The quilters call them UFOs (“un-finished objects”) but I have contemporized the term to OPPs – “oppressive pending projects”.
Here’s my latest, as photographed by my brother today:
One of the best things about sewing for my children is that they *watch*, sometimes help, and always enjoy what I create. I don’t know if that will last through school-age years and brand names. If it doesn’t, well. I’ll sew for myself more!
Beeps’ shirt is top-stitched with my favorite color, poison green.
From Etsyan chaingang. Etsy is my sometime-inspiration but more often, my guilty buying pleasure. I used lightweight fusible web and then Satan-stitched (dumb sewing joke, there) around the edge twice.
I wish I could remember which Etsy shop I bought this from – I don’t even have the purchase on record. I thought the heart motif went well with the red shirt. I did two passes around the patch – once in purple, once in red.
As always, here’s my pattern review and a Flickr tag set.
Today’s crafty lecture: What keeps you from creating? Do you not desire to create in the first place? Or do you desire it, know what you want to do, but find too many obstacles in your life? Or worst of all – are you pretending you don’t desire to create because you just don’t think you CAN?
Me, I live with a fear of being bored coupled with an over-active mind. I started these shirts out in November, planning them to be long-john style tops for winter PJs at Christmas. As is the case with me sometimes, I did not push through a project fast enough at which point it becomes an OPP – a distraction, an annoyance; un-done, sitting in a drawer reminding me that I suck – a feeling only bolstered if I run out and treat myself to another fabric purchase, or trace another pattern. I decided to go through my OPPs when I got my new digs set up. I pushed through a purse I’d started my brother’s girlfriend two years ago, then these. Now I have to finish up a few PJ bottoms and my drawer full of “projects” will be reduced to a tiny handful.
In the meantime, I am trying to:
1. be very deliberate about what I start,
2. work on and finish my projects in a TIMELY manner, and
3. allow a way out or a fun upgrade –
like these patches, with made me want to complete the shirts. Sometimes when I talk about my sewing it seems more like WORK than fun – but that’s because I’m trying to get myself to stick to things more.
Happy creating!
Oh man!! I hear ya on the OPP!! Very good term.
And I especially liked your questions. This: “Or do you desire it, know what you want to do, but find too many obstacles in your life?” fits me to a tee. I like your attitude of pressing through. Sometimes that is all it takes. Thanks for the reminder.