May be its a silly question but what would our lives be without sewing and embroidering? I know woman that can't even sew on a button, but have other talents. I would be empty without sewing and embroidering how about you?

I've always sewn off & on but got into embroidery just over a year ago. My 20 year old disabled son is now at home full time and I had to give up working. Would go insane if I couldn't sew & embroider almost every day. And I'm getting better at it too.

Well there are people whe seem happy with the TV. we do not have one in the living room, we are both retired and far too busy with hobbys, and to answer your question years ago I was a keep fit and yoga teacher and that took loads of time up.in the evenings I did wood carving at that time, very interesting but very slow.Glad I went back to sewing.Hugs Pam.

Thanks for all the input dear Cuties, very interesting! From a very early age I learned to sew, I had a play sewing machine and made my own dolls clothes and later on clothes for my Barbie dolls with my mothers sewing machine and just went on and today my mother ask me to make her some clothes, I design and make all my clothes myself and since I got my embroidery machine last year June, Oh Boy it is wonderful to create new designs (I can't digitize)And in the meantime we are farmers and I bake rusk and bread and cookies for 2 local shops and make my own Jams and Chutney. It is Summer now and on the moment I am busy with Peach Chutney with some chillies in I like a nice hot sauce. Next week it is time for green beans, and I make bottled Curry Beans and freeze some. When Oh When will I have time for sewing!!! lol I will make time. Hugs Louise

I had lots to keep me busy. Love to cook, bake, swimming,charity work and SHOPPING, but would be lost without my machines.
Well I don't seem to go shopping as much anymore, since the machines, digitising and "cute" keep me pretty busy.
Get up at 6 and go to bed most nights at midnight or after.

Hugs Yvonne

This has been interesting, glad to had an input!

I have been on a sewing machine from a very early age, maybe 3 or 4. My mother was afraid I would run the needle over my finger and I never have.I was making basic doll clothes at that age. I majored in home economics in high school and college and wanted to be a fashion designer , but I did not want to apprentice in New York and gave it up to become a buyer of high end fashion in a dept store in the 1960's. It was a creative job and I learned a lot.One does not buy what they like , but what will sell and never buy it if you have doubts. Kay

Sewing is a big part of my life now, love embroidery, making quilt, clothing. A neighbor lady taught me how to sew a button on a doll dress when I was about 5 yrs old, never forgot. My daughter hate sewing.

When I had three small kids and ran a day care I did not have time to sew, but I did photography and created video montage with music for graduations, weddings, birthday,etc. I purchased my first embroidery machine 4 years ago and my second this summer. Now my photography takes second place.
Cindy B.

I love the time I spend in my sewing and knitting, or whatever use of thread, yarn and fabric. It is most satisfying! I do buttons with my machine now, just because I can!

Well said i will be crazy if i dont have my sewing and embroidery I take my sewing knitting or crochet even if i go for a holiday .
Brenda

I love to sew and embroider BUT I can't sew on a button it always comes off so now I use the machine to sew the buttons on

4 comments

by meganne 11 Jan 2012

Raels a little trick to sew on buttons by hand, place a match stick between the button and the fabric and then stitch the button on, ensuring you finish off with a good knot. Having the match there creates a thread shank, which gives more room to make doing up and undoing the buttons easier, less stress on the thread and less chance of breaking it or ripping the material.

by meganne 11 Jan 2012

doing up and undoing the buttons easier, less stress on the thread and less chance of breaking it or ripping the material.

by hightechgrammy 11 Jan 2012

I haven't figured out how to sew buttons on with my machine, without breaking needles and the buttons...

by katydid 11 Jan 2012

Me ,too.

But we might have spent lots of money on things other than our fabric stash and machines -and therapy? LOL. Good thing I can sew -it's my saving grace, because I'm sure not much good at housework or cooking!

since I was a little girl I sew, always have a sewing machine, later I saved for my first embroidery machine beside sewing I like painting, and reading.

I got my sewingmachine lastg August. So what did I do before,.. Learning Spanish; working in my garden, reading, sewing manually (table runners), knitting,..Everything (execpt the Spanish) has been put on a lower level, or "no" level since I have the sewing machine. Just love it.

1 comment

by katydid 12 Jan 2012

WoW!!

For me, it would be like losing my right arm!

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by hightechgrammy 11 Jan 2012

I mean sewing. I have always sewn to make things I want and need.

There would still be knitting, crochet, bobbin lace making, tatting, photography, painting, bookbinding, gardening, millinery - and there are cupboards filled to overflowing with materials and utensils for all of those. And then there's reading, singing, swimming, walking. And voluntary work.
Bored or empty? Never!

3 comments

by shirlener88 11 Jan 2012

You are one busy lady - no wonder you have so much talent and knowledge.

by katydid 12 Jan 2012

Wish i knew those skills

by mops 12 Jan 2012

ME and digitising put an end to a lot of hobbies!

Oh, I would be too. I love embroidery and quilting. Keeps me sane.

1 comment

by katydid 12 Jan 2012

I have not gotten to Quilting for a reason. I Can not have two obsessions.

I've always been busy doing something or other. I have a wide variety of interests but the newest is machine embroidery. I get bored doing the same thing
so I switch out my hobbies during the year.

Before machine embroidery and digitising, there was knitting and crochet, photography, cards and stationery to create on the computer, cats and dog grooming (regularly), gardening, macramé, dressmaking, antique stores to browse, furniture rejuvenation, swimming, golf and tenpin bowling and a home without dust bunnies where there was a place for everything and everything was in it place.

I was also 56 lb lighter then too. Hmmmm?

10 comments

by shirlener88 11 Jan 2012

Well my word Meg, no wonder - with all that going on - we knew you were talents and had alot of knowledge of the world - now we know why. Hmmmmm!

by meganne 11 Jan 2012

hahaha! Oh Shirlene, what can I say? I get bored with things very quickly. I need the challenge but once I've mastered something once, I rarely do it again.
I left out: hobby ceramics, porcelain doll making, reborn doll making and making the clothes to dress the dolls I create. I've also done hook rugs, tie-dyeing, ran a horse agistment property, milked the cow, made my own butter and bread and sold for profit.
I've had a very full and diverse life.... LOL!!!

by meganne 11 Jan 2012

to dress the dolls I create. I've also done hook rugs, tie-dyeing, ran a horse agistment property, milked the cow, made my own butter and bread and sold for profit.
I've had a very full and diverse life.... LOL!!!

by bumblebee 11 Jan 2012

Sounds like me a bit. I like figuring out how to do new things. I now roast my own coffee, chocolate and starting to learn to make cheese. So far mozzarella, cheddar and farmers. I like to bake my own bread too. I find it fun.
Do you have a farm?

by hightechgrammy 11 Jan 2012

My grandmother used to make and sell angel food cakes from the chicken eggs she gathered from her own chickens. It helped her family survive during the Great Depression during the 1930s. Don't you also make your own jams and jellies? :-) and can your own soups? :-)

by hightechgrammy 11 Jan 2012

own soups? I have a friend who makes her own tinctures and soaps, even cough syrups and lip balms. Didn't you also go through a candles stage? Were you doing all these things in Australia while I was doing them in America?

by bumblebee 11 Jan 2012

I'm in USA but I did learn to make real soap and balms from an online group a few years ago. Its wonderful stuff but I never got into making candles. I can but only preserves and jams from my fruit trees and tomatoes.

by meganne 12 Jan 2012

I went through a fruit preserving stage but don't have any fruit trees now. I still do preserves occasionally but only if I get an abundance of cheap fruit. I still like to bake bread, but it turns out so good I can't stop eating it. I make yoghurt, but considering I'm allergic to dairy products I really shouldn't be eating it. I'm allergic to soap too so I suppose I should be trying to make my own body wash, but then I'm allergic to Lanolin so I couldn't use that as the moisturiser could I?.
Yes Australia went through the great depression but I wasn't born then, I just have always liked to make things for myself and I'll have a go at anything that piques my interest. Candles don't interest me that much, I need bright lights. LOL!!!!

by meganne 12 Jan 2012

considering I'm allergic to dairy products I really shouldn't be eating it. I'm allergic to soap too so I suppose I should be trying to make my own body wash, but then I'm allergic to Lanolin so I couldn't use that as the moisturiser could I?.
Yes Australia went through the great depression but I wasn't born then, I just have always liked to make things for myself and I'll have a go at anything that piques my interest. Candles don't interest me that much, I need bright lights. LOL!!!!

by meganne 12 Jan 2012

Australia went through the great depression but I wasn't born then, I just have always liked to make things for myself and I'll have a go at anything that piques my interest. Candles don't interest me that much, I need bright lights. LOL!!!!

Whether it be sewing/embroidery or other crafts, it would have to be something were I create. Before embroidery (2years now) I created floral arrangements,
scrapbooking, sewing St. Nicolas's and home decor. I have always loved working with my hands and hope to continue a long, long time,
hugs
Michelle

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by katydid 12 Jan 2012

I move from one project to another . I do not want an order of 12 for anything.

I was brought up in a home where needle crafts of all kinds were going on. I cannot imagine what I would do without them. If I have a day without being creative it feels empty.

I do know I was busy - before I started embroidery work - but what I did - I really don't know - I had lots of hobby's and interest - I kept my time filled with things to do and people to see - somehow I found a passion in my embroidery work - a creative interest that was deep down - that surfaced through this sort of work - I didn't even know it had it. Hehehe!

sewing has keep me sane for 40 years. I use to make clothes for my kids and nieces. Then started with gk. Now crafts and emb. and a few things for ggbabies. The church ladies sew once a week, We laugh and talk about the ones that don't sew.

I have a non sewing friend & she asks what I do to keep from being bored...yeah right. I can't understand how some women can't sew or don't want to learn. This friend does not have any sort of hobby so I don't know what she does in her spare time. A neighbour even asked me to teach her to crochet so she could do things in her spare time - she has 6 kids, I don't know where she gets any spare time..lol

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by louisecockeran 11 Jan 2012

That my point too, my neighbor don't read,sew, crochet,knit quilt or any hobby at all and no children either but she doesn't have any spare time at all??