I went out of town yesterday with some women (all but one of whom is about 10 years older than me). After lunch, they went shopping at an antique shop and a quilt store.

I just can't get into that sort of thing. When I go shopping, I like to buy practical things. (I get bored so easily). I'm learning how to pretend that I'm interested, but really, I would have rather stayed at home....and yet I know I need to get out and do things-- socially.

The worse part was the quilt store. (Oh, I hope nobody I know is reading this-- LOL). They were looking at the sewing machines and the patterns. I NEVER COULD get myself to use a sewing machine. I've used one on occasion to mend clothes but that's it!! And patterns???? Are you kidding? Me have the patience and concentration to follow a pattern??? No way!!

What few things I've made with a sewing machine, I put together on my own-- not by following a pattern. And we're talking simple things here. (Like book covers, purse/pouches, pillow cases). Really simple. Sort of like the way I play music by ear rather than following sheet music. Too much concentration involved-- which for me leads to frustration and anger. (Not exactly a fun hobby).

Can anyone relate to this?

I hated sewing in high school. But we had to turn something in. I made a skirt..barely any shape to it. The easiest thing I could find.

I have been asking hubby for a new sewing machine because all of my other ones would only work for my Mom. Each time I ever used one.. it messed up the thread, the bobbin, and the material.

So I gave up.

I'll let you know when I get a new one how I feel about sewing then.

Oh yes. The thread and the bobbin. ARRGGGGHHHH!!!!

I'll have to admit, I have never even USED a sewing machine. They didn't have home ec. or anything in high school, and my Mom never really taught me. I can't cook either. I am going to be a horrible wife someday...haha.

I can sew, I sew sloppy, sooo sloppy. I love sewing machines.
But I also have an aversion to them. They are such nitpicky things.
Yet, I sewed most of my sons clothes for a few years. I pretty much make it up. Patterns are definetly torcherous, (I know I can't spell) (That is another nitpicky thing in life!)
I have sucedded in using them on rare occassions. I just don't follow the directions. I admire those who do.
My son is a cool kid as he would wear anything I made up till last year. It was all old stuff that didn't fit anymore and was ripped up cause he loved the clothes so much. I wonder now that he hangs with other boys around his age if he still would? I will have to get out the stings and bobbins and oh yah, the advil.

Me again, Sewing machines remind me of women and slave labor.
Yet creativily I think they are neat tools.

My mom was a home economics school teacher and taught for 12 years. On my side table right now is one of her old sewing machines, and guess what I have no clue on how to use it. I can't even sew on a button very well. I brought it with me so that a friend may be interested in coming over to use it and while she sewed, I thought I could do homework for school. Because if someone else is doing something like that, I have tendencies of wanting to do my homework, but she has not wanted to come over and use it yet. Well, I even thought about taking sewing classes, sounds like fun, but the classes conflict with my school hours. Maybe one day I will get around to the basics of it. I actually went with my friend to pick out some material for her to make a blanket for a baby shower. Well, I ended up knocking over a shelf with my purse and eventually got bored while she was getting the material measured. But we got the material wrong and had to go back and buy something different. But I did discover how creative I was in matching things up. The blanket turned out cute.

I hated sewing in home ec. The bobbin was nothing but an instrument of torture. I couldn't even tolerate the precision needed to cut out a pattern... it took so bloody long that I'd start hacking away at it in a frenzy so I could get to the next step. And basting? What's up with that? Sew it twice -- are you kidding!?

Fast forward a gazillion years... and I think I should learn how to sew, just to do some simple stuff like window treatments. I picked up an old machine super-cheap, and it still sits downstairs in "the scary room" where we store unwanted items. Will meds make a difference? Am I older and wiser now? Will I ever take the cover off the **** thing? Tune in tomorrow for the next installment of As The Bobbin Turns....

That is hillarious! "the scarey room"
Do update if you go into the scarey room and take the cover off the s****g Machine. Mine has been ignored by me for about 2 years. Occassionally my son wants to sew and then we have to do the bobbin and thread details which I dread.

I don't have great fine motor skills. That and the fact that I want instant results doesn't make sewing to appealing to me.

I have no idea on how to sew. One of my grandmothers can do the whole 9 yards by making clothes, although now she just sticks to doing repairs, making alterations and knitting.


I myself didn't take home ec, and it wasn't available at my school(not that I would have taken it).

I was into sewing by the time I was, oh, 6. I have my mother's 70-year-old sewing machine and a newer one. A while back I realized this and have never changed my mind: I hate the act of sewng! But even more, I hate trying on ready-made clothes and looking in the mirror. And I like what I get when my sewing project works out (not all of it does!) So three or four times a year I go on a sewing binge. I have even made neckties for my father and clothes for my husband (not advised!) I have designed and sewn several leather purses using Mom's ancient Singer. The only thing I have NOT ever made is shoes.
Patterns? I can't read or follow directions. Might as well be in Chinese. If it isn't immediately obvious how it goes together, then forget it.

Sounds like me Ace, but your obviously a more patient and better sewer, ok lets try this again "seamstress."
I also started sewing around 6. I still hate hemming and details.
My son was very interested in sewing since 2 or 3. But he won't plan or cut anything neatly. Wonder where he got that from.
I have an old machine I spent 15 $ on, it doesn't even go backwards. We put it in neutral for backwards.

The SHORT story is, I almost sewed up my hand (!) when I was 12 and my mom had to finish my home ec project for me. KlutzVILLE. Good thing I had the "I'm a pianist" mini-diva excuse to fall back on. Otherwise I would have flunked home ec and ruined my A average. Hee.

Krisp - ROTFLMBO at your soap opera "The Bobbin Turns." Have you tried crochet? Only one needle, and it's kind of meditative, and your friends "ooh" and "aahh" when you make them blankets. Praise ... dopamine rush ... :p

Um, yes .... but would I have to think about it while I was doing it? That way lies disaster.... ;)

Not if you use double-crochet-chain-one for your stitch - all you have to do is count the number of stitches at the end of each row to make sure they are still the same (assuming that you are making something with a rectangular shape and you want it to be even).

I know this was meant for Krisp but.....It's hard to crochet evenly for me, I tried and tried, I can't count stitches either, I am too impatient. I made a lot of funny looking things though and enjoyed it. I do the whatever happens method.

OMG !!! Sorry to laugh but this sounds so much like me...lol... In High school my teacher got so fustrated with me saying " I don't understand"or" I need help" she let me do needle work ( crocheting, needle point, which I also hate but can manage) ..lol..

Sewing is torturous to me...lol.. If a button falls off, I don't wear that item any more ...lol...

Originally posted by fasttalkingmom

Sewing is torturous to me...lol.. If a button falls off, I don't wear that item any more ...lol...

I can so relate. I think the button part of it is procrastination for me though, because I can handle buttons.

I've been known to wear things without the button - with a great deal of flair. Hee hee.

J - you can listen in on wild crocheting conversations anytime you want. :cool:

I think someone could post a poll asking how many buttons forum members are missing, or how many safety pins are on an average garment. I remember my grandpa saying about one of the neighbors, "He doesn't have a full row of buttons." We all knew what that meant.

Is there any kind of sewing MORE BORING than sewing on buttons, hemming, or mending? Jeez, I'm so old I remember being taught to put a light bulb into a sock so I could mend holes in my socks. NOBODY does that an more . . . . .do they?!

Holes in sock and buttons missing. Oh yes.

omg!!!!! Mend, Ace????? I hardly know the meaning of the word ...

I started the Fly Lady program this week. I think Mending Day is tomorrow. (Friday).

I don't like sewing with patterns but I do wish sometimes that I had a sewing machine. I'm pretty artistic/creative, and I HATE all of the stuff you get in stores, like pillows and curtains and stuff. It's boring. I can do hems, so I'd like to make my own curtains or whatnot (easy...hem at bottom, sleeve at top for rod, even I can handle that, right?) but I would not manage to sew it by hand.

The worst though thing though is that I HAVE to sew. I knit, which I love. I picked it up cause I couldn't sit still watching TV or what not and knitting gives me something to do at the same time, but I hate seaming stuff together at the end.

It's even worse when your cat sits on the sweater you are trying to sew together (for my dad...for christmas...at four pm christmas eve....)

I actually love to sew, Im not saying I dont occassionally sew an arm hole closed while watching tv and sewing, but I still love it.

knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, cross-stitch - i enjoy them all. my last sewing project was my daughter's medieval dress for halloween/renaissance faire. turned out quite nice. this is my area of hyper-focus. i hate to be bothered until i am done. on the other hand, quilting is so not my speed. the kite quilt i started for my son when he was 2 is still unfinished (he is now 20). i enjoy any of these solitary tasks. but if my daughter threatens to help me, i don't want to sew. i guess i just enjoy the solitude.

I love to crochet !!! I learned how to when I was about 6. My grandmother taught me. I can crochet for hours and hours, it's a kind of obsession for me. I don' eat, drink or go to the bathroom :wacko: I watch TV and crochet till my arms fall off...;)

I love all needle work too, its a form of creativity for me, like my writing or my painting.

OMG, I will hold my bladder while cross stitching till it hurts. God forbid I should sneeze! I usually have four or five different ones going at a time. They are all different levels of difficulty, so I can choose according to how much commotion is going on around me.

The project I am most proud of making is a set of Christmas stockings, one for each of the 5 kiddos. Each one has a different finely detailed scene on it chosen according to the interest and personality of the kid. I started the first one when I was pregnant for my middle child and I had to have amnio for trisomy. We were so worried for the week or so I takes for the results to come back. I was a bundle of nerves plus not sleeping, so I turned it out in about five days. All except for the letter blocks at the top where you put the name. I left that blank and filled in E R I N when we got the good news the baby was ok and XX. :D

needlework was compulsory at my school & I failed it for my entire school career - the main problem was I could never finish anything since that required me to sit still & focus

now I just outsource all sewing activity - they do a better job anyway

I am laughing SO hard right now. I thought I was the only one in the world that couldn't master a pattern...oh my gosh! I had to make a dress in home ec. and lost it two days before I had to turn it in for a grade. I hated the whole entire project because it took so much concentration....and then I LOST the DRESS!!!! ADD at its best!!!! And I didn't even know I had ADD at that point. I cracked up when I read Mary and Krisp's post. The BOBBINS and THREAD!!!!!!! I could never figure them out! I have NO patience for such technical things. The last time I attempted to make something was about 20 years ago. I made a very simple dress...that was the end result of many tears, calling myself a loser, and having my husband do the bobbin and thread stuff over and over again, only to find out I made the same darts for the bust - on the BACK of the dress as well!!

What a funny thread (no pun intended).

I used a sewing machine once, in middle school because I had to. I was the only one who had never touched one before, let alone know what a bobbin was.

Like others here, I chose the simplest skirt possible and still couldn't figure it out. Finally, out of desperation, the teacher put the zipper in for me.

We had to give a fashion show, wearing our outfits. I skipped school that day : )

Terry

When I sew, I can't make the little knot to keep the string from coming out. Sewing machines never seem to move at the right pace for me, so I end up cutting out the string and redoing it like five times.

Anyone try cross-stitching? I got as far as the tips of the ears on the kitten pattern. lol. I lost interest after 20 minutes of messing up with it.

I don't sew at all anymore, because I have permanent nerve damage to my wrists. I can barely put earings on, let alone sew! Nothing tedious, just typing and writing these days. Gawd, I wonder what I'll be able to do in another thirty years at this rate. I'm only 20!

Cyndi

Ack! Cross stitch! *shudders* I really like the way it looks, but I can never manage to count the right number of spaces and end up with half of my design in the wrong place.

I finally took all my old patterns and added them to my mom's stash of cross stitch patterns--a whole trunk full she hasn't gotten around to yet. Including some that were for my room as a baby...21 years ago.

Wow, I just threw mine away. Except for the second one, that one I shredded with scissors, and then threw out. Hehehe...I'm not very patient when it comes to things like that. I want results, and I want them now! lol

Cyndi

You know how they say that we don't learn from experience? I just proved 'em right. I went to a fabric store and bought a pattern yesterday. Yes, I've lost my mind, thanks for asking. :p

The problem is that we have a crappy old dinette set in the kitchen, and aren't ready to replace it yet. (Too many other projects right now.) The chairs are metal, with vinyl cushions that are coming apart. I can't find replacement cushions anywhere, so I want a fabric cover to go over the icky vinyl part. I doubt I'll be ambitious enough to cover the entire chair ... I want to keep it simple, and just use one little part of this pattern. (I'm also having someone sit with me to get everything started, since I have no clue what I'm doing.)

The thing is, I like fabric, and I like the idea of being able to make things .... but when I took a look at the actual pattern, I was absolutely horrified! WTF was I thinking? :eek:

When I was in HS ever so long ago, sewing was a required class. I flunked.

I never attributed it to ADD -- but, of course, I was simply told I was lazy and bad back then. It's interesting to contemplate that my boredome could be ADD related.

OTOH, maybe it was simply that I wasn't interested in sewing? Not my cuppa tea!

Nah, I'm not a sewing person either. I'm not much for interior decorating either. Or clothes. Although every other woman in my family is. Go figure.

I like to sew (although I don't quilt) but I think I see where you going since you prefer practical things. I like to sew and I even like to cook but I never did like just sitting around and having girly talk about baking cookies. I never understood idle girly conversations that were a lot of talk about nothing. I'm 47 and I've gotten better at it as I've gotten older and, depending on the topic, I've even learned to enjoy them. But I'm just wondering if it's the sewing machines & patterns that's bothering you or what feels like silly girl talk.

Of course, on the flip side there is idle guy talk. My husband loves baseball and softball (my older daughter is a softball pitcher) and talks incessantly about it. When we're at home and he's driving me crazy I can usually find an excuse to walk away but when we're in the car it's kind of hard to do that. In that case, instead of making myself miserable, I try to find some way to participate intelligently in the conversation and I try to learn something about the game. If you can't beat them, join them!

LOL funny I should come across this thread now - only this weekend I did a "wonderful" job attaching a hanger to a kitchen towel.

It holds, but it looks like a drunk ant went on a rampage randomly doing stitches here and there - so sewing by hand really is *not* working for me! :D

I prefer sewing machines and was always fascinated by them, but my work is still quite sloppy even with the machine.

I've always been LOUSY at sewing and most other "girly" things that require fine motor skills. (Knitting, makeup etc.)

I guess with me it's a combo of fine motor skill problems (esp, co-ordinating my fingers), being able to estimate/judge distances etc. and a certain degree of ADHD sloppiness :rolleyes:

We had to do sewing and needlework in primary school but as soon as I had a choice I changed to woodwork. It's still sloppy but at least you get to use tools to do the finicky bits for you :)

I *do* need a hobby though and I am ordering some natural paint and paper to get back into watercolour the Waldorf way (I did art therapy at an anthroposophic hospital for 2 years and loved it).

But because I just *know* that setting up the material takes so long that I will only be able to do this on days where I have nothing else on AT ALL, I've also decided to give needle felting a try, which unfortunately includes some sewing... :uhh:

But I really hope I can get into it because some of the stuff is just too cute!

I LOVE sewing but i get very cross when something goes wrong like a knot in my thread! Electric sewing machines were obviously created by satan on a bad day but I have got around this problem by using an old hand crank singer machine from the 1920s...was my grandmothers. Its quiet and well behaved. I do a lot of hand sewing beaded creations and i find it helps me to relax, ppl cant believe the amount of time i put into my works but i suppose it has something to do with hyperfocusing

I hate sewing can't figure out my sewing machine for the life of me! The tention I think is what I can't figure out how to use right but I dunno. It bores me to sew but I really need to learn how................I need to so I can hem my pants myself instead of paying for it. It save me so much money if I could use it! I can't even buy clothes that are for short people. They are still 2 inches to long for me! *SIGH*
I used to just cut the bottoms off but it doesn't look as nice and even when you can find a jod that will allow you to wear jeans they won't allow cut offs. I don't think its in style anymore either but I don't usually keep up with that anyway LOL! And I want to know why I can't hem anything but I can cross stich when I am REALLY bord or do embordery? I am slow at doing them so I only have done very small things. The only time I ever do it is when I am recovering from sergery or something and can't do a whole lot til I am better LOL!

I've always been bad at sewing, I remember my mom trying to teach me and I just never had the patience for it, it always came out sloppy anyways. I would rarely get past trying to thread the stupid needle. Now I can barely sew a button on.

crocheting? NOPE - never could figure that one out...
oh, sure - i *can* manage a gazillion mile long wormlike "thing" (can you tell i'm *totally* familiar with crochet lingo?!;-), but what's supposed to happen after *that* phase of the crocheting is all a blur to me...

knitting? well...uuuh...NOPE.
Lord knows i *tried*, because i *"love"* knitted sweaters and knitted socks, and would *"love"* to be able to knit those myself, but...
too hard...too loose...oops, where did that hole in the middle of the project come from?

cross-stitching? yes - OH, *YES*!!!!
i never could figure it out when i was growing up, though, but when i was a teacher's aid(e?) a few years back, the children (1st graders) were supposed to make these christmas projects in cross-stitching, and so *they* taught me - we had a *wonderful* chaotic time, and the children delighted in being the ones doing the teaching (or rather: they delighted in the fact that here was this adult that was a total *KLUTZ* at something they were so skilled in!!!;-)!

after i mastered the art of cross-stitching, it became an obsession with me (thankyou Lord, for the asperger syndrome traits of my diagnosis!;-), and for months i did *NOTHING* else but cross-stitch...
i finally was shipped off to rehab, though, and after having gone through detoxification (where i suffered *horrendous* withdrawal symptoms - i don't recommend *anyone* to go cold turkey like i did...;-), i'm now a recovered cross-stitcher...
i *SWEAR* i'll never touch that stuff again!
;)

sewing machines are *GREAT*!
i make my own shorts every summer - give me some fabric, a piece of (what's it called? "elastic"??? *you* know what i mean!) and 20 minutes, and, PRESTO - the coolest shorts on the beach are a fact!
:D

Remember my kitchen chairs? My horror of sewing got the better of me, and I went a different route. Bought some vinyl and a staple gun, and figured out how to reupholster the suckers. I rationalize my failure to even attempt sewn slipcovers by the fact that my kids are so young ... vinyl's far more practical. Besides, tools are more fun for me than sewing machines. :D

I don't minds sewing buttons on, fixing stuffed animals and such.
But I love quilting by hand (No fussing with a sewing machine... the worse!)
I like the colors and in no time you have a large block. :)

I have done a lot of different types of crafts, but Im wondering how everyone here stays focused on their projects???
I remember sewing a few things & just getting so frustrated over those horrible/useless pattern directions. Often wondered if they were given much thought when they were printed & packaged:D
I'd love to get one of those new machines that are suppossed to have precise bobbin tension*what a dream, bcause I've got an old Kenmore in the attic that I can't do a thing with that I bought used*:)

I have trouble finishing all my projects too. I have painted boxes, stools, picture frames, night stands, pictures, etc. I only seem to finish half of my projects or I do half of it and may not pick it back up to finish until a year later. My problem is I get another project idea and want to start it before I finish the first!
I don't know if I could get into sewing but would like to at least learn to hem my jeans! Oh and I have fabric I had asked my mom to sew a trim around but she has had that sewing machine 2 years and its still in the box! I'd ask her to teach me but she simply doesn't have the time nor do I live there anymore. I would like my fabric back though. I bought it cause the table cloth I wanted I couldn't find in the color I wanted so I thought I'll just ask mom to make it. Shes had it 5 months now and hasn't touched it but I know she doesn't have time. If I knew how I'd do it myself. Its already cut to the right size just needs the trim on it so that the edges don't fray. I can't figure out our sewing machine though. I don't understand what tention is used for what and so forth. it shows you how to adjust it but i could sit there for hours trying all the different combinations to find the right one!

I hate trying to adjust bobbin tension & it's one of the reasons Im not sewing projects now. I don't like buying nice material & then having it buckle & pull & risk ruining what Im working on. My sis makes good money & recently bought herself a little used Bernina & Im jealous:) she hasn't used it once since she bought months ago.

Do you have your projects laying out & would really like to do this or that, but the discipline it takes to sit down & keep the mind focused is what Im lacking. For me I want to do these things, but the lack of motivation & boredom symptom is something I havn't dealt very well with. sigh.
Anyone have tips for me?

You'd all be proud of me .......

I sewed !

With a sewing machine !

2 pillows for my daughter's room !

They came out great ....

Do I hear a gasp ? ! .... :D

I am proud Paula. Was it fun?

Awesome:)
Bet they look great in your daughter's room.