I'd rather be sewing!!!!
 

I've sewn all my life....all my clothes in high school. Two...no three wedding dresses, winter coats, swim suits, baby clothes, doll clothes, rag quilts, crafts, anything....but I never had a place call my own that I didn't have to pack up every night for fear of leaving a needle or scissors laying around that the kids could get hurt on.

Then my girls grew up and moved out on their own and I now have my own 'lady cave' - ALL my yarn, fabric, crafts, sewing machines, cross-stitch, beading in one room. I've never had a place where I felt I could be totally me. I don't think anyone understands how wonderful, and thrilling it feels to be able to shut the door and be alone to do whatever my heart desires, stitich, knit, bead or just daydream. It's not big and I don't have a Sweet 16 or an embroidery machine (on my wishlist), but I have what I need to make my free time happier. I love making things for others and love the touch of fabric and the variety of colors. I love daydreaming about having a wall of beautiful batiksfabric and all the possibilities.

There's only one thing that gets in the way now........work!!!!!

I never have enough time. I'll get into a rhythm sewing, be on a roll or feeling good about my efforts, and have to stop to get ready for bed because I get up at 5am everyday for work. It really cramps my style!!!

I get home at 4:30p and work until around 9:30pm. I have so projects and there's just not enough time.....but I do thank God I have a paycheck to pay the mortgage so I have my sewing room and so I can buy more fabric, and I am grateful for my good health and eyesight to be able to work on the things I love.

I find sometimes I have withdrawals if I've been away from my sewing room too long....I get so cranky and in a bad mood.

Don't know how I went along so many years without a place where I could unwind and do my own thing!

I need a bumper sticker that says - "I'd rather be sewing!" Truer words were never spoken. lol

:)

Oh you have a lovely room to work your magic in. I hate to tell you this but you still won't have enough time once you retire!! I think our lists just get longer! Cherish the time you have now - when you do retire you will have such a good time sewing to your heart's content. I have accomplished so much since my retirement - and I've enjoyed so much since my retirement. We spend lots of time with grandkids and going to their events. We also spend a lot of time together just enjoying life.

There is nothing like having your own space. Yours is lovely. Much prettier (and neater) than mine. LOL

Oh what a lovely place!! And just think it's all yours!! Im so happy for you! I use to feel that way too, when I was working. Someday you will retire, and then there will be no holding you back. In the mean time Build Your stash!!

I hate to say it, but I'm JEALOUS of you retired gals!! :D I work full time and love my paycheck (because I do have to have it), but would love love love ti spend whatever time I want on my quilting!

Stitch124, you are a good advertisement for sewing. You have a very good attitude. Keep it going.

I love your sewing room. Enjoy it as often as you can.

Stitch124, I could have written your same post word for word, I too can't wait to retire so I can spend more time in my own beautiful sewing room. Unfortunately that "work" thing gets in the way...on the other hand it is because of that work thing I am able to have a beautiful sewing room complete with an embroidery machine and a Babylock Tiara.....Time will come soon enough, but until then enjoy it as much as possible.

Love your sewing room. I love mine also and spend as much time in there as is possible!!!!

Your room is so serene and so inviting, no wonder you don't want to leave it!

I, too, could have written your post, right down to the hours. I get up early to sew for about an hour before work and maybe get some time after 9 p.m., not usually tho because I'm just too tired, unless it's hand sewing or something without measurements.

Funny, I started sewing on the kitchen table at my parents home, then at mine, then bought a sewing cabinet and set up in the dining area, then while divorcing my husband moved me and the kids in to an apartment and set up in an over sized hallway, then bought my current house and set up my own space in the den - whooo, how wonderful to just have the iron board there and sewing machine there and bins and design wall in one place! Then, things went sour for dd and bf so they broke up and she discovered she was pregnant, so now she (26) and delightful gs (almost 3) and my 21 yo son are here in our home and gs now has the den as a bedroom so I'm back to sewing in the kitchen, lol. And you know, for all the moments I can't wait for time alone, I love having them here, and seem to find comfort sewing on the kitchen table. In my now cramped bedroom I have a small table that my mother sewed on, and that is my morning table, with that sewing machine set up and ready to go. So I could say I have two rooms to sew in!

p.s. I love your avatar!

I'm right there with you sister! My kids moved out last weekend and I've had the carpets shampooed, all the nail/screw holes in the wall fixed and just picked up the paint for my own personal space last night. I can't wait to get in there! When you find the bumper sticker, get one for me too!

I can see why you love your "lady-cave". It seems so serene. Great colors, great furniture...one thing though, it's too neat! :D My space usually looks like a tornado has just blown through. I share my space with our "library" (floor to ceiling bookshelves) and my husband's guitars and amps. My sewing machine (on an L-shaped table), a counter top sized ironing board on a TV table and usually at least one plastic (large) tote of fabric completes the disaster area! But it is mine (except when husband is playing his guitar) and I love to escape to it. Oh, BTW, this all fits into a room that is barely 8 feet x 10 feet!

Maybe someday I'll have a "studio" with a real cutting table, room for multiple machines...one can dream.

Beautiful sewing room. I relate to your story so much. Till this day I sew on the kitchen table.

In 2002, I had hip replacement surgery and was on medical leave for 8 weeks. When I returned to work, I told my boss that I knew that I would not be bored when I retired. I sewed and crafted almost every day, sewing with a neighbor (who also drove me to the fabric store), doing charity quilts for the ladies ministry at my church and helping with crafts projects for a ladies' luncheon and for my daughter's Girl Scout troop.

I usually wake up around 4:30 a.m. and don't have to start getting ready for work until 6:00 a.m., so spend that time checking emails and sewing. I still have 5 years to go before I retire, but am looking forward to the day when I can get up, start sewing and stop when I want to instead of when the clock says "get to work." My bucket list grows longer each day, but I will not be bored.

When you are retired not enough time to do all you want either. Even if not time to sew I would sit in that beautiful room and relax,read or meditate just for a few minutes. This would energise me to do what I must to live.
It looks so peaceful.

I love your "Lady Cave"!! Mine is my dining room right now. I have a small space that my family calls "mom's crap room". Until I can clean it out and get it organized how I need it to be I'll continue to sew at the dining table.

This is probably true because when I have a weeks vaca from work I wonder how I squeeze the job in, and sometimes still don't have extra time for sewing! Do it now, girls! Don't wait!

Stitch124, what a lovely and peaceful lady cave you have there! Enjoy every bit of it, and, yes, retirement won't be boring when it is time for you to retire, smile.

Your woman's cave is beautiful. I also have my own room but I only wish that it was as neat as yours.

Congratulations on having your own space for sewing and quilting. It is wonderful to have a place where you can create, then close the door, leave everything where you left it so it's there when you come back to it. I miss my sewing room so much as 3 years ago we had to move to a 2 bedroom apt. from a 3 bedroom home, where I had my sewing room in the basement until we moved it upstairs to my daughter's old room to have a smaller space to heat. Now I have a small space in my bedroom (I insisted on separate bedrooms when we moved as we are together 24/7 due to disability retirement) and every night I have to clean up so that I will be able to sleep in my bed. It's so easy to get disorganized that way and lose things, but at least I have a place to sew.

Great sewing room.

Oh there is something very wrong here. Your sewing room is absolutely gorgeous. When I'm working on a project my room looks like a tornado went through, then I clean it up and off I go again. Love the wall hanging, gorgeous!

I loved this post. Your sewing room is great. I could not help but notice the sewing caddy under the window. I've been looking for one of those for years. I had an aunt who had one and I would "play" with it when we went to visit her.
Does it have lids that open on both sides? She had tons of sewing stuff and scraps in it. I found out later in life that she never really sewed, but left it there for me the play with. I wish I knew what happened to it when she passed. I have wonderful memories about the sewing caddy. I'm glad to see one still in use.

I totally empathize here. I too have my own sewing room and though I am blessed that my health is good (I have MS) and I have a job and a roof over my head I cannot complain. However I work 10 hr days in the sun here and after a while you just want to come home to sleep. My kids are grown and out of the house and its just my boyfriend and I and I try my best to sew in the weekend but there is always SOMETHING that needs to be done and its not sewing :( Our goal is to save the next two yrs collectively to buy a home maybe the one we rent right now. But I do miss sewing and even if I go into the room to iron fabric it brings a sense of relaxation for me in my "lady cave" :)

Your room is lovely! So neat! I remember those years of not having a place to sew. I hated having to pack everything up every day. Consequently, I didn't sew nearly as much as I wanted. The others are right--even when you retire, you won't have enough time, but you will have more! Happy sewing!

nice! nice! nice!!

You have a great space to retreat to. Love the quilt you have hanging on the wall above your sewing machine.

I love your room! I know what you meant about work interfering with quilting. I just put a note on another thread that I wish I could win the lottery to quit my job and quilt more. As for always having to pickup and put things away, I still have to do that because I use the kitchen table to sew on. I hope to have my own sewing space one, day. I'll still have to be mindful to put certain things away though as I have a cat and she keeps me company when I sew. I want her there with me so I just be careful with pins and thread. Plus, she has made it quite clear to me more than once that she finds a closed door an insult and something that must be rectified at once! But then cats are like that... I doe hope you enjoy your new room.

I had to back and look for the sewing caddy. I have my grandmothers and I cherish it. It's painted black however, and I am thinking of getting it re-finished. I am glad you are using yours in your sewing room..

There's only one thing that gets in the way now........work!!!!!


I feel the same way. The thing that keeps me working is knowing without my job I wouldn't be able to afford the things I want for sewing, so I plod on. Moderation I guess is the key. You have a beautiful work space.

Cafe Press has bumper stickers that say "I'd rather be sewing", "I'd rather be quilting" and a lot of others. Some of them are really funny.

What a pretty workspace! I can see why it gives you so much pleasure. I've found that I got a lot more accomplished when I was working. Since I've retired I become very unorganized with my time and can't seem to get much done. Don't know how to get that organization back!

Nice hide-away. I've had a sewing room for a long time, but I've REALLY enjoyed it since retirement. I used it a lot when I worked, but I always felt pressured to finish things. Now if it isn't finished so quickly I feel much calmer about leaving it for another day when schedules don't cramp my style.

Hi -- yes it has sides that open. I love it and am thinking about painting it, but not sure. I'd rather quilt. lol

I feel sorry for people that do not have a hobby. I have a friend that just watches TV all day long - I'd go crazy.

I'm disabled so I no longer work. Between Dr. visits, our daughter's school schedule, and being just plain tired there still never seems to be enough time for my hobbies. Our daughter and I have our sewing machines set up in the LR. My wife has started calling it my sweatshop. :D
Rodney

You are not alone. I am very very blessed to have all that I need in the world, except time. Working a full time job leaves me so tired at the end of the day I find it hard to even get into the sewing room. But I make myself go to the sewing room and then things brighten up. Even a little sewing each day will eventually get a project done.

Your sewing room is a lovely place to spend time even just daydreaming and planning, it is all par of the whole quilting adventure.
peace

Your space or cave is just beautiful. How do you keep it so neat. Mine is not a total mess but not as neat as yours. I worked out of the home all my life also and I use to say " I wish I was home sewing" Now i can and love every minute. your time will come sooner than you think. Hang in there.

About the clean sewing room....I just cleaned up to take the pics. It's usually a mess. Scraps and strings everywhere floor, pin cushions and bobbins at every turn. Various projects stacked in the corners, it's really wall-to-wall stuff. Not as neat now as it looks in these pics. Really!