I cannot get done {my mom knows my lists of ideas that just sit there, never to be made by me} because it just encourages me to dwell on my own disappointments {of which there are many}. Instead, I focus on what I have accomplished, and share the good stuff. I want this blog and my IG to be a place where I share inspiration and accomplishment, and, let’s face it, no one wants to see the pile of dirty dishes on my kitchen counter that my husband usually washes when I’m putting the kids to bed!
I’m not writing this post to get sympathy, but rather to let you know, if you’re feeling like you’re struggling to accomplish everything, you’re not alone. In fact, true to form, my children have woken up early and so this post is not nearly as well thought out as I had planned.
If you have any tips for sewing with kids, please leave them here, I’d love to compile a list of ideas so that all of us busy moms can benefit from each others wisdom!
I’m so glad to hear this. You’ve summed up just how I feel at the moment. I love to sew but my poor machine is sitting neglected at the moment. With 4 kids 5 and under im finding it virtually impossible to get on my machine at the moment. It’s nice to know I’m not the o my one with piles of fabrics just sitting to be made into projects.
My only tips are when I struggle to get on my machine I do crochet or hand sewing so I can still do something creative but this is something portable I can with me to the park or something playgroups to do whilst I watch my children play.
I know I will get more time to see once the youngest is a bit bigger x
Thank you so much for this! I struggle too with feeling like I don’t accomplish much when I see what everyone else is doing! I also struggle sometimes with guilt when I finally do sit down at my sewing machine; I wonder if I am neglecting something more important in order to take “me” time. The flip side of this, though, is sometimes I feel sorry for those mothers I see on instagram that post finish after finish ; I wonder, are they really taking time to soak up their children? After all, as much as I LOVE to sew, it’s just fabric and thread; it pales in comparison to those sweet little faces!
Thank you for sharing your story. I agree that I am always amazed by people perfect house and tons of amazing craft/sewing they get done. Do they have to clean up a corner of their house so no clean clothes, dirty dishes or toys are shown like I have too. Enjoy your blog. Keep sewing and sharing.
I’m a mama to 9, ages 14 – 1 month (whom I’m currently nursing at the moment, typing one handed), so yeah, I know what you mean! I’ve been in the stages of “no time to sew” and “what am I gonna do with all this time?”, each of them several times. Even with older children, there are days where I just can’t get to my sewing machine.
However, I do have 3 suggestions for my crafty fellow mamas:
1. If you don’t already, make your machine readily available for you to sit down and use. Even if you have a sewing room, sometimes we don’t want the kiddos in there or your room isn’t in the main part of the house. Moving your machine onto the dinning room table, for example, will allow you to get things made while still keeping an eye on things. If your room/space is already near the “center of action” in your home (like my room is right off the dinning room and the door is never closed), don’t be afraid of or feel guilty about getting some work done. Even if it’s in little time increments, at least it’s something.
2. You’ll have more success at actually sewing if you include your children. I know this sounds counter productive, but if your children are accustomed to seeing you at your machine/in your sewing room, then it’s not a big deal (usually) when you’re there. You teach them the rules of what they can and can not touch/play with and they will become comfortable with you there. There are times where you’ll find my 21 month old on my lap as I’m sewing. I can’t work as fast, but he’s happy and I’m getting things done, which makes me happy.
3. There are seasons in life that even if you do the above suggestions, you simply can not get to things! It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Just remember, this too shall pass and you will soon find yourself with more time. But on the flip side, you will also find less snuggles, less “Mommy can you read this to me?” questions, less opportunity to just *be* with your children (and they want to be with you!). In fact, there will be more of your life with ample time and opportunity to do what you want then there is where your time and attention is stretched. Take the moments you have and savor them. Those lovely stacks of fabric will wait, those ideas rolling around in your head will come to fruition some day (maybe), the lists that seem to never be finished will indeed, get crossed off one of these days. Take a deep breath and relax. Don’t compare yourself to what *appears* to be what other mothers are able to accomplish. Why does that matter? What is better: that your children remember that you took the time to play/read/be with them (willingly!) or that you made beautiful stuff? In a perfect world (or at least on a great day!) we can do both, right? But on those more-often-then-not days when we can’t, choose what matters. You’ll be much happier in the end.
This is beautiful! I love everything you said. I have been thinking about the seasons of life and how this is a season of less time for hobbies. I’m nursing my baby right now, 6 weeks and I have 5 children under 8. I just made a dress yesterday and went grocery shopping and so many things because my grandma came and took care of me for the day. It was so nice! I felt so accomplished. It’s really great to have those days every couple months!
I also get more done when the kids are nearby and one is on my lap because they want to see the project move forward especially if it’s for them.
This week I noticed I can sit on the bed nursing and spread out patterns and fabric and plan and get ready to cut. I’ve only done it once but it was more fulfilling than being on my phone nursing.
This post and conversation remind me that I need to spend time seeing to be happy and not feel guilty about it. I can’t do it all the time , it is not going to take over my life and it gives me motivation to hurry and do the dishes and laundry so I can get to it.
Thank you!!!!!!!!
Thank you!! I agree with everything and struggle with the same things when it feels like I never get anything done. 🙂
Thank you for sharing the reality of trying accomplish/ create something with kids in the mix! I began sewing more regularly as a way to find a tangible sense of accomplishment in my days as a stay at home Mom (and a clean bathroom wasn’t as fun as sewing!). However, I have found myself tending more towards “I can’t get all my projects done as fast/ timely as I would like”. I have recently begun reminding myself why I sew- not for a pile of completed projects but for a few completed projects and for the creativity and the fun. I’m not in a race, and while I appreciate the bountiful inspiration from the internet, I need to remember who I’m sewing for (me and my kids and family- not the rest of the world!). Thanks for sharing!
When my kids were small I made a good portion of their wardrobes… shorts, sweats, dresses, jackets etc and that was my creative outlet. I cut things out at night when they were in bed (we always had a set bedtime, and hubby was very willing to help with dishes, baths, reading etc to accomplish all that). We made a great team and I think it is so important for Dad to jump in and do things too. No one can do it all and have a happy family…momma needs to be happy too! I sewed in bits and pieces during the day and on weekends hubby would take the kids to the park for an hour~ free sew time! You have adorable children. Enjoy them, the time passes too quickly!
A wonderful article. I, too, struggled for sewing time when raising my four children while working full-time plus overtime. My sewing machine was mostly pulled out for mending and alterations. I can tell you that the few doll clothes, pj’s and other small items I did manage to make were greatly appreciated and loved. From experience, it sure would have been easier to sew by machine if I had had a dedicated sewing space. It just hardly seemed worth the effort to set up the machine, pull out supplies and then put it all away again after each session so the children wouldn’t get a hold of something that might hurt them. Just too many cut and poke items involved! I, too, found crocheting an outlet during this time as it was far more portable and easier to sit down in a hurry if needs must. When I finally retired I splurged on the best sewing/embroidery/quilting combo machine I could (barely) afford, calling it my retirement gift to myself, and have been happily sewing, embroidering and quilting since. And my granddaughters have benefitted with amazing doll wardrobes. Take care and carry one. Sounds to me like you are doing a fine job.
I’m another one telling you to enjoy what you have right now. It doesn’t pass in the blink of an eye, and there will be days when you cry yourself a little puddle. However, it is a finite experience. I struggled with post natal depression (untreated) and then sadness of rejection by my peers when my disabled daughter was born 13 years ago. So yes, I have time to sew, but I don’t often have the spirit to do it. I do have three lovely girls (two all grown and at uni) and a loving husband, but I don’t have the house filled with things I promised myself I would make.
We all do what we can do. You portray a lovely sunny life, but you have every right to an ‘off’ day, too. It gets easier. Honest. Hugs x
I’m a new mom of a 6 month old, and I am amazed reading comments from those of you with more than one! 🙂
Something that has worked for me is trading off with my husband. On a weekend morning he may want to take a bike ride or something, so then I take charge of the baby for that hour, and he reciprocates by giving me an uninterrupted hour later in the day to sew or knit or whatever. We each value the things we do seperately, as well as time we can spend together as a family. Everyone needs to recharge in their own way!
Thanks so much for your post. I love being inspired and sewing and would so love to sit and do it all the time because I find it so very therapeutic but I have 4 kids and one under a year and often it doesn’t happen. I find I have started feeling good looking at what others are sewing on their blogs and yes I do long to do what they have achieved but I get a lot of enjoyment as well out of enjoying the process with them (so to speak) and feeling like I achieve when they have completed it!
Oh Jennie I really loved reading this. Some days I am thoroughly disheartened by IG when all I see is picture after picture of the lovely things people have made. I realised that I need to try and stop comparing myself to other people’s pictures, and also, just as you say, that one picture that we see is probably not the behind the scenes reality of what actually happened that day! For me at home with my six, I’m finding ways of including kids in my love of sewing and fabric, and it’s fantastic to share it with them. There are definitely days when it’s just not going to happen, but other days I really try to make it work. It’s encouraging to read that I’m not alone in trying to find the balance! Sewing late into the night is really my only tip if I want to sew without “helpers”.
I didn’t read through all the comments so I apologize if this is repeated. I am a mother to 7 (@sevenblessingssewing on IG) I definitely feel like this most days but I try to work on a little everyday. I have my sewing machine in the common area where my kids are most of the time and they have learned (through lots of training) not to touch mommy’s sewing stuff. I have a mandatory quiet time at 130 where all my kids (I homeschool) have to spend time on their beds reading or sleeping and so I sew at that time too. Usually uninterrupted. That is why I LOVE sewing your bags, though. There are so many stopping points that I can fit in a few stitches and ironing at a time without feeling like I have to stop everything or put everything away. I am with you though. I need more hours in the day to finish everything but I just have to take a moment and breathe and realize I can get done what I can get done and leave the rest until another day.
Well, I sometimes (carefully) sew with the toddler on my lap. I had even nursed her as a baby and sewed buttonholes at the same time. There is a picture of me from yesterday with her draped over my shoulder as I was at my machine. For the preschooler, sorting fabric scraps can be fun- just something to keep them occupied and nearby. My other children are getting older, so they are wanting to learn to sew, which is nice.
I am right there with ya, sista! I barely touched my machine last month (although mostly because of visiting family)! I have about 5 hours each day to myself, thanks to Japanese kindergarten/preschool, in which to try and get some housework done, all the computer jobs, and sewing. It’s a constant juggling act and I never feel like I get everything done that I should/could/want! But I’m slowly coming to terms with the fact that this IS this season of life, and I can’t actually do it all – something will have to give, and it can’ t be my family.
Sidenote – most of the time, I’m grateful when my husband has to do a little bit of work at home on the odd occasion at night because it means I can squeeze in some more too, lol!
Thankyou for sharing this Jennie. I can totally relate to the small children thing, although mine are now teenagers and seem to be as needy as ever. I also have chronic health issues so many times I might have the time or energy to only sew one row or two. Having something portable, whether it’s epp, embroidery or binding a quilt is a vital way to stay creative and stay sane.
One tip that I read was to always finish your session with leaving your project ready for the next step. That way, if it’s only 5 minutes, you spend that time ready to go instead of trying to remember where you were at and what you had to do next.
And no, my house is a mess and I am rarely dressed by lunchtime unless I have to be. I present the “ideal” image in my blog/photographs because that is the way I think we want to be seen. Just like we put on nice clothes and brush our hair if we are going outside – it’s our “public” image. People need to remember that like anything, it’s only ONE angle. We are all icebergs – more is unseen than is ever seen by others.
If there is one thing I know it’s that the camera lies! It will show you all the pretty makes one after the other but it won’t show you the pile or ironing, the untidy house, the garden badly in need of some weeding! I craft and I have little children. I have friends who aske me how I do it and I tell them it’s easy. It’s easy because I am happy to turn my back on the mess at night when they are in bed and have some me time knowing that we have all we need for the day ahead and that the tidying can wait till first light becase lets face it they are only going to mess it up five minutes later. It’s easy because when they are enjoying garden time and picnic time on sunny days I will sometimes go and sit outdoors with them to keep an eye, to join in the picnic and I’ll bring a portable project with me. It’s easy beacuse on rainy days when I decide to sew for an hour they get to glue fabric scraps to paper plates and make art, they get to sew with me or they will head off to their room, still within earshot, and play trains or cars or lego. It’s easy because my house is far from perfect and I’m happy with that, and it’s easy because I don’t and never will churn out the volume of quilts and other makes that I might like to churn out (and see others shurn out) but I do potter along at a slow pace and that will do me quite nicely.
Great blog! Thank you for sharing, even though I am older, and all my kids are now adults, I work full time now, so I still have to juggle the time between housework, and sewing!! Guess which wins?! I have learnt over the years to not worry about what other people think and that took a long time to overcome. I now move to my own beat and if things go awry than so be it! My little house is not perfect, it’s not a show home, it’s lived in and loved and we have some great times amongst the mess!
I often wonder how some women get everything done and make it look so perfect, maybe they don’t sleep?