Tuesday, August 30, 2011

WIP Wednesday: Just out of curiosity...

...I have a question. After seeing this on Amy's blog, I have been giving it a lot of thought. 
It seems like I read blog after blog by uber achievers. Don't get me wrong. I'm not completely beating myself up over this. I get done what I get done...

I'm just really curious. My question was originally going to be:

How do you all do it?

Instead, I'm rephrasing:

How do you do it all?

If you have a full-time job, how do you have the energy to sew after a long day, after a long week? If you pick up little ones from day care?

If you are a SAHM, how do you sandwich in sewing time when they no longer nap?

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm just not as organized as I think I am. But honestly. It takes a boatload of time (at least for me it does) to write, photograph, upload pictures to blogger, upload pictures to Flickr, read blogs, comment on other people's blogs, try to respond to comments on my own blog, and then find time to sew so that I will even have something to write about! Sometimes it zaps all my energy.

And I only work part-time. And have no children at home (although I do try to babysit as often as I can). And I have a husband who is totally supportive of what I'm trying to get done. In fact, he is encouraging me to do more!

But I want to spend time with him, my family, my friends. I like to read. Do I need to quit sleeping?


Really. I would love some comments/suggestions. Maybe I just need to reorganize my time. Help me out here.


This is all the sewing I got done in the past week. Six more blocks of Amanda Jean's 36-patch quilt-along, which is now officially named Crazy Lips ("crazy" in honor of Amanda Jean's awesome blog, and "lips" in reference to that odd fabric that I wrote about last week--thanks for all your honest comments on that, by the way!)
And just out of curiosity: This one of the fabrics in a Moda layer cake of Kate Spain's new fabric, which is awesome. Would it bother you enough to write Moda and point out that the cutting on each colorway of this particular print is WAY off? I mean, if for example you were going to use the whole square...would the crookedness bother you or would you just go with it?
Just out of curiosity...I'm heading over to Lee's blog and see what everyone else has been up to.

47 comments:

05 08
Sel said... #

For me, I find that my quilting time has really increased since I got laid off. I suddenly have time to do all this quilting - which is one reason why I've been so productive over the last four months. However, when I was working full-time, it was evenings and weekends - and much of that time was stolen from the time I used for writing.

But I do know what you mean - even unemployed, I feel like I'm not half as productive as the people who seem to juggle household, kids, husband, jobs, and social life - and then manage to cut, arrange, and sew together a beautiful quilt top in a week! (Or so it seems!)

Poppyprint said... #

Oddly enough, I'm actually more creative, and accomplishing more since I started blogging, swapping, flickering and joining a second (modern) guild! I don't sit down very much (only to sew!). I was on vacay the past two weeks and I did some casual piecing on 2 days and some embroidery on the beach. It was heaven to not feel any *self induced* pressure to produce. I don't think I 'do it all', but I know I do a lot because people tell me that all the time. I like being busy and I'm a natural organizer of people and events so I tend to put my volunteer hand up way too much. It's okay. I'm healthy and I have energy to give, so I'm giving it! I think the key is to do what makes you happy and be your own guide - measuring your work/life/results against others is a recipe for disaster. Make some realistic goals that are important to YOU and work towards them. When you reach one, celebrate (even it it's only by using a hot pink hilighter to tick it off the list!!). Ok, amateur life coach schpiel is over.

As for your wonky cut squares, heck ya, that would totally irritate me. Those layer cakes are not cheap!

Mrs Flying Blind... said... #

I don't have time to figure out how I have time!! The creativity side of my life keeps me sane, that's for sure - I tend to do most sewing after the kids go to bed, although I have taken advantage over the summer holidays!

I would complain about the wonk! I should have complained about all the heads being chopped off my Sherbet Pips charms thinking about it!

Lisa said... #

I am not anywhere near as productive as some folks. I do what I do and that is all I do. Haha! I do make sure I have my sewing machine at the ready so I can steal half an hour or less every so often. And I don't have any kids at home any more, although I work full time so my time at home is limited. Also I find take away food helps (oops).

Sheila said... #

I don't blog, but read lots of them. Since retiring last year I like to work on several projects at a time and don't really mind how long they take to complete,I am making steady progress on five or six quilt. I just finished a hexagon quilt i began more than 30 years ago.

As to the layer cakes being crooked, it drives me NUTS. I keep saying i am not buying any more, i got sucked in today only to find they are all wonky, and i am cross. I don't know if its the printing or the cutting but Moda: lift your game!!

Asiyah said... #

Your post reminds me of a quote I read recently: "You can have it all, just not at the same time." I embrace that statement wholeheartedly.

I work FT and have 2 children (soon to be 6) at home. My husband works FT and goes to school at night so most evenings I function as a single parent.

To answer your question, "How do I do it all?", the answer is quite simple: I don't. The kids are usually in bed by 7:30 but I end up preparing for the next day instead of sewing.

So, my work style is to have projects in various stages: designing, piecing, quilting, hand binding. That way I can get things done as the mood strikes AND time permits. I have enough on my plate. If sewing and quilting begins to feel like a chore, I won't do it.

I have a theory that there are "work ahead" bloggers and "work in the moment" bloggers. Some bloggers are already designers or hooked up with Moda so they always have something to show; they never lack for content so they schedule posts in advance.

Then there are folks, like me, who work in the moment. I blog when I have something to say or share but no longer feel obligated to blog or sew just 'cause.

Okay, gotta run...the day awaits. Thanks for the opportunity to share!

Elizabeth Dackson said... #

Oooh, that crooked fabric would definitely drive me bonkers. I would write to them - you're making me want to open up my fat-eighth bundle of Terrain to see if that print is crooked....

As for how it all gets done, it's funny that you ask that - I was just talking with a friend about that yesterday. I think that I spent 90% of my non-mom time sewing because it's what I enjoy doing. It's my stress relief from the mom time, it's what makes me happy. I tend to be pretty focused in my sewing time, and move pretty quickly, and I think that's where my productivity comes from. I'm pretty goal-oriented, so I make lots of lists, and that helps too, because without them, I'd probably just start a zillion projects rather than actually finish any of them!! :)

Amy Friend said... #

I would complain. That drives me nuts!
As for doing it all, we can't. I know I sew a lot. I let a lot of the clutter go. I also don't watch tv. I am happiest making things so that is my relaxation time. It doesn't stress me out.

Anonymous said... #

I don't get anything done, so no help there.

Regarding the fabric, I've always wondered why that subject doesn't come up more. I'm often debating if I should cut on-grain or on-design (if there is such a phrase). Quilting cotton is almost always wonky and at $10/yd, that stinks.

Melinda said... #

I am a fly by the seat of my pants kind of person. I would love to be more organized and get things done more efficiently, but I can honestly say that I usually have to squeeze stuff in. I sew hexies or embroidery in the car while I wait to pick up my kids from school. I blog an hour before they get up in the morning or while I'm watching tv at night after they've gone to bed. Sewing on the machine occurs between cleaning and other tasks. But I am also not one of those people who seem to throw out a quilt in two days! I also had to decide to be happy with what I got accomplished and not compare myself to what other people get done. And I have to remind myself of it every day because I tend to want to try to do it all!

Nichole said... #

I have also asked myself the same thing many times. My husband and I have talked about it before and he is convinced that they can't do EVERYTHING, there has to be something that is not receiving her full attention. Maybe the SAHM with kids who no longer nap manages to do a ton of sewing, but they may spend a lot of time in front of the TV. Or the mom who works full time may spend her time sewing after the kids go to bed, but her husband doesn't get as much quality time.

I think it is easy to compare ourselves to other crafty bloggers by the quantity of projects completed. However, I have found it is important to remember that we are not seeing the entire life of a person - just the crafty side. Sewing projects take A LOT of time and we all have the same amount of time in the day, so there has to be some give somewhere. No one is going to write about how much TV their children watch, how unkept their home is, how often they eat out each week because they have "no time", or how long it has been since they spent really quality time with their husbands. Not that any of those are particularly bad in moderation, I just question whether moderation is actually the case.

Personally, I'd love to have a regular stream of blog posts about fabulous projects I am working on. However, the reality is that I spend a lot of time doing other things that are higher priority to me. I enjoy quilting immensely, but I value the relationships with my husband and my friends so much more. I'm not saying someone is wrong for spending a lot of time sewing at all. My priorities are just different and I strive to live my life in moderation to reflect that.

Anne at Film and Thread said... #

I don't think you will ever get a really honest answer to the "how do you do it all?" question without knowing someone personally and observing their life. I didn't work and had a college age child and STILL couldn't see how bloggers could crank out the production that some do and spend the huge amounts of time it takes to photograph and write for their blogs.

Maybe it is like the art world and some of the quilters are "directing" the work, but have helpers doing some of the production? Maybe they don't cook dinner in the evening or spend an hour sitting on the deck with their husband watching the sunset? Who knows? It will be interesting to see in a few years if they can still keep it up or will the joy of creating be turned into the drudgery of work?

My Life In Quilts said... #

When I was working full time and first started quilting I completed two quilts in two weeks. That was the fastest I have ever quilted because I was obsessed with the process and loved it. I am now retired and just picked quilting up again last year and grateful for my ability to sew anytime I want to, and I don't want to all the time. But that's okay. I spent 30 years running around with my head cut off, so to speak, raising my children while working full time and going to school for 5 of those years. I am allowing myself this time to chill. You can do it all, but I think we pay a price later.

Kerstin said... #

Haha, your post just cracked me up! This is the exact same question that I've asked myself so many times! Kind of makes me feel like an under achiever for not sewing/blogging more than once a week! But blogging helps, because if I don't sew, I don't have to show anything...

Krista Schneider said... #

I hear you! At 9pm last night I had to make the decision on whether to make another summer sampler block, or make a WIP blog post. I chose the latter, and quite frankly it took until 12:30. Sometimes blogging ruins my creativity because I worry about how I'm not producing enough, or the fact that I didn't post in over a week. I work ten hour days, four days a week, but have no husband or boyfriend or children, lol, so sometimes I see all these majorly on top of it quilter/bloggers and I'm like, "SERIOUSLY?!" hehehe. This post says what I think all the time! Over the weekend a friend from college came to stay, and everytime she'd hit the bathroom I'd sit down and chain piece as much of my cross quilt as I could before she returned, lol. As far as the wonky layer cake square, it would probably bother me but I'd be too lazy to so anything about it :D

Krista Schneider said... #
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jenn said... #

My blogging just had to take a backseat to my job (stay-at-home-seamstress) and time with husband. I don't have kids at home anymore and I just don't have time to blog or even read blogs much anymore. Sometimes it just requires re-arranging our priorities and re-organizing our time.

Linda said... #

I think it's all in priorities. Lately I have not had as many posts because I have had several other things that took higher priority - elderly parents, trip with my husband, commissioned quilt, preparing for a workshop. I have felt very "rushed" and almost in a panic to get all that done. I hate feeling that way. My clean house is now a wreck because it dropped to the bottom of the list. I have circles under my eyes because I started getting up 1 1/2 hours earlier. Our meals all came out of the crock pot because although we had to eat, planning out nice meals dropped on the priority list, too! You just do what you have to do. Because my quilting is part of my business, I have very little time for just quilting for pleasure. I always feel that what I do has to benefit the business. I have learned to use little snippets of time efficiently. It only takes 5 minutes to empty the dishwasher, for instance, instead of the 20 you THINK it will take. I take handwork along with me wherever I go. I run in and sew a seam if I have a few minutes to "kill". I finish the things first that HAVE to be done, then I work in the other stuff. I give myself short goals - I will finish the borders before lunch, I will get the applique pieces ready to sew before I go to bed, I will sew one row of blocks before I have to leave for church, etc. Then, if I get 2 rows sewn instead of only the one I planned, I FEEL like I'm ahead of schedule!

Patti said... #

I only started quilting after I retired, so time wasn't an issue for me. However, with quilting came blogs, and I spend a scary amount of time reading them. Creativity is my big problem...I have none it seems! The crooked layer cake would make me nuts, and I'd tell them.

Deborah said... #

I am so happy you asked these questions and I LOVE the responses - somehow very reassuring to me. As far as the crooked fabric goes I might begin by alerting the vendor just as an FYI. It WOULD make be me nuts especially at the high cost of fabric!

Brenda said... #

well, I think the grass is greener. Just like it seems your neighbour's lawn looks better than yours, so does the life and accomplishments of other bloggers. I say take it with a grain of salt and think of some people's Christmas letters -- really, is life that great for the whole 12 months of the last year? As for me, I work in fits and starts and make a lot of smaller stuff, so it looks like I'm prolific.

And yes, I would tell Moda. they need to know their customers aren't happy with off grain prints. if they're smart, they've already read your blog and are sending you a replacement layer cake as we speak.

elizabeth said... #

I started blogging to journal my small accomplishments and I do enjoy both blogging and reading others blogs. I don't feel the need to keep up with anyone, and I am quite a bit behind(I am just now making some cross quilt blocks that were popular last year : ). I have a list of tutorials I want to try and just cross them off as I go..... going at my pace(slow).

The fabric is really cool, but it would bother me if I couldn't square it up.

I enjoy your blog and all the comments today have been great.

piece,
elizabeth
http://piecefullife-elizabeth.blogspot.com/

Terriaw said... #

I would like to know how some people do it all too! I'm not one of them. I go in spurts where I will crank out a lot of sewing projects or art projects, and then have a bit of rest in between. When I was working an 8-5 job, I think I had a lot more time in the evenings to sew away. Now my schedule is all over the place, so I'm looking hard for little pockets of time to get a quick fix until my next day off. Definitely a balancing act!

Cheryl Arkison said... #

Great question!

I can do it because I've made it a priority. I schedule it in to do it, I schedule the posts, and I've created a soft schedule of what I want to post about. I know some people shun this sort of approach, but it works for me.

I am also one of those people that does better at everything if I'm busy. As long as I'm not too busy.

So, I wake before the kids to blog/write. If I can, I work out. Then it's kids, kids, kids. Sometimes I can sew or read blogs during the day, sometimes. Then after they go to bed I sew. or spend time with my husband if he's home.

It's all an attempt to balance. Just an attempt.

Crystal said... #

Cindy, I feel the same way! While I work full time, I'm pretty much in the same boat as you...no kids, a supportive guy at home, lots of fun fabric. And yet, I can hardly get anything done.

I haven't blogged about anything I'm working on lately because I'm just too exhausted to go set everything up outside (to take the best possible picture, you know) and then edit and upload and then blog. I really want to blog but it's the picture/edit/upload step that's too "hard" at the moment.

And soon it will be dark when I get home from work and I'll only be able to take pictures on the weekends...and there'll be snow everywhere. Why am I not out there taking pictures right now?!

Anyway, I also wanted to say that I think it would take me more than a week of sewing to make 6 of those blocks. I'm not really sure how to compare my quilting speed to others but I have a hunch that I'm a slow quilter. I take my time and stop to watch a few minutes of whatever show is playing in the background...and then I go talk to Ian and then I sew some more. Rarely ever do I sit and crank out block after block.

Maybe people are more dedicated during "sewing time"? Maybe if I just sat and sewed and stopped messing around, I'd get more sewing done? Perhaps if I only get one hour to sew each night, I should focus on actually sewing? Maybe I'm just not making the most of what little sewing time I can manage to find.

I don't know if any of this will help you but it's my take on why I don't ever seem to finish anything.

Doris said... #

I have these same thoughts. every. single. day. It's crippling sometimes, to the point that I want to stop blogging and reading blogs. Turn off the internet. period. That said, my blog and other's inspire me to sew as often as possible... I'm just trying to remember to not feel intimidated (is that the right word?) by what others are getting done that I'm not!!!

Poppy is right, measuring yourself against others is a recipe for disaster... proven that myself many times.

And btw, I would totally complain about that layer cake cut.

Letterpress said... #

Wow! You hit a nerve. I took the time to read all the comments and found most of them agreed with you.

Another illusion I've acquired--and have had to understand--is that when I read a lot of blogs at once, there's this feeling that everyone is SUPERBLOGGER all the time. But when I've gone in to one person's blog, and read it consistently--scrolling through a week, or several, they have their down times too. I think the aggregate blows our minds--much like picking up one of those Martha Stewart magazines used to do. We'd look at everything in September and vow to have it all ready for Christmas, forgetting that Martha had a staff of 20 people working for 9 months to get that Christmas issue on the newsstands!

I don't think there is any way around the skewed pattern on the layer cake squares, but here's my workaround: pin it on grain and steam the heck out of it back to square. Chances are it is printed on-grain and in the cutting process it moved off-grain. You do lose some edges, unfortunately. Your quilting at the end of the quilt will stabilized it further.

But I remember taking a class from Roberta Horton on plaids. She said she didn't mind the off-grain nature of some plaids as it gave the quilt "energy." Sometimes we just have to think about it differently.

Great post today, Cindy. Thanks!

Elizabeth E.
http://occasionalpiece.wordpress.com

p.s. It's interesting to see how many Elizabeths there are out there!

Melanie said... #

I agree with everyone else! It's so easy for me to get caught up in the whole "why can't I be like everyone else" guilt trip, but I have decided to stop!

I have two small children at home and that's my priority. Some of my friend's children will sit still and quietly play with their toys while mommy does something else. Not my children!

One day they'll leave for college, and after I finish crying I'll quilt!

Long story short, I don't get "it" all done, but that's okay...

Definitely let Moda know you aren't happy with the pre-cut. I'm sure they'll replace it!

Lee said... #

My secret? Very little sleep, and a whole LOT of coffee. I'm kind of serious about that. : )

Other than coffee, I agree with most of the other comments here. It's all about prioritizing and finding ways to maximize your time. My older daughter doesn't nap anymore, so I made sure she was in an afternoon preschool class. That way she's at school at the same time that my younger one is napping, giving me a solid two hours to myself every school day. I also went out of my way, both last school year and this one, to find people to carpool with for preschool. Only driving my daughter one way gives me back at least a half an hour a day! Little things like that add up.

I also will admit that my house is not as clean as it used to be, and I almost NEVER cook (I'm a little embarrassed to admit that, but I've never liked cooking, no matter what else I have going on - it's just not my thing). And even though I have a lovely sewing room, my sewing machine has basically become a permanent fixture right in the middle of our family room! That gives me the ability to sew and still be with my husband in the evenings, or I can sew while my kids play right next to me.

Those are the things that work for me - I guess it's all about finding what works for YOU and your family!

Your 36-patch blocks are looking great! And yes, I WOULD bother writing to Moda about the crooked cutting. I've often noticed that with jelly roll strips and it really bothers me. It makes pre-cuts less usable, IMO.

Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday!

Grandma G said... #

Interesting discussion! And thoughts I've had many times. I think it boils down to:
1. Comparisons
2. Illusions
3. Priorities

And 4. "What do I want for ME?" (As opposed to what everybody else is seeming to accomplish.)

(Not to mention that we're getting older, my friend, and we don't have the energy we used to have.) Didn't you like how I didn't mention that??? ;)

P.S. Nobody does it ALL. NOBODY.

www.randomthoughtsdoordi.com said... #

when you find a remedy to this problem please share it with me. I know I spend way too much time reading blogs and looking at flickr. I should be sewing so I can create more, but I am a slow mover in the morning so this helps me wake up! I agree with Poppyprint, I am more creative since I started blogging and doing flickr swaps and stuff, but now I have so many projects of inspiration on my list I could sew forever and not be caught up!

Unknown said... #

Oh, I'm right there with you. I'm often amazed at what others can get done!
I don't work, but I also don't get to sew much during the day unless I'm ok with Addy vegging in front of the tv. :(
I try to do most of my sewing when Matt is traveling, b/c even if we're just watching tv together, we try to spend the evenings and weekends together.
One thing I did notice is that some of the bigger bloggers are actually making money off of what they are doing-so making money affords them the ability to hire part time childcare or someone to clean their house or both! I think that if I was spending money on part time childcare, I would be *very* productive during those times-probably more productive than when Matt offers to take Addy to the park so I can have a few hours to "work".
Other than that, I'm just not sure! Maybe we have horrible time management skills and we just don't know it! ;)

DianeY said... #

I find a lot of fabric is printed severely off-grain & it's not just Moda. But it's my biggest pet peeve! I hate it! Sometimes I cut with the print & say heck with the grain-at least it looks better. I use spray starch in this case to stabilize it some

Unknown said... #

oh, and as for the layer cake...it's worth an email to Moda. I emailed them about a bad jelly roll cut and they sent me a whole jelly roll for my "trouble"! :)

Angela Nash said... #

Sometimes I think the whole blog world has made me a manic/depressive crafter. It's either super-inspired and motivated creating, or I'm overwhelmed and do nothing because it's just too much.

I do love all the ideas and connections we make through the blog world. I have to remind myself to do what I love at the speed I want and that's OK.

Archie The Wonder Dog said... #

The crooked square would bother me and I would complain - if no one complains then they carry on doing it...
You've asked the very question I've been asking! I started my blog 11 days ago and I'm already wondering how on earth I'm going to keep up with everything - I think I just have to accept that I'm not going to be able to keep completely on top of all my blog reading and still have time to stitch and I really need to set a timer to tell me when to get off the computer! That or read far fewer blogs!!

Tamara Hampton said... #

ok... i confess, i read and post blogs while working. No one complains to the boss, because i am the boss! (i own a pizza restaurant and we work 12 hour days... were bound to have a few slow ones) Sewing, i get up early to do that and i am sleep deprived when im excited to finish something because i get up even earlier sometimes 3 am when i went to bed at 11!

What gets put aside when im on a creative binge is my housework. but, its just ralph and i and i dont have kids, so really, its just dusty... how dirty can it get when were never home. (right now im blaming my dirty house on the lack of ac and over 100 degree temps, but that doesn't really fly because my sewing room doesn't have ac either)

I do think sometimes perfectionism is part of the problem, someone said they spent several hours on a blog post and i thought... "omg, it doesn't take me but 20 min at the most... am i doing it right?" our perfectionism gets in our way of finishing, or completing a task quickly... I think those who seem to accomplish more are less "perfectionists" they are happy with what they did and dont have to rewrite it or find the perfect picture or even have the perfect seam.... when you let go of perfectionism, you finish things faster!

Ann said... #

Hi, I finally realized that I needed to make my own list and be happy with my own progress. It's very easy when you read a lot of blogs to think the rest of the world is churning out quilts. Quilterblogs links almost 2000 blogs. If every blogger finishes a quilt every month, that's almost 76 quilts a day. I have to remember that these are many many people.

That being said I try to have piecing ready to go and sitting by my machine all the time. That way when I have a few minutes I can piece a block or a row. Also it makes it easier to start sewing when I'm tired because I don't have to gather everything up and prep it. Working fulltime sometimes I'm too tired to quilt. Sometimes I just think I am and if I just sit down and do a block I feel better. I'm also learning how long it takes to do certain steps so I can plan better, and not overwhelm myself by thinking I can do a whole quilt in a weekend.

Ann said... #
This comment has been removed by the author.
felicity said... #

Great post, Cindy! First, I would most definitely write to Moda about the crooked square.

I work full time outside the home and I have a 3½-year old daughter. My husband is a SAHD who cooks and does laundry. I am on Mama duty the moment I walk in the door until my munchkin is asleep. Then it's my time to sew. Last year, I committed to sewing at least 20 minutes a day, and that really helps motivate me those nights when I just feel overwhelmed. 20 minutes is enough to get something done and I'm that much farther along in whatever project it is. I started blogging to journal my resolution and now it's as much a part of my sewing routine as the actual sewing is!

I completely agree with Elizabeth E. - there's a fair bit of illusion there too. If you follow a lot of blogs, you see a lot of productivity in aggregate.

Marsha Cooper said... #

I read the book Side Tracked Home Executives and implemented the file box plan.
I have cards for websites that I want to get to each day. I have chore cards--daily, weekly, monthly, and so on. I have cards even for things like to take a bath and brush my hair.
I have cards that read work on crafts, work on quilt, read in a book, work on coupons.
I also put in cards to remind me when library books are due, when there are meetings at church, dr appts, etc.

I attempt to make it through every card each day even if I only spend a few minutes on something.

Lately my life is really crazy (it's the 7 extra people living in my house) and I am feeling the stress of not getting things done in a day that I want to.

Mama Pea said... #

I don't get as much done as other people seem to think I do. I'm too tired to sew during the week when I'm working full time. So, I don't sew M-F. I only sew on the weekends when I'm rested. I sew a lot more in the summers, when I'm off.

I don't watch a ton of TV and although my house is clean enough, I don't stress about it being spic and span. I have better things to do! LOL.

That being said, I think I neglect my family sometimes, in favor of sewing. Sad, but true.

And you get more done than you think. I'm so impressed that you write patterns. THAT is a time consuming and potentially frustrating task. To get six of Amanda Jean's blocks done is a week is, frankly, astounding to me.

I also feel like I let a lot of people down. That's my issue. I need to get over it. I start to feel guilty when I can't read everyone's blog that I want to, etc. But people understand, and I am trying to deal with that.

Mama Pea said... #

Oh, and I agree with Poppyprint...I have gotten WAYY more done since I started blogging. The public accountability and social camaraderie is really quite a good incentive.

verobirdie said... #

The crookedness bothers me...
Re the second question, to do something else than my full time job, I need to have a really organized week. Like grocry shopping and cooking and home cleaning done on Satturday. Project planned and even started on Sunday, and less time-consuming sewing task done when I reach home, before getting on line...
I can't achieve this every week...

Rene' said... #

Cindy sorry I can't help with this question as I definitely don't do it all. It was interesting to read all the comments as I think you pose a very good question...one so many of us can relate to. I don't think there is anyone who does it all...all the time... Krista and Anne made very good points. We are all so different....with different family situations, work schedules, energy levels, sleep requirements, etc that it is unrealistic to compare what one does to the perception/reality of what others are doing.

By the way, I'm blog reading and leaving comments while in the car on the road to visit son!!!!! It's the only time
I could find to get it done...probably not the best idea considering the seriousness of this comment:-)

What's really interesting about this subject is that I've often wondered how YOU do it all. You blog regularly, your posts are very insightful and well written, you take amazing photographs, make beautiful things (farmers wife blocks especially), and are generous in your visits to others among many other things I'm sure. I don't think you give yourself enough credit;-)

Amanda Jean said... #

I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said. I like what someone wrote about how if you look at just one individual's blog, you can see that each person has more productive times and then some lulls. If you lump them all together, intimidation is sure to follow. I know from personal experience!

When I read posts like this, sometimes it's hard not to be defensive. I am definitely in the overachiever camp. But you were here....you saw the 3 ring circus that happens in my house as a result! ;) it all takes time and effort and there are some sketchy moments that come along with it. That being said, this summer I blogged a lot less than I have in the past. I didn't finish a single quilt in August! I haven't read many blogs regularly for quite awhile, either. it's all just one big juggling act. Just like stash, WIPs and scraps!

Ok, I sure was chatty for not having anything to say. (which is pretty normal for me!) anyway, this was a great post and comments to read.

Michelle said... #

Cindy ~ how about a late comment from a blogger who hasn't posted in over a month...haha! I cannot speak from the perspective of an experienced blogger, but I will share that I have been asking myself the same question (especially since summer is over and I am back at work). I am often in awe of what everyone is able to accomplish in a day!

I am not one who can sit down for 30 minutes or so and quilt. I am an all day quilter, which means I quilt primarily on weekends. I do not "multi task" so I only work on one project at a time. I am so impressed with all of you that can keep up with multiple projects.

I wish I knew how everyone is able to get so much done, because I could certainly use the tips! Is it time management, organization skills??? I certainly have neither of those!