I feel like such a slacker ...
 

Reading what you all are making for gifts on this and other forums makes me feel like I should turn in my sewing machine. I had plans to make every family member (22) a personalized stocking when I got caught up in the Black Friday shopping frenzy, and about a week later cut it down to 8 (kids only) and now wondering if I will get one made - special request cheetah fab from daughter.

I have all the (excuses) reasons for not being able to accomplish this but don't want to be that person because in my mind, I know, that if I don't at least make the 8 no matter what other (replacement) wonderful gifts they receive instead on Christmas Eve I will mentally chastize myself because I know I would have felt more like Mrs Claus if I had given them the handmade stockings. I bought really cute fabric and coordinating ribbon with glitter glue and colored bells and actually thought of returning it all until I looked at it all yesterday and immediately brightened up. Sigh. I hate when I hate myself.

The biggest thing is daughter and 1 year old grandson live here and 19 year old son and I can't very well ignore him (the kids are much easier to ignore ;) )to sew and my sewing room has been temporarily converted into his bedroom and the kitchen is off that and turning on that light in the wee hours of the morning before I leave for work wakes him and 5 a.m. is a bit too early for him to be waking.

So those of you who have chaotic schedules and younger people around - how do you do it? When do you do it? Any ideas of how to get this fun done? I went to the Disney store but they were sold out of Pixie Dust so I guess I'm on my own.

I think your problem is a common one. We all try to do too much and overextend ourselves.
This just makes us frazzled and upset and takes some of the joy away from family
celebrations. I've finally learned (after many years struggling with this issue) to just keep it
simple and start really early. Christmas stockings should probably be stitched in July.
Christmas will come whether you get them finished or not. Make one for your DGS who lives
with you and tell the others that if they like them, you will be stitching more for next year. I
made quilts for all my nieces and nephews this way. I gave them out as I finished them.
They all knew that they would get one but I couldn't finish them all at once and I wasn't storing them until the last was done. It took me four years to finish eight quilts but I did get done!

Next year I think I'll do the "gift on the 25th" thing. You work on your Christmas gifts the 25th of each month through the year. That's going to be my New Year's resolution anyway, well see how or if it lasts.:D

butterfli 19, don't be so hard on yourself. Having people around is enough, much less trying to sew. Ii've had a grandaughter and her 7 year old son upstairs for 5 months. Got nothing done and she worked and he was in school! Her house flooded and it took that long to get it fixed. I'm too old for this. Just skip all the stuff you had planned and enjoy them. I think!ha.ha. barny

I too start any gift I plan to give as early as possible. I hate deadlines and don't want them to rob me of the fun I have in both making and giving the gift. Do what feels good to you, and let the rest go. You want to sew joy with every stitch--not stress! If you don't make it "happen" this year...life goes on and you will make something else happen.

time management is always an issue- for many of us---i work full time- start my day at 4:30am---
but i also do alot of hand work-always have a travel project which i can sit and work on during breaks at work- it is amazing how much you can get done in 15 minutes if you are organized. i get home from work about 3:30 pm- go through the mail---do what ever little things i feel i need to do-then go sew (or quilt) until time to fix dinner- fix dinner- eat- clean up kitchen- then sew until time for Jeopardy- sit with hubby and watch jeopardy- give the cat his treats- and go back to sewing/quilting until i'm tired-ready to go to bed-
i always have a binding to do- or other hand project going -so if there is something else on tv i would like to watch i sit and work on that while watching tv. weekends i have alot more time to spend and set aside some time-usually sunday afternoon doing what ever prep-work needs to be done so i have my project to take to work the next day-
my real---non-productive time is the hour or so i spend here on the board- or answering emails---i set a timer when i get on the computer for 45 minutes- when it goes off i wrap up what ever i am in the middle of-shut it down and go back to being productive again....and i design-trouble shoot--quilt in my sleep :)

So many of us feel like you do -- how do THEY do it?? -- I always say that I will start early with my shopping, that I will shop online, that.... but I haven't yet and so am scrambling around to do my Christmas shopping and never seem to be able to find what I plan on! :thumbdown: Maybe next year....

Please, please, please don't stress yourself at this time of year. It should be a time for joy, not guilt. A little more time would be great, wouldn't it? So plan to have them ready for next year. Plenty of time, and a good way to feel more comfortable for this holiday season!

Relax. If you don't have time, you don't have time. Christmas is more about the wonderful memories we make anyways. If you're set on giving stockings to the grandchildren....buy the red pre-made ones (a couple of $ in K-Mart/Walmart, etc), and put their initials on them. Won't take long and you'll cross that off your list.
I started quilts last February and mailed 8 of them this morning. I still have 2 quillows to do and if they get done, they get done. We'll still celebrate Christmas and they'll get quillows next year :).
Deep breaths...give yourself a break :) :)

Hopefully in the coming years, your loved ones will remember the good times you've spent together more than the good gifts they've received. If they really want the goodies you can make, then they are old enough to help out in other ways so that you can get to your sewing. Otherwise, let it go! (This is so much easier to tell someone else than it is for me to do!) ;)