Thursday 20 January 2011

Are you monogamous or polygamous?

Do you like to stick with one thing till the end or do you think variety is the spice of life? Worry not, I am actually talking about sewing projects. Your preferences at other levels are your own.
The idea for this post came after a brief exchange of tweets with a great fellow blogger Toria from Welsh Pixie. Make sure you check her blog.

With sewing, just like with many other things in life, I need variety. I need options. I need to feel I'm not stuck to a particular project. I like the freedom of getting home and be able to choose what I want to do. I love all the projects under my sewing machine and wouldn't have started them if I didn't. But sometimes there are particular things I might not be in the mood for. I might not want to hand sew or hem. Or the tracing/ cutting is putting me off. But most of the times I will still have a sewing itch and that's where different projects at different stages come in very handy.
All the photos here are from the current five projects I'm doing and they are all making me happy!

So what are you? Monogamous or polygamous? And what do you consider to be the advantages and disadvantages or each?

8 comments:

  1. this is a fun topic :-) I am trying to be monogamous to be able to focus on one project and to see the results faster. However, I am a notorioiusly polygamous sewer. I find blogging forces me to be more disciplined.

    Advantages of being polygamous? I got to find some - probably, it helps me make up my mind. Once the fabric is cut there is no way back... Right?

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  2. Hahahaha, I think I demonstrated that whilst not quite so polygamous as yourself I too can't seem to keep to just one project!

    Do you not find you don't finish them though because you move on when you hit a bit you don't want to do? I think that's really the reason it takes me months to finish a garment!

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  3. Definitely polygamous I'm afraid! I'm currently juggling 3 sewalongs (having just finished the fourth) so that's forced me to make a sewing schedule. I stick to this like glue but it still means my sewing is always varied. I enjoy it more this way! x

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  4. Very much polygamous although occasionally I try to force myself to finish outstanding work or it will just sit around forever.

    Having read your post I'm thinking having several projects at different stages is great for doing what mood takes you. My outstanding projects are just that for many reasons:

    Vogue Repro 50s Dress - can't get the bodice to work like the pattern, trying to come up with an alternative bodice or solution to issue before I decide just to add a waistband to the skirt and leave it at that! Abandoned because I needed it by a deadline and that was missed.

    Butterick 1960 Dress - Abandoned because I was trying to get above done for a deadline, just needs sewing up, some bias tape is in the post for this job.

    Dungarees for daughter - I got as far as sorting out the pattern and the fabric and then became too busy with other stuff. Will be revisiting very soon!

    1930s skirt - Paused because the seams need unpicking and hips expanding. Also waiting on bias tape in post.

    Actually that list doesn't look so scary! I do have about 20 patterns in my to make up this year box though....

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  5. Great post and very interesting question

    Personally, I work on one thing at a time and I'd say this is probably for 2 reasons (although nevery really thought about it until now!)

    1) I love lists, processes and schedules. Which is weird because I have a hugely creative side too but I think the project side of sewing (i.e. there being a beginning and a end) combines both characteristics very nicely!

    2) Ignoring all of the above, I am very easily distracted. If I were to start on a second project, I'm pretty sure I'd never get round to finishing the first!

    Just read the above comments and seem I may be the only one in this category....there must be other monogamous people out there?!

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  6. I am a sewing tart. I start one thing then start something else, and sometimes it takes me ages to get around to finishing it. I have got a curtain waiting to be stiched together, and a cape that is just cut that I abandoned as the weather got too cold to wear it. Now I want to make some skirts. Nightmare! I am going to force myself to finish the curtain at least (it's for our front door, it's double glazed but mostly glass so not that efficient at keeping heat in) before I start anything else. x

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  7. I sew on thing at a time. I always feel like I'm in a race against time. I'm a slow sewer, and I hate to look back and think, "It took me that long to make it?" If I were to sew more than one thing, my sewing times would double. I'm also afraid that I would procrastinate on doing specific tasks (like hand sewing) and have a string of unfinished projects. Plus, I just feel more organized when I have one thing going one.

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  8. I am a monogamous simply because I have the attention span of a 6 year old child. Most of the time I know if I'm stuck on something I will go out of my way to get other things done and I will never go back to it! My mending pile gets the same treatment.
    For Example: This week my Barcelona Jacket is at a stage where I need to cut some lining and I can't be bothered. So I've made a skirt, and am now planning another few tops!

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