Sewing in Frustration

I’m having a dilemma. I’m lucky enough to often have time to sew after work… but I’m almost always looking for a cheap fix, an adrenaline high, something to make me feel better after a tough day. As a result, I rush through things hoping for the “high” of finishing… and surprise, surprise, I end up with poorly fitting, poorly planned junk! 

Witness Exhibit A: My THREE unfinished Pendrells. 

(And yes, I made #3 tonight in an act of frustration. I started to retrace the pattern to go down a size, to see if that would fix my problems with the other ones… but somehow there didn’t seem to be any real size difference between a 12 and 14, so I have the same damn fitting problems as I did with the other two!)

Clearly I need help! I read about other people sewing as this calm act of zen, to centre themselves and create lovely clothes to be proud of. I do LOVE the act of sewing, and the sound of my machine’s motor is wonderfully calming. But somehow, instead of just enjoying the detailed, step-by-step process of creating lovely things, I push to hard, too fast, and cut so many corners that my projects are doomed from the start. 

HELP! How can I stop wasting my time and my fabric? My husband suggested having some handwork on the go for when I need to relax, which is very wise… unfortunately I’ve had lingering Repetitive Stress Injuries for years, and I can’t hand-sew for long. 

Deep down though, here’s my problem: Sometimes sewing wildly and without a plan works for me.

Witness Exhibit B: 

All of these items were completely unplanned and sewn quickly, but somehow they turned out, and I love them. I guess I just keep hoping that more things will work! 

I’ve had a life long love/hate relationship with being impulsively creative - sometimes I’m proud of it, sometimes ashamed. Right now though, I’m just frustrated and disappointed in myself. I’m not enjoying sewing as much as I want to, and I’m wasting fabric. I’d really love to hear how sewing fits into your life - Is it relaxing? Is it rushed? What’s your key to creating clothes that you love?

Thanks! My goal for the weekend is to at least finish those three darned Pendrells so that they’ll stop haunting me… and maybe to figure out a new sewing routine that will encourage me to take things slow!