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Frustrations

I don't have anything new today.  But I wanted to share with you a frustration I'm experiencing at the moment. Maybe putting it down on words will help me focus on it...

It's about hand sewing. I love hand sewing. It's where I started - with cross stitch.

My first quilt was made entirely to show off some embroidery.

This time last year I discovered and fell in love with English paper piecing.

I have so many ideas for things I would like to make that involve hand sewing.

My frustration is that I always seem to put it off. It's something I seem to do when I can't use my sewing machine like when I'm on holiday or visiting my parents. But then I'm there to have a holiday or spend time with my parents so I don't actually get as much higher stitching done as I planned.

The relative instant gratification of things made on the machine often wins out over hand sewing which takes longer. But do I do this hobby for finished items or do I do it for the process? I've always thought it was the process I enjoyed and getting pretty things at the end was a bonus. If that is still the case then slowing down and doing some hand sewing this summer should be easy. Right?


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Sharon - Lilabelle Lane said…
I love hand sewing but find it is more of a night time / winter thing. In the warmer weather I tend to find myself at my machine. I think I am beginning to slow down and enjoy the process more. I have a little table in the lounge with my EPP and embroidery waiting for me at night. :)
7 June 2013 at 01:21
Wendy said…
I love hand sewing as well...I usually do so at dr. appt.(I have a lot as I am my elderly parents care giver)in the evenings in to relax and wind down from the day...on rainy days in summer...I enjoy the process of hand sewing...but do go to my machine more and more...I think finding a balance for both is the way to go...just find out what works for you and go with it...you will be surprised how much you can get done with those little snippets of time to hand sew...
7 June 2013 at 06:54
Blue Moth said…
For me hand sewing is done when I am sitting in the garden or "watching" TV. I keep my project handy and have a good light by my chair.
7 June 2013 at 07:58
pennydog said…
I think my hobby is actually finishing something, I get disillusioned halfway through a project quite regularly which I think has made me realise this all the more.
7 June 2013 at 12:31
Dorfymid said…
Like you I love hand sewing. I do however like to sit with my husband in the evenings who is a keen TV watcher, so I always have a hand sewing project on the go for the evenings. I also belong to a Bee that is hand sewing only. No machines, which is great we all sit around in a circle and chat and sew, great fun..
7 June 2013 at 14:57
Archie The Wonder Dog said…
Most of my sewing is done by hand - I find it very relaxing and as I can't do lots of machine sewing in one go I find that hand sewing is often faster ;o) Your hand stitching is stunning, I hope you do some more soon!
7 June 2013 at 15:45
Lin said…
Hand sewing is so relaxing as well as useful for portable projects. I find now that my patchwork is machine pieced and then I do the quilting by hand in the evenings.Also it is important to keep the tradition of hand sewing alive.
13 June 2013 at 15:51
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