Top of '23: Reflections

 I had a hard time with this prompt this year, but these are some of the things that came to mind.

• Don't put off making things you love because you don't know the future. I haven't allowed myself to sew clothes since 2019 (I believe) because my weight has been changing so much since then. I've continued knitting because that's stretchy and forgiving, but sewing generally is not and I like for my work to last for a very long time. I tend to become very attached to the clothes I make, and even now I have a stack of favorite pieces I made when I was a larger size that I want to try and take in for me to wear now. Will this ever happen? Well, it hasn't yet, lol. So I hate to make things knowing that my body will change since I am still working toward that happening. This year I just said heck with it and started making things and I'm so glad I did! I love the pieces I made this year and have worn them a lot. I need to mentally get out of my own way and just spend my time doing things I love regardless of other particulars in my life. 

• I don't need to own all the things. This is a hard one for me because I have always been an acquirer of stuff. Generally I can keep things organized and it works out well for me to have the supplies on hand to make what I want, but these past few years have seen a lot of acquiring without a lot of using and it has created quite a backup. I now have too much stuff for the space I have and it is an imposition to me actually getting things made up because the stuff itself takes up too much space and even gets lost in the mix. This coming year I want to do a major overhaul of my entire craft room and get things functional again, but I know that also means I need to stop acquiring more. That's seriously so hard for me! lol I'm not one to ever say no to a free item someone gives me that I like or a 50 cent piece of good fabric at the thrift store. My motto is you never look a gift horse in the mouth. Those types of finds don't come by a second time, so if I like something I have learned to grab it when it comes my way. I'm working on a plan to curb this, including a buying ban this coming year, but the biggest thing regardless of that is that I need to clean things out and get them better organized.

• It's ok to just make things for yourself. This is a topic I mentally struggle with. As someone who sews and has kids, it's just kind of an expectation that I would want to make them lots of cute dresses and whatnot. I certainly have enough fabric for that. But just like I don't like making myself things that I know won't work for me in the long run, the reality is that kids grow quickly. They won't be able to wear the things I make for very long (sometimes just for one occasion or month), and that just makes me not feel motivated to make things for them. Also, kids are very ungrateful when it comes to clothing. It's not their fault - our society in general doesn't value the skills it takes to make clothing - but kids especially just want clothes with designs they like and they don't think much else about it. I do want to make my kids more things this year now that I'm sewing again, but I also don't feel bad about making things mainly for myself. It's my hobby that helps me feel productive and have fun, so I shouldn't add in guilt about not spending that time on someone else. It's not like I get a ton of time for myself anyway.

• Not everything I make needs to be practical. As a person who predominantly wants to make clothing to wear everyday, it's a bit of a mind shift to allow myself to make things like historical costumes. I like my sewing to produce workhorse items I can wear to death, but a historical costume doesn't get much wear at all and takes so much more time to make. Yet I love the challenging sewing, so I need to just get over it and occasionally make something that doesn't serve any day to day purpose.