Sarai at Collette wrote an inspirational little post about replacing bad sewing practices with good ones. Timely for me, since I've been hyper aware of all those hanging threads...you know, the ones you don't see until they show up (by shouting out "LOOK AT MEEEEE!") in the finished pictures you take.
The gist of the practice is a Zen-ish one - making one small change at a time, and not getting overwhelmed by something so all-encompassing that you set yourself up for a fail.
So this is a simple little promise to all of you, written out loud, that I will snip every thread as I create it during the month of August. This means both at the machine and hand sewing. It's not like I have a lack of scissors - I have at LEAST 4 thread snippers that are in constant use.
I will do my best to have thread snippers handy at every step where they might be needed...and USE them!
How about you? Any small change you want to share that might help you be a more conscientious sewist?
8 comments:
I keep my snips on a string around my neck as I sew. Always on hand instead of hiding under scraps. I need to make a promise to myself to sit in my sewing room more often to get the mojo flowing.
Beware consistent thread snipping leads to thread all over your carpet/floor! My habit change for this month will be to vacuum the studio at the end of every Thursday. It's so much more inviting when its clean:)
I'm considering that...I admit to a fear of stabbing myself!
This may be wishful thinking, but I figure I'll have a concentration of threads all near the sewing machine, as opposed to threads all over the house wherever I happen to see a stray thread & clip it....either way, it's the same number of threads that need to be picked up ;D
I actually put hand sewing needles in my mouth! I will keep a pincushion handy and use it while basting, hemming etc. Did you hear about the woman who INHALED a pin?
I also had trouble with wearing my small scissors on a ribbon around my neck. I got poked once too often. Now they are on a convenient hook beside the sewing machine but also in reach of the serger. I try to put them back there whenever I use them and mostly it's working out really well. I also love my wrist pincushion and my thread catchers at the sewing machine and serger. So convenient for bits and snips and thread ends. Why didn't I make these simple items years ago I ask you?
I should go forth and do likewise with the snips....
Well now, I am an obsessive thread snipper myself. I rarely use the thread cutter on my machine, either, I use my little embroidery scissors that never leave my side. When I first start a project in my nice clean sewing space (yes I clean it after EVERY project!) I put all those threads right into the wastebasket. By the end of the project - when I just want to finish it already - I drop them on the floor with abandon. It feels so good to get out my little Dust Devil and suck them all up when I'm done, I almost enjoy that part, I'm a little weird that way! ;) Good luck with your resolution!
Post a Comment