Back at work & feeling lazy

I’ve been back at work the last two days after having (almost) a one year break. It’s safe to say I was quite nervous on Monday. Luckily I eased myself into it, only working a couple of hours a day and my first ‘customer’ was a college. Yesterday though, I had 2 paying customers. It felt like it went in slow motion, especially the first cut, but I managed to be done in time.

Today I have a day off and even though I feel like I do something ever single day, whether it’s laundry, cleaning or just look after my son, I can’t help to feel lazy. I don’t know why and I wish I didn’t beat myself up over it. It’s like everyone around me is so productive and I’m not even halfway to my goals.

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We did manage to create a new office space so hopefully the creativity will just be flowing in this room. I really want to start sewing again reguallary and actually finish pieces I love and would want to wear. I have some huge ideas, I just don’t know how to get them down to paper and where to start. Fixing my serger to the right stitch lengths has also been a battle. I still have to figure out what the right settings are and how in the world I’m going to use it probably.

Wish me luck!  

Elizabeth

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I wish the day had more than 24 hours

I desperately need more hours in the day. It’s frustrating to know that the day is coming to an end and I’ve hardly done anything productive. Most of my days start off very early but today I got to sleep til 8 am which I can’t remember when I’ve done last. Jumping out of bed, checking to my baby because I though he was already up. He wasn’t which made it possible to go to the toilet in peace and make breakfast. Between breakfast and my son’s first nap I managed to workout. He didn’t wake up before after my shower which was amazing, but after that the day just went into a blur.

We drove to his grandparents in the early afternoon and came home 2 hours later. That would give me more than enough time to do what I need to do. But between diaper changes, making dinner and giving my son a bath there’s not much time left for me.

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I’ve been sitting at my sewing machine for the last hour but I just can’t get it to work properly. I’ve seen X amount of YouTube videos on ‘how to’. Everything from threading to sewing, but they all make it seem so simple and here I am still struggling. If I haven’t told you I got a SERGER for my birthday this year but it was bough on eBay so it wasn’t exactly brand new. I thought I could just sit down and start sewing but one problem after another started appearing. I’ve change both knives, needles and all 4 threads – and I still can’t figure it out. Why does everything have to be so bloody difficult with me?
That was my Sunday rant. I just had to get it out so that I wouldn’t go crazy. Sometimes I wish things would just be simple, but I guess that’s just too much to ask for.

Anyway, I hope for a better day tomorrow. Until then, goodnight.

Elizabeth

It isn’t Sunday unless you’ve completely wasted it

I just had the laziest Sunday ever. And it’s not Sunday unless you completely wasted it and feel horrible around 8pm.

There should definitely be a day between Sunday and Monday.

I can’t feel completely sad because did manage to do laundry, cook and play with my baby boy. Which isn’t a baby soon since he’s turning 1 in under three months! And he’s already started to walk. Can I say that I’m a proud mum? His first teeth are also coming in slowly – only 15 more to go now.

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On another note I got a desk for my sewing equipment. I finally have a place just for me. Even though I’m setting on the bed right this minute and haven’t used my desk more then once since I’ve got it. But I will get there!

I have so many ideas but it’s like I need a kick to get started. I know I love it when I do get started but I’m missing the last nudge to take the first step.

Elizabeth

Be your own photographer

Hijab: Modanisa // Top: H&M // Shoes: H&M // Sunglasses: H&M // Pants: Made by me

I took these pictures a few days ago when I was going for a walk. And when I came across an empty space with no one around I had to take out my camera and put it on self timer before I started posing around by my self. Things you’ll do for a good outfit post. But I love doing it so I don’t mind at all. Besides, I’m so much more comfortable alone then when someone else takes my photos.

Today was spend with family before we came home a couple of hours ago. Now it’s time for some relaxing time and then I’ll be going to bed.

Elizabeth

Make your own jeans jacket

A little while back I made a deal with myself that I would use up all the fabric that I’ve already purchased before I buy any new. So I looked in my fabric box and found a lot of denim. This idea came out of the blue but perfectly timed because my old jeans jacket is a bit too tiny and too tight, for a hijabi that is.

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To make this jacket you’ll need:

• Front/back and sleeve pattern
• Fabric (I chose a light and a dark denim color)
• White thread and/or a strong thread
• Twin needle & denim needle
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Pins
• and a seem ripper, if anything goes wrong.

• I made my pattern out of tracing the front of a dress which you can use for both the front and back piece. And a long sleeved shirt for the sleeves.
• Line up, pin down and cut out your choice of fabric. Pin the front and back shoulder seems by laying the fabric right sides together and sew. Lay down your jacket, wrong sides up and pin your sleeves in place and sew. When you’ve finished you can sew the sleeves seems together and down your waist from your sleeve on both sides.

• If you want you can add pockets which I just traced out by hand and placed at both sides. This is fairly simple to do and didn’t t use a pattern just some chalk and drew my desired design on to the fabric. Cut it out and do an overlock seem. If you don’t have an overlock machine you can use your sewing machine. You have to do this so that the fabric won’t distress. Now you only have to sew the pockets on to the front of your jacket.

• Now I started seem rip the ends of the sleeve and at the opening of the jacket cause I thought I wanted a distressed cool look. After doing so, and waisting endless amount of time, I found out that it didn’t look good at all and I wouldn’t use this jacket. So the only do to do was to cut away those ends and make a nice overlock seem on the ends. I continuing on with a twin needle to do a hemmed seem at the bottom and around the opening of the jacket and at the sleeves. I used a white thread because I wanted the seem to be seen but that’s up to you.

Elizabeth

 

One finally attempt

So I finally finished a skirt I started on making a while back. The only thing was that I made it too thigh and i was hard to move in it. Now I finally fixed it with the help from a YouTuber. She gave me the brilliant idea to make a slit in the back and sew in a triangle piece of fabric. I had some complications with the execution which made it way too frustrating to sit down and sew. I took a beat and came back to the project, but whenever I did my sewing machine would pull down the fabric and tangle it all up, making holes in it. When I noticed my machine wasn’t willing to work with my, I hand stitched the fabric but this wasn’t the optimal solution. I finally sat down yesterday for one final attempt. And to my surprise, it worked! With a new needle in the machine and a lot of patience, I finally finished it.

My machine: Husqvarna VIKING H|CLASS
Fairly simple to maneuver when you get the hang of it. I recently also looked in the manual which, to my surprise, was a huge help. I found out that I could actually do an overlook seem with the machine. It’s nothing like an actually overlook machine but it does the job, with a much nicer finish than before.

 

Elizabeth

From spring to snow

Today was a cold and gray day. Unlike yesterday when the sun was shinning and the flowers still bloomed. What a different a day can make. Now the sidewalk is covered with snow and there is yet again a cold breeze outside. It may go without saying but we stayed inside today. Even though I desperately need to make a trip to the grocery market because our fridge is running empty soon. Other than staying inside today I managed to clean a little, take an afternoon nap and start a new sewing project. Hopefully I’ll be able to share the process and result with you soon. I’ll be heading off to bed in less than twenty minutes so I’ll say goodnight now.

Elizabeth

What I dreamed about

I used to dream about designing, styling or working at a magazine. I wanted people to feel great about themselves. I wanted to do that through clothes and fashion. Only once when I grew up did I say that I wanted to become a hairdressers. I remember it so well, but that dream faded as fast it came. I’m hurting my body while I’m doing something I never dreamed about becoming. Both mentally and physically. I have neck and shoulder pains, my hands dry up and hurt when they’re too long in water. I’ve spend thousands on chiropractor appointments only to suffer through a job I don’t even enjoy.

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You are at the end of your teens when they ask you what you want to become. The time when you change your mind as fast as you changed your clothes. How can you know? And the dreams I had were unreachable. They are still so far away but so close to my heart.
I had a young customer once asking me what I wanted to do if money wasn’t a problem. He asked me if I wanted to do something different, and I answered no. But I wanted to scream from the top of my lungs, YES, I DO! I do want to do something different with my life! I want to look forward going to work. I want to have my own clothing line, and design clothes for women. I want to be my own boss and I want to be great at it!

Is it really an unreachable dream? Can dreams really come true?

Elizabeth

Monday

When I’ve got one day off I try to squeeze in as much as possible. I maximize the time I have and do multiple things at once. I know this can be quite distracting and not always the most effective. But I like to multitask. Right now I’m transferring pictures from iCloud to my hard drive whilst I’m writing todays blog post and drinking coffee. On top of that one of my two cats also wants to cuddle. On that note, don’t you just want to cuddle and squeeze all these baby animals at once? That baby penguin just melts my heart.

weheartit

I often set too much up for myself. I’m certain will make it, but half way through it time ran out. Still ahead are several things, cooking, cleaning and maybe starting a sewing project. They always inspire me but also scare me. I never seem to finish and if I do I’m never a hundred prosent happy with the result. The struggles of a perfectionist. I’ll keep you posted.

Elizabeth

Creating

Recently I’ve started a new project, trying to expand my creativity and challenge myself. After buying way to much fabric cos I’m still new to this area, I have slowly begun. What I have learned, especially when I don’t master the craft perfectly yet, it is extra important to divide your time on the project. Do not to rush yourself and try not to do everything at once. Even though you wish you could see the result right away. When you then do spend time on your new project, it will probably be a few hours and you won’t give up when things go wrong. Just don’t go too long without doing anything. Because then it will probably be set aside and after many years and a spring cleaning you will find it in the trash.

And before I go, I will share with you a quote, do you know who said this?

“Creativity is intelligent having fun”

Have fun,

Elizabeth