Let me address the elephant in the room that is my accidental disappearance from, well, everywhere. I took a much-needed, unplanned break from social media. Even on YouTube… I’ve been recording my vlogs and just haven’t done any editing or posting. But I’m a classic Cancer the crab, and as I go through things, I just withdraw from everything extra, so I can dial back and focus on the important things without the pressure of the fluff, which I do also care about, but it’s things that just aren’t like life or death.
But during this time I did a lot of planning which I’m really excited to execute. I left the corporate world 11 years ago to be a full time content creator and while so many things have changed in this world of content creation, my goals and purpose really haven’t. I love that I’ve created platforms that I get to use my voice to educate, inspire and entertain while normalizing parts of life that get looked over. Am I the influencer with hundreds of thousands or millions of followers? Nope. But that was never the goal. The goal has always been to create a comfy, cozy, safe place on the internet that made people want to show up and be part of.
Before we get into some more of my thoughts…
I love New Pattern November because it really forces me out of my creating comfort zone. Most years I get so excited and pull out like 10 patterns not remembering that I have A LOT going on in life. So this year I have a mix of patterns that I want to do. If I were feeling better today, I would already get started on one! This year I’ll be gifting 2 participants a pattern I’ve designed and actually created a spreadsheet for it.
Why I’ve Been Feeling a Little Meh…
I love the sewing community so much. Like LOVE. That is, I think about different ways to show up in the community to help and inspire people all day. In fact, during my time away, I was consumed with thoughts of how I could show up and be better for this community. However, I then think of some of my experiences within it, and it makes me sad. Like how, because I highlighted how there was still so much work that needs to be done with size inclusivity, I was called a bully. Or how people ignore the piss poor behavior of people just because of how they portray themselves in the limelight.
Or it could just be my menopausal brain just having trouble keeping up with things, taking them for what they are, and moving on.
While what we do in sewing isn’t brain surgery, I love that I get to make an impact on people’s lives and how they show up. I love the community that I have created. I love designing and sharing pieces of my life that have helped others and the good really does outweigh the challenges. That coupled with the community that is Topstitch, I really love that I get to do what I do.
How are you? What have you been creating? What’s on your “must-sew” for fall list?
My "must sew" is a Christmas present for my son. I am making him denim coveralls with an embroidered name tag. I also am planning on make a couple of flannel pairs of the Paris Palazzo pants. My Halloween ones were go great, I want some non season specific ones.
However, I am not doing well. I have hurt a friend by stating I will no longer attend her retreats. (I pay to be there and loose income while there because I am not a work.) She has a customer that is not nice to her, nor the other staff. The customer says things on social media very close to slander. My trauma response is triggered by this person and I don't feel I should force myself to be around her. I agonized for months about attending the retreat knowing she would be there, even though my friend said she behaves now. I allowed myself to be "talked" into attending. (Read that as shamed because they all said I shouldn't let her get to me) However, being bullied into doing what I do not want to do and havimg to just take what happens to me is part of my ptsd trauma. I feel my so-called community/tribe was being disrespectful by invalidating my feelings after I was very vulnerable and sharing of how the situation of being stuck in a room, all day, for 4 days in this social setting would make me feel. Anyway, that's my current stuggle. But, Christmas makes, a dress, and several pants will keep me busy!
Welcome back! The sewing community online has grown so much and still feels small in some ways. It sometimes feels like we keep returning to big conversations we've already had because with every influx of new people, we somehow don't move forward. Things like representation, sizing, pricing, and more where it can be exhausting for folks who have been leading those conversations for years. Needing a break to reset is understandable.
After a big year of life changes, I'm feeling creativity return and it feels good. My want to sew list is infinitely longer than my reality, but planning is also fun. I'm definitely making a pair of Jigsaw Pants this fall and winter. The design is super interesting from pattern cutting and the finished garments I've seen look amazing in all sorts of fabrics.