procrastinating and sewing

There are so many things I should be doing....

:: deal with the Mount Everest of washing that is accumulating
:: hoover the fluff balls and cat hair of the rugs
:: picking up little boys pants from the floor
:: collecting abandoned socks and other items of use in the garden.
:: complete the annual school questionnaire (nothing ever changes anyway)
:: write that overdue contact letter for James' and Alistair's birth parents
:: work on my dissertation
:: read parent council and parent teacher association minutes
:: look for a job
:: play more with my children

But instead I am sitting here staring at the ceiling (cob webs that need removing), wondering where my motivation and energy are hiding (possibly in the pile of washing). I am dreaming about this red granny armchair complete with foot stool and head rest that I saw at Nancy Smillie's last week, imagining myself sitting comfortably with my feet up, admiring that £9200 Joe Hargan oil painting (Harvest Gold) I will never own (it is exhibited at By Distinction Art on Byres Rd)

Could anybody give me a little shake please?

I am such a procrastinator at the moment. Normally, I function with that Swiss efficiency that seems ingrained in my personality but lately, I have been doing things that really didn't need doing urgently. For example:

:: I listened to an entire 12 hour audiobook in three days 
:: I have spent hours taking photos of plants and other things.
:: I have read lots and lots of great blog posts.
:: I have watched four episodes of the Great Allotment Challenge

And I have spent a lot of time with my sewing machine. At least I can show pictures of my projects! I made a row of colourful ballet tutus:


I made Birthday presents for little girls. The model for Lana's tunic is no little girl I know, and too big for the tunic, but my only girl is even bigger and the littler boy was too fast and got away. The pattern can be found here. It is in German but there is a YouTube video link for a visual explanation.


After the trauma of having to model a girl's outfit I didn't bother to ask James to try on Lia's peasant blouse. The littler one ran away again. A bit thank to Jo at Three Stories High for pointing me to this lovely pattern!. It is called Polly Peasant Blouse and Dress Pattern and can be found here.


I am also working on pinafore for myself. But I am not giving you the link to the pattern because it is a disaster pattern.


If you are really keen, it is has been published in the magazine "Making", which I never buy but somehow I ended up having a copy of it under my coffee table.

Some of the issues I had with this pattern:

  • There is one page of 24 pages to stick together that doesn't fit and some hand drawing is required. Quite a few of the other pages leave a bit of guess work as to where exactly join them because there are no marks to line them up.
  • The fabric amount required is not enough, by a long way. I bought 30 cm more because I am a bit cautious and I only managed to fit all pattern pieces on with a bit of juggling and by shortening the pinafore's total length.
  • The instructions say things like "place button holes where markings are". There are no markings for button holes.
  • The damn thing doesn't fit over my bust even though I measured myself carefully and chose the size that is commonly associated with my bust measurement. Yes, there are no measurements given for the three sizes!
So, I am now on a strict diet until the blasted thing fits. Today for lunch I am going to open my fridge and inhale the aroma of food I think.

I could go on with all the fun and unnecessary things I have been doing instead of the things that I should be doing but instead, I am going to start the dish washer and eat lunch (yes, I am not good with diets). Then I will probably sit back down and dream some more until it is time to collect the little creatures.

Before I go: a warm welcome to my new followers and a big thank you to all my regular readers, I so love your visits and the comments you leave.

Have a lovely day! Cx

Comments

  1. I am a fellow procrastinator. Perhaps we should form an online support group. :-)

    One thing that helps me move along is to tell myself I will do just one thing on the "to do" list each day. Also, doing the worst job - the one that seems to be hanging over my head, threatening to suffocate me - seems to free me up to get the other things accomplished.

    Love the tutus! They are so bright and cheerful!

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    1. I try to do the worst first, too but sometimes there is another worst just looming around the corner! I just came home to find kitchen clean, floors washed - I am a lucky lady (or maybe I have complained to much about my chores...)

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  2. Oh Cristina being a procrastinator is an artform and should be cherished - your post is brilliant and I can see myself so clearly in it but I have to confess I think you are the master and I am still following a little behind. So as my school reports used to say " could try harder" I will work hard on catching up with you. have a fun week Sue x

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    1. I am glad to year that I am engaging with a form of art :) I was more motivated later in the week, and I am glad about it!

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  3. Hey Christina,

    I also procrastinate. I am day dreamer too. It's a bad combination. And don't tell anyone, but I still pretend that I am in a band and sing along to Kate Nash in the living room when no one else is home.
    You are a very clever seamstress. How I envy you creative types.
    Leanne xx

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    1. I would quite like to see you singing along to Kate Nash :). I am not a clever seamstress, just had a lot of practice! You are very creative in your garden, and I am learning from you whenever you post about your garden adventures. Cx

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  4. It seems to me you've gotten a lot done, actually. The sewing is wonderful, you're really very talented.

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    1. I did get a lot done but have still not done the weekly food shop... Thank you for the compliment Jennifer. x

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  5. Love this post Christina! You write about procrastination so wittily! Your sewing is wonderful! Time very well-spent I'd say. I sympathise with your annoyance over the sewing pattern - very frustrating indeed. I tend to pass impasses like this to my mother who is very good at coming up with lateral solutions - adding in "allonges" when I've cut something too short or too small or whatever but I find I have to leave whatever project it is for a while for my annoyance to simmer down before I can contemplate reworking or amending it! That peacock feather fabric is gorgeous though so hang on in there! And as far as the chores go, remember that sewing is good for the soul and picking up dirty laundry isn't! have a lovely day, Christina! E x

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    1. It is not often that I am called witty! Thank you. I am moving towards my summer weight and should be able to wear my peacock pinafore come July :) You are so right, sewing is good for the soul, I shall do some more this week. x

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  6. Dear Christina - creating these beautiful things is far more worthwhile than picking up socks!

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    1. You are so right! I have ignored the socks all week... :)

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  7. This post did make me smile... I'm having one of those sort of days avoiding the things that need to be done and I'm reading blogs instead! Love your little man posing in the tunic... his face says it all!

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    1. Poor James, he was mortified! I am glad I am not the only one who gets distracted from chores by blogs. x

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  8. Looks as though you've been busy to me. How annoying to have a pattern that doesn't work. I don't find some of these new magazines very satisfactory and try to find a blogger I can trust and go with their ideas. I think James wears the tunic very well, but I hope you rewarded him, especially as the photo is now public!
    Picking up little boys pants is a futile task. Making things is much better for the soul (so long as the pattern works!).

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    1. I agree Anne, some of the magazines I have seen recently seem to have poor instructions and the editors have obviously not tested the patterns. As for the little boy pants, they are everywhere, a bit like slugs in the garden.

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  9. Oh Christina we are so alike! You wrote a long blog post to take up some time didn't you? That's what I do when I'm overwhelmed with housework - I wrote myself an enormous to- do list today for my day off work and now feel inadequate as I didn't complete half of it (completing all of it would have take a 42 hour day!)
    But thank you for the peg apron it was certainly the highlight of my week and will brighten many days ahead too - sadly the chocolate didn't survive more than a couple of hours, it was one of my favourites!

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    1. I did indeed write a long blog post to avoid chores. I do this quite a lot. I wonder if I did too little this week because tonight when I got home, the kitchen was cleaned, floors scrubbed and all.... I am glad you liked chocolate and apron. The chocolate I sent is one of my favourites, too. x

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  10. Sometimes procrastination gives us the time we need to then be able to get on with stuff properly. I am also guilty of wriitng huge to do lists which then get rewritten and rewritten...I always put a couple of things on that I can easily tick off right away!! I love the fabric you chose for your tunic. I am in awe of those who can sew clothes!! Hope you enjoy wearing it. x

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  11. The colours of those tutus - wow! I love them! And I did have to laugh a poor little James' face. Thank goodness he got out of trying on the pink top (which I love by the way and will really have to give it a try). :)

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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