Checking in with the Sewing Buddies

We’re back from our vacation (I promise to bore you with wayyyyy too many photos later this week), and settling into our new (rental) house.  The studio space is smaller than my last place (seen here, boxed up just before the move), but I think in a lot of ways it will work better for me.  Well, except that I haven’t quite figured out yet where the ironing board is going to go, and it really derails me to have to drag it out every time I need it instead of leaving it up all the time.

Actually, at this point, a LOT is derailing me.  It’s hard to have half your belongings still in boxes and not know where everything is and still be motivated to get Real Work done.  Except that I have at least two major deadlines coming up, along with two or three smaller ones, plus my regular actual life to live, and I could use some motivation.  Which made me automatically think of the Sewing Buddies.*

The folks I have met online who sew and craft are endlessly inspiring to me, and have become people whose opinons and feedback and influence I value much more highly than I would have thought.  If you had told me five years ago that some of my closest friends would be people who I have never met in person, or that I could get to know someone as well through their blog and emails as I knew my best friend in the ninth grade, I would never have believed you.  But there it is, these women (mostly) who have so substantially altered the way I see the world and what I consider to be possible, who constantly encourage me to push beyond what I think I can create to cast a vision for something bigger.  It’s amazing, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

That’s what I hope having a Sewing Buddy has done for some folks.  I hear back occasionally about Buddies meeting up in person, mailing one another packages, participating in online bees together, arranging charity sewing with one another.  It constantly amazes me.  I know that not all the Buddy pairings worked perfectly–and that’s OK.  We’re not all meant to be besties with every person we meet.  But the proportion of Buddies who have really hit it off and who have found excitement and support and inspiration through one another is pretty astounding.

If you and your Sewing Buddy are looking for some things you can do to enhance your Buddy relationship, check out these ideas from last summer.  If you and your Buddy have already been having adventures, leave a comment and let me know! I feel a little out-of-touch with you all, and am anxious to be inspired by you to get off my rump and get back to my machine.

*Every once in a while, I have a typo and write “Sewing Biddies,” which totally makes me laugh.

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  • Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts
    July 12, 2011 at 11:07 am

    Good luck with the unpacking Deborah!
    Wish I had known about sewing buddies before. What a great and fun idea! Aren’t online sewing friends fun? I am really excited about meeting some of my sewing friends at the Sewing Summit in October.

    Looking forward to seeing what you dive into first after finding that where everything goes.

  • Sarah
    July 12, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    My sewing buddy and I have exchaanged emails and packages, and although we haven’t been as in touch lately, it’s still a pretty cool thing!

  • April Forshee
    July 12, 2011 at 5:07 pm

    My buddy from last year and I did an exchange. She gave me some linen to make napkins from and I sent her a stack of fabric to do whatever with for me!

    Napkins: http://forsheedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/05/linen-napkins-whipstich-sewing-buddy.html

    Pillow: http://scgoble.blogspot.com/2011/04/pillows-and-more-pillows.html

  • Trish
    July 13, 2011 at 10:06 am

    Love my buddy!! She is talented at many other crafty things. I’m always inspired by her. We’ve done 2 exchanges and email frequently. She lives in a different country, but maybe someday we’ll meet. I have enjoyed making a new friend that loves sewing and creating!

  • Faith
    August 20, 2011 at 10:55 am

    Deborah, I can’t say enough thanks for setting up the sewing buddies group. I met a sweet kindred spirit all the way on the other side of the world. We don’t even sew the same type items which in a way is so neat because we can learn different things from each other [although I don’t think I’ll ever be able to knit] or live vicariously through each other. She sews clothes and knits; I sew home decor and crochet. She is such an inspiration to me. Thanks for pairing us up. You are responsible for friendships made round the world! (: Don’t you just love that?!