My kids are 8, 9, and 11. We are into many after-school activities & some days I feel like I am running around without any direction. I never leave home without a tote bag with some kind of hand-sewing project in there. I make yo-yos at basketball games, embroider during wrestling, etc. My oldest has youth group at our church on Sunday nights from 6-8:00. I come equipped with my rotary cutter, ruler, and mat. I can get a lot of cutting done while he's there & be ready to sew when I am at home with my machine. Last summer, while my daughter was at a dance class at our town park, I was in a rush to get some hospital gowns made for her upcoming surgery, so I went with my cutting supplies & pattern. I got most of the hospital gowns cut out while waiting for her at dance. Yes, folks look at me funny. No, I don't really care. Once I am home, I do not usually get to sew until everyone is in bed, so from 9 or 9:30 until I can't stay awake any longer. One lady I talked to at a sewing gathering said that she set her sewing machine in the living room while her kids were very small & watched a show or movie with them. I also learned from a LQS owner that you cannot expect to get any sewing accomplished if you constantly put your sewing machine up & take it down. If you can't sit down & just sew when you have a few minutes, then you won't sew at all. My dining room table is usually full of sewing & my house is usually cluttered... but I sure do make beautiful things when I have enough time!
No one will remember me for my house, but I sure hope they remember me for my sewing!