missgigglewings

OK, my turn; After my husband passed away I had to go to work, no choice. He was too young for SS and so was I. I put away my quilting, painting and arts & craft stuff for 16 years.
In all those years I never got to sew or quilt, just too busy living my life without my DH. I retired in May of 2009 and now I live a blessed life. If I choose to do so I can set at my sewing machine all day long. Sun-up to sun-down! And some days that is all I do! I find time for other things. like traveling for Pfizer Pharm. and family and friends! But I am making up for lost time and there are many, many quilts floating around inside my head and my heart. So hang in there, your day will come...and it will be worth the hard work and the waiting!

God Bless

hobo2000

I have always set aside 1-3 hours per night for ME. In that time I could sew, do my nails, read, anything I wanted to do, but mostly needlework. I had 4 sons , now 52, 50, 42, 38. Plus, I was a CPA full time and drove 1 hour or more each way to work. I always got my time in. Now at 71, I run my own business out of my home, my 42 yr old son and my grand daughter live with us. He is a great cook so he cooks 3 nights and I cook 3 and sunday we all cook. While he is cooking I am sewing plus 9-11 pm is my time now. I learned from my grandmother who raised me, you can't be a good mother or wife if you don't fulfill your own needs. She always did and I am teaching my grand-daughters, all 7 to always have time for yourself.

Dee

When I worked 40 hrs.,DH out of town and raising DS, I cut out Friday nite. Sat. sewed for a few hrs. and then late nite, maybe all nite. sewed. Sun. sewed a bit but got ready for the next week.

Judith

I am an early morning person so that's a great time for me to sew. It's quiet, you don't wake anyone else up doing it, and you don't need to be doing "just a few things" for someone else that end up taking half your day. My daughter recently had a baby and told me the other day that she now "gets it" about why I always got up so early in the morning as my own children were growing up! Now she's doing the same thing!!

mimistutz

Hat's off to you who can get that much done. I still work, not for long I hope, but DH is retired. He's great, cooks, does laundry, light housekeeping and a lot of errands including shopping. Maybe I just got too spoiled, or age and work, but when I get home after dinner, I just about have enough energy to get done the necessary things, but don't seem to get to sewing very often, usualy try for some time on weekends. My stamina from younger years is gone. I do get to a LQS for a group gathering one night a month and one Saturday AM a month. Just don't understand how anyone can work 40 hrs a week, cook and other chores and still sew 2-4 hours a nite, maybe I just need more sleep than some.
The other problem I think is I don't have a designated sewing room YET - working on it - so I have to get everything out every time.
Hope to retire next year, then I plan on 2-3 hours a day for craft stuff. Can't wait!!
Sorry didn't mean to go on so long, guess that shows my frustration too.

Dolphyngyrl

I know what you mean, I work 40hrs a week, and i have a 9 month old. For me its hard to find the time, I try to do it while my daughter is taking naps on my 3 days off, or while i watch TV when i get home from work, but i have to be in the mood, sometimes i sew everyday, sometimes i don't touch my machine for weeks.

leakus

[quote=mimistutz]Hat's off to you who can get that much done. I still work, not for long I hope, but DH is retired. He's great, cooks, does laundry, light housekeeping and a lot of errands including shopping. ... Just don't understand how anyone can work 40 hrs a week, cook and other chores and still sew 2-4 hours a nite, maybe I just need more sleep than some.
The other problem I think is I don't have a designated sewing room YET - working on it - so I have to get everything out every time.

Dear mimistutz- I work 40 hrs, have a 5 yrd old and DH that helps some... The sewing room makes the whole difference!!! if you don't have to waist 20 minutes to get everything out, you would be able to spend those 20 sewing. If you are working on your own space, do it fast and you will see. You can go there cut, sew or just plan your next quilt. - At least my experience!

leakus

Dolphyngyrl, I really couldn't quilt until he learned to play with himself- 4 yrs old more or less- even then I could only spare a few minutes before he was in trouble. As I said before, I didn't have a sewing room back then. When DS turned 5 and I've got my space- then- I was able to quilt again!! I guess that the sewing room makes the difference!

fuail

I'm a single homeschooling stay at home Mom of 7 - only 4 still at home! And, now I'm taking care of my grand daughter full time. I find that I HAVE to do something creative every day or I go NUTS. It might just be hand applique while I'm teaching the kids, or a couple of rows of knitting when the baby is sleeping. I don't get much done very fast, but I need that time. I've had to putt off my big project plans for now - again. I have a basket of current projects in my sewing/bedroom (Yeah, I'm single!) and I grab whatever is on top if I have the energy and time. Sometimes it's enough to just to organize my scraps!

mimistutz

Guess I better get moving on the quilt room. We have a small room in our partially finished basement that we use as a "family/rec room", but since the kids have grown we seldom go down there. That's where I was thinking of making my space. Just have to figure out how to move stuff around. Your comments gave me a bit of a push/incentive, so maybe I can have it together by late fall. Thanks