back in the sewing room

A while ago, I decided it was time to finish up some projects. More precisely, to sew something. Or finish sewing something. But, what?
I was sitting in my sewing room, trying to make myself sit down and start something, when one of my fellow Bookettes calls me. Can she come return one of my books, and also, could she borrow my big floppy hat? Then she asks "Are you knitting right now?" and I say, "no, I'm trying to make myself sew something." She laughs, and asks why I'd be "making" myself sew?

Good question.

Partly, it's to do with that need to "be creative" and "express myself". Also, keeping my talents in good form. Because if you neglect or ignore your talent, it can and will deteriorate. (case in point: I was in A Capella in HS. I can still carry a tune, I sing in church every Sunday. But singing in a choir? I don't think so. I thought my range was limited then, but now? I have to practically make up my own notes. It's sad.)

More to the point, I have tons of once-begun-is-half-done projects clogging up the sewing room (and hiding behind the knitting chair, and lurking in various boxes) that I should finish. That "should" kinda hangs over me, weighs on me.

(I find it hard to walk away from something "unfinished", even if I've lost interest in it. I feel the need to discipline myself, finish what I started. I feel more...responsible that way.)

I have lots of those kinds of projects. The kind that say to me "you liked me when you started, so what's the problem?"

And that's just hard.

Hence, the need to "make" myself sit down and sew.

Because I'll feel better if I can just FINISH something.

ANYTHING

Especially if it's something that's been staring at me forever, begging me to like it again, or at least endure it long enough to finish it, so it can go on to have a life, even if it's not with me.

After she left, I sat myself down, pulled out my interfacing (shoot, I'm almost out of the stuff), cut out my pieces (I should really really really do the interfacing parts right when I cut out the rest...), ironed them on, and plunged in with both feet.

I did the darts (front and back), and sewed up the shoulder and side seams before the bobbin ran out. (That's always a good place to stop for the night, ladies. Fill the bobbin again before you shut down the operation, but give yourself permission to stop sewing.)

Not bad for an evening.

*I'm making the one shown in yellow on the pattern, with the cute little bows on the sleeves. At least, I hope that's the one I'm making. I didn't cut out the bias to make the little bows, apparently, so now I've got to locate the leftovers.*

(Please ignore the orange flame print in the lower right corner. That's just a possible "something else" sitting on my workspace, along with all the rest of the stuff you can see behind and around the beginnings of my new blouse. If I had to clean this place up before I could snap a picture of my WIP, you'd never get to see any pictures. Seriously.)