If you are a Mom, you can probably recall years where you stayed up all night on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts that seemed to take forever, or finishing quilts that were not quite done, or constructing a Barbie Mini Van which required "some assembly" and in reality took 2 adults about 5 hours to build!I've come a long way since the Barbie van incident! I now maintain a conscious awareness of the value of my time and remind myself frequently of how many hours are in the day! I keep track of things like how many tasks I want to tackle, and how much time I will realistically require in order to complete those tasks AND still maintain my sanity.
I also celebrate small accomplishments along the way. This is also how I tackle large quilting projects. I am making some slow progress with my hand quilting project, and am keeping track of those small bits. In this project there are 32 small stars and 20 large stars to quilt. I have finished 3 of the small stars. It's a start!How are you keeping your sanity at this busy time of year?
I hope you will make some time to do some relaxing stitching today. Take a break, put your feet up, and scroll through the blogs below and learn from other hand stitchers.
Have a wonderful Slow Sunday!
18 comments:
I think a lot of us mamas can relate to that! This year, I have tried to start on preparations just that little bit earlier. Which isn't to say I don't still have lists of things to do swirling around in my head!!
Hello Kathy, I just hopped over from quiltingreadersgarden. Thankyou for hosting and allowing me to post my link. It is a good opportunity to meet new visitors and explore their blog too.
My name is also Kathy, I live in England and sew by hand. Today I shall be working on some tiny felt dolls!
oh this brought back memories of wrapping toys and it seemed to take forever...
You have no idea how your slow Sunday link up has saved my sanity this past year. It has been a tumultuous year on many levels and I had to put my sewing machine away for several months while I spent my time looking after other things, endless lists and family issues. During that time, I kept out a slow stitching project and tried to work on it each week. I linked up to your blog most weeks and looked forward to reading other's comments and visiting the other slow stitchers' blogs too. Yesterday, my husband and I tackled a seemingly endless list and managed to cross most items off the list. I am back to sewing a few hours each week now as life has settled down somewhat. Thanks for hosting the Slow stitching link up each week.
Yes, I can relate. I always started the Christmas season the super fun mom but by Dec. 24th I was the psychotic mom. These are much simpler which keeps me sane. Simple is best for us right now.
I will be working on my circles today and enjoy the slow stitching!
that cartoon is hilarious
You are absolutely right. I remember those days of staying up late to get things finished for Christmas. Never a Barbie van, but for us it was a dolls house that my husband built from scratch, and we had to get it decorated in time!!!! Thanks for the memory!
I think it's important to have a some "me-time" during the holiday whirlwind--a bit of stitching time really helps to stay calm!
I can soooooo relate to the seemingly endless list of things to to. I’ve ended up having to get very thoughtful about what I decide to do, and even plan time and days for the things that I want or need to do. Even to the point of figuring how long something will take to make, and then planning for how many days I have to work on it.
Love that cartoon and your quilting is coming along nicely,. Three down and how many now to go? I'll be watching and virtually stitching along next to you with a cup of tea.
Through the years I've learned to plan ahead and get ready for Christmas early in the year! I hate shopping and especially shopping in crowds and I hate waiting until the last minute to get anything finished or assembled. Plus we never had much money when kids were little so we had to spread out our purchases.
I totally agree . . . I can get so caught up in making everything perfect for everyone else, I'm cranky, spent, and have no joy! Yikes! I've approaching things totally differently this year, and it's make such a huge difference in my perspective ... and definitely in my joy! Your stars and beautiful and the hand quilting will add so much to them! :)
I know exactly what you are talking about! Nowadays I do what I like, and see how far I get...
I've decided I'm just not going to get stressed about 'this time of year' this time, whatever happens happens and whatever doesn't doesn't. That said my mind's chronically spinning with 'to do lists' too! I feel completely paralysed by not being able to prioritise and consequently nothing seems to get done, despite (or because of) the lists. I think the only thing that's kept my sanity vaguely in tact is just as you suggest: not forgetting to celebrate the small achievements along the way. And three small stars is a great start, so three cheers are coming your way! x
Like you, I keep track of how many blocks I got done and how many left to do. I also celebrate all little accomplishments. On my hand pieced quilt, when I finish a row I am so happy, one would think I have finished the entire quilt lol. Three little stars is a GREAT start. Just like you can't sleep all your hours for the week at once and you can't eat all your weekly meals at once, you can't quilt all your blocks in one day. So take a glass and relax. Hope you had some fun sewing time too. ;^)
Thank you for hosting this link-up, Kathy. Keeping my sanity? Well, I just had surgery a few weeks ago and can only do a little until I'm exhausted and have to stop and rest. It's very discouraging at this season when I have so many things I want to do -- even just the basics like lights and wreaths and a Christmas tree. Our Christmas will be very simple this year. I hope you've had a restful Sunday.
I remember those "up all night wrapping" gigs. I ended that by stocking up on Christmas fabrics on clearance and sewing fabric bags with ribbon ties by the dozens and in a variety of sizes. Now "wrapping" involves dropping things in a bag and tying a bow.
I try not to have the expectation of making lots of gifts for Christmas. It is more manageable for me to make things for birthdays throughout the year, than to make a bunch all at once. And I never do Bonnie's mystery quilts real time! *LOL*
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