Friday 16 October 2015

Vicar's Craft Corner - Sewing is free* therapy!

Last week as I was sat at my new Bernina sewing machine at my sparkly new sewing table it struck me that sewing really is bloomin' good for you. I know, I know. As if we need any more excuses to craft but sitting there, thoroughly absorbed in something just for me, I realised that this is probably one of the kindest things I am doing for myself right now.

My first garment!

As I am getting used to a new phase in life and a whole new job it is taking time to adjust. To get the balance between giving all I can to a role I love but also still having something left over at the end of the day for just being, well, a human being. You know how it is when you are busy, your mind whirls over and over with the same things.

Sometimes even time off is sort of swamped by your working life because you just can't switch your mind off. I've even had those crazy 'Performance nightmares', you know the ones where you are sat bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night convinced you are in a meeting in your pjs? What, just me? #awkward
 
But I do think I am getting there bit by bit particularly at the moment by thinking of things I need to do to 'fill up my tank'! This image was quite a useful one someone mentioned in an offhand way to me the other day and it really struck a cord. You can't run on a car on empty nor can you run a person on empty either.

When life is demanding and lots of the things you are doing are draining the resources from your energy reserves then they need to be filled up again. At the moment this seems better done to me little and often. It has been helpful to grab that quick half an hour to snuggle down with a book or taking the time to make something good for dinner.
 
A pretty great place to be

I've had to get off my behind a little bit too because actually a lot of tank filling activities are active things for me. Sewing is definitely one of those things. I always felt like I didn't have the time or energy before to do anything but collapse onto the sofa. And while I am a dedicated advocate of sofa time getting into sewing has given me something completely different in my life that I am really valuing and really is filling up the 'ol tank!

Having a creative new hobby gives me a chance to think about something different, to be absorbed in something that is so thoroughly different to the rest of my life. Sitting at the sewing machine hours fly by as if they were minutes and suddenly I have made something. Something has emerged from just bits of fabric and thread from my own hands. It is amazing and absolutely great fun.

Some of the new stash!

I think Psychologists call that feeling 'flow', when you just get totally lost in something, and I can see how it can be so good for your health and well being. For me, the pursuit of the next gorgeous bit of fabric and the sketching designs and browsing fashion magazines puts me in a new place where I can scarcely remember what was stressing me this week.

This week's project!

So how about you, any activities in your life that bring you that wonderful escape or that fantastic flow? I'm off back to my sewing machine! :)


*I say free but let's be honest one of the joys of a new craft is the chance to shop for all you supplies. Having just returned from the Knitting and Stitching show I am definitely less a few pounds but the proud owner of a glorious fabric stash!

3 comments:

  1. Well done you, your projects look fabulous.

    absolutely agree. I love to sew - but have broken two sewing machines this year so clearly I'm not very good! - the feeling of getting totally engrossed in making something is wonderful. I'm back to hand sewing now. A hexagon quilt that I started this time last year. I made one for my daughter Violet and she loved it so much. So I'm making her another!

    Happy weekend to you, and thank you again for your kindness this week. x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sewing and indeed crafting in general is good for healing and we all need that!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sewing and indeed crafting in general is good for healing and we all need that!

    ReplyDelete