…I’m just lost.
I seem to have lost my way a little bit with blogging and social media in general. The constant onslaught of adverts on instagram, some weight gain, a lack of motivation to sew or blog anything, the continuous favouritism displayed in certain areas within the sewing community, the same pattern shapes being released by multiple pattern companies, the desperate graspiness for attention and the repetitiveness on my feeds have left me feeling lacklustre, uninspired and like I have nothing to offer you on this funny little corner of the internet.
But lately I’ve begun to rethink about exactly why I started this blog, why I started sharing my makes on instagram and what I want out of it all and I’ve realised that, ultimately, what I need to do is do it all for me. Now I know that sounds pretty damn obvious (it’s my blog after all) but in the online sewing community at the moment feels ultra competitive with intense pressure to be ‘insta-perfect’ and ain’t nobody got time for that! I certainly don’t.
I sew because it makes me feel like me. I miss it when I can’t do it, I get all scratchy without a project and I love planning projects. I love that sewing means I can make clothes that actually fit that I actually want to wear, no matter my size. I love that this hobby allows me to use skills I worked bloody hard and paid a lot of money to achieve, to create and think in ways my day job doesn’t facilitate. I write because I want to share. It feels great to be able to talk my experiences (even when it all goes a bit wrong!) and I hope that even if only 1 person ever reads this blog that I can offer something they enjoy. I always want to be as genuine and as ‘me’ as possible, not some insta-ready, insta-perfect lifestyle account. I don’t want to do things that mean I fit in. I never seem to fit in and that’s ok.
In particular lately I’ve noticed that instagram feels more and more like a competition. Having found myself thrilled at how many likes a post received only to feel disappointed with my next post, I know now that’s not a terribly healthy way to feel. It’s just an app! I recently unfollowed hundreds of accounts to help my feed fill up with content I actually want to see and I do plan to continue to do this slowly for the next few months. Mentally I don’t have the room for the clutter that is an obligation follow. I’d much prefer to follow 50 accounts I really love instead of 5000 because they once used the hashtag ‘sewing’…
I want to make and share what I want to make and share, in a way that’s true to me. I hope that people will continue to be interested (hello if you’re still reading, by the way) and that they want to engage with me and my blog or instagram, but for the foreseeable I’m choosing to focus on posting things I want to, not things I feel obligated to. I’m not promising I’ll post more often, but I’m still here!
If any of you have felt like this before please comment or email and let me know how you refound your love for your blog, or even if you didn’t or even if it’s not about blogging at all! I’d love to know.
Jenny stitched this 
I often skip over non-sewing content, but some of the most memorable postings I’ve read have been problems: stressing out over projects; analyzing wadders; reflecting on hoarding or perfectionism; discussing body dissatisfaction, etc. I’ve been overwhelmed by all the blogs I follow. I’ve culled blogs that don’t share my interests (I can tolerate the occasional quilt or kid’s clothes, but not a steady stream of it), were too commercial and a few that were just too, um, cute. I’ve worked on skimming rather than reading every single post–there’s just not enough time in the day for me to be obsessively completionistic about my blogroll.
Don’t do it for me, but I’m reading. I’m interested in your sewing adventures.
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Thank you for your comment. It’s good the read that the kind of posts you enjoy most aren’t the ‘perfect looking life’ ones, those are the ones I enjoy most too! X
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I hope everything you do, you do for you! I’m almost 70 years old, still create and sew, still blog, but it is for myself. A diary, a journey, and if no one ever sees or reads that’s ok. All the social media is outside, Focus on your inside! You will be happier and more at peace.
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Thank you for your kind comment Jean. I will try to focus on sharing whatever and whenever I want to rather than trying to keep up. I’m glad you’re still sewing just for you! Where do you blog? I’d love to see some of you makes 🙂
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I don’t have a blog, a vlog, or a Twitter account. My social media is limited only to FaceBook. Considering that I can waste an entire day thee, even that is probably too much–but the only way I can stay in communication with people I care about. I think too much social media is contributing to my depression. I have’t sewn in three years. I’ve lost nearly 85 pounds, which should be cause to celebrate–except nothing I created comes within a mile of fitting–and I have no ambition to try to alter any of it.
I am 71 years old, and somehow I keep thinking I ought to have a solution to this mess and as yet I don’t.
I think I’ll go clean and oil my serger. Then maybe I’ll cull and organize my sewing room. If I can’t make something, at least the room will no longer offend me.
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Although social media is a useful tool (I keep facebook for communication reasons too), it can definitely make depression worse but it may be worth speaking to someone professionally about how you’re feeling – this is entirely your choice. Oiling your serger is a positive step though, sometimes I come in here and rethread mine just to feel like I’ve accomplished something! Trying a new time of craft helps too sometimes – I taught myself to knit, perhaps trying something that isn’t garment sewing will help you feel more positive about sewing and your new body shape! Your motivation will come back soon – baby steps are often the best way forward!
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This message really resonates! I just saw (a little bit of) what you sew and it looks very good to me! please SEW ON!! I know that, for myself, I can look at what others make and get jealous sooo fast (envious???). But then I remind myself — let me be happy for them and then I remind myself that I did good work too — somewhere, maybe I am envied by somebody!
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I share what I like to make and make only clothes that are the ones I like to wear. With every new pattern release you see the same (popular) seamstresses promoting the just released pattern if they just found the perfect gem wether it’s a basic T-shirt, a very basic garter skirt or a dropped shoulder sweater. I don’t mind paying sometimes € 25,00 for a pattern if it has an unique design. When you sew garments like this you don’t attract many people but that’s not what I’m after. I don’t want ta have a wardrobe filled with populair items: I want unique pieces because that was one of the reasons why I decided to make my own clothes. It takes me sometimes a week or two to make a jacket. In my blogposts I share all the costs and time spent on making a garment. I believe in recycling and make new clothes from discarded garments. Probably not everyones cup of tea but at least I’m showing who I am and what I stand for. That’s what I like and want to share with the few readers and followers of my blog and IG-account.
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