And by what a year, I mean calendar year March 2020 to April 2021 have been quite the adventure. in early March 2020, I was flying home from spring break in California with my husband and sons when we finally figured out what epidemiologists had been screaming at the top of their lungs, things are not ok.
At first glance quarantine didn’t seem so horrible. I imagined staying home and sewing up a storm. I counted myself as blessed that my hobby was a solo one that could be enjoyed at home. I was set, or so I thought. It’s turned out so very differently than I could have imagined in every capacity.
It turns out sewing is very hard to do when living with six other people. Our daughters came home for a couple of months and while I soaked up the time with them that meant something had to give. Actually many things were added to my plate and the something that had to give in almost every instance was sewing. The year has been filled with changes, challenges and grief for so many and not getting sewing time is pretty far down on the pity list but since it’s my sanity time the loss has had it’s consequences.
I’m prioritizing it now and I can feel my spirit lifting.
So many tasks about being a stay at home parent are boring and thankless. They don’t challenge the brain and feel like an eternal groundhog day. You do the laundry and it needs to be done again the next day. You can clean up the kitchen but the feral children will inevitably find that clean kitchen such an inviting place to destroy. Clean it and the cat throws up on it, wash it and the kids track in on it, cook it and you guessed it, they eat it all. It’s a great life, a blessed one but sewing is a mental challenge and an accomplishment that won’t be undone by the family.
I miss it when it isn’t in my schedule.
I got back in the groove of my second year long challenge after a hiatus but was quickly derailed again when my dad fell and broke his hip on our driveway. He lives 12 hours away from us so we brought my mom down and once my dad was discharged from the hospital our numbers went up to 7 once again.
I was recently chatting with someone who’s husband passed before they were able to have children and she has strained relationships with family. I was immediately struck by the contrast in our lives. I would do anything for a day alone and all her days are alone. I grieve for her and have to wonder at life’s lack of balance. My life is too full and hers isn’t full enough.
A weekend home, alone in my sewing room sounds like a dream come true.
My kids are returning to traditional school this fall and I’m mentally counting down the days until I’m alone for 7 hours in my sewing room. I think everyone can plan on crockpot meals that first week of school while I soak up some uninterrupted sewing time.
Before the pandemic came to a head here in the U.S., a capsule wardrobe challenge was initiated on instagram by Whitney Luckenbill. I’ve mentioned her and it before on this blog. I participated and made a capsule wardrobe. I loved that type of sewing and have returned to it in the recent months so get my sewjo back. I’m down to four items to finish up in this capsule. And truthfully, it’s kind of a capsule wardrobe crossed with a sewing collection like what Emily Hallman does. Both are worth a follow on instagram if you are involved with that sewing community.
As this year progresses I’m beginning to see that challenges and setting goals aren’t viable right now. I need to just make time to sew when I can. I’m loving the capsule wardrobe sewing, so that will be how I progress for now.
Here’s what I made since the start of the pandemic . . . I’m sure I’m missing some stuff because I don’t photograph everything.
It’s been a productive year, even if it doesn’t feel like it to me.
I’m excited to share more about my newest pieces of the capsule wardrobe in my upcoming blog posts. I’ve got four pieces left to make and then the wardrobe is complete. I did finally make the final pattern decisions which was holding me up.
Sew Sanity 