As I was cutting out my latest project on the confernce room table at work I had a co-worker stop by and see what I was up to. She gave me a funny look when , just before I made my first cut into the fabric, I made the sign of the cross with my sissors, then cut. She asked why I did that. It is something I started doing years ago because an old quilter told me that by doing that you are asking God to bless your hand, and your work. I swear the times when I didn't do it, where the times I made a major sewing F'up when cutting out.
A girl in my costuming class had to be wearing this one pair of slippers when she sewed because she felt she could never get the treddle pressure right in any other shoes. Another would not touch a sewing item unless she has on her "sewing apron". Even when she would go to the loo, she would hang it on it's hook. Soon as she would return, on went the apron. When stopped in the hall to fix a button, she would have to go to her locker, get her apron, and THEN sew it on. Her rational was that when she had her apron on she was "working", and when not on she was "normal".
Do any of you have any habit/ rituals you do ?
I talk to my sewing machine, the thread, fabric, etc trying to entice it to behave for me. Especially the finicky machine.
I have sewing needles in one pin cushion, generic straight pins in another, long hat pins in another and fine silk needles in another. I am unhappy if they get mixed up.
I am what you might call Abel retentive about my pins and needles.
I color code pins according to the bead color on the top. Makes it easier to find pins that will contrast the color of the fabric you are working with and avoid finding them after you try on the garment..
I am serious about color sorting beads too, and I do that in natural light. I freak when I find white in with the yellow, black with blue, etc. and I won't use them until I can verify the colors. When my eyes get tired, or the light changes, I can't see similar colors that well. After the pattern is finished and you see it in the sun, is not the time to find that you were using dark blue prism beads instead of black or dark green.
Well, I take off my shoes and socks, cover my feet completely in a thick coating of bacon grease, then ... oops, wait a minute, you said "silly sewing habits" ... oh my, this is embarrassing ... :-[
I can't sew in shoes at all! I have to FEEL the peddle. I also talk to my machine and other accessories (and myself!).
I also can't sew in shoes!
My "silly" habit is that I have to take off my glasses and get thisclose to the fabric to make good and sure that I am on the grain correctly when placing pattern pieces. Very OCD about this.
We have cascades of very bad jokes... Especially fabric related puns.
After I had a sewing needle taken out of foot (funny enoug how I got my ren name) I always sew in shoes. You are not allowed in my sewing room with out shoes. HOWEVER I actually prefer to sew in my ren mocasins/sandels. I feel barefoot in them.
Oh and I too belive sewing machine's have personality. We a Chucky, Snark, a lester in our wardrobe. Chucky liked to chug along, but if you tried to turn him into a speed demon he would throw a fit. Steady yet quick could get you everywhere on him. Snark, depending on how your mood was that day would tell you how he would behave. If you were in a bad mood, and slapped him around, raced him around, and talked mad to him. He would start doing all kinds of snarky things to your fabric, fingers, and just freeze up. I had Lester. He worked great as you were doing what you were told to do. If you wanted to do piping, you had to use a piping foot. If you left it on to even something little. He wouldn't like it. It had to be just what you were doing, otherwise he would grumble, never throw a fit like Snarky.
The other two machines I used a lot was ziggy (Our zig zag machine. He still does the best satin stitches I have ever seen.) and I worked with Granny. She was a machine from the late 1950's that was simular to any old singer I had growning up (and learned to sew on) Every body else wanted to chuck her in the bin, except me. I could sew on her for hours and not a peep. But once she got tired she would start to get cranky. Once you went and got a cup of tea, and took a little break, you could come back to her and she would go for many more hours. However if you cursed at her for being tired and cranky, she would do something to 'smack you on the nose' and wouldn't work for you again for a long time. I loved her. ;D
Quote from: Dinobabe on May 04, 2011, 03:40:38 PM
I can't sew in shoes at all! I have to FEEL the peddle. I also talk to my machine and other accessories (and myself!).
I love my Baby Lock automatic stop feature. No more peddlin' for me!
This isn't silly, but along the same lines: Because we have a big canine family who ALWAYS go barefoot (I've tried talking to them about it, but what can you do? ::)), my favorite everyday pins are long with very big, brightly colored heads (similar to these (http://www.joann.com/images/38/62/6/xprd386265_m.jpg)). SO much easier to find if they go flinging onto the floor! They're too long for some projects, though, so I have some shorter ones (http://www.joann.com/images/08/39/1/xprd83917_m.jpg) for projects where the long ones would bend. I also have glass head silk pins (http://www.joann.com/images/08/39/4/xprd83948_m.jpg) for when I'm working with finely-woven cottons and at the ironing board--but those babies are SHARP! I always end up sliced to ribbons when I work with them.
I put the pins that I pull as I go in my mouth, Then I forget that they are there once I started rolling them around in my mouth. How I did it I havent the slightest
I have to hand stitch my stitches backwards, read sew opposite than most people. Don't know why, it just works for me. (drove my sewing teachers insane)
I don't know if this is silly or not, but I have to be able to actually picture what I'm going to do before I sew. I have to run through it in my head -- often, several times -- before I can sit down at the sewing machine. And if I can't "replay" the next step properly, I have to stop. Or at least, I should know well enough to stop. It's really a mess to try to take out French seams because you've finished them on the outside.
Quote from: Dinobabe on May 04, 2011, 03:40:38 PM
I can't sew in shoes at all! I have to FEEL the peddle. I also talk to my machine and other accessories (and myself!).
Ditto. Even when just sitting down to sew one seam, I have to take my right shoe off. One time, while sewing at a friend's house, I took one shoe off to sew, but I'm not taking both of my shoes off at her house, so the whole day sewing I walked around her house one shoe on one shoe off!
I also color sort my pins. And only use the ones with the colored heads, in contrasting colors to the fabric. Pins and I don't get along too well, so I want to make it as hard as possible for them to hide. :)
I also have the odd habit of putting slightly bent pins, that I think I might eventually get around to straightening out to use again, in the green top part of my pin cushion.
I separate the bent pins, too! I use them for the heavy fabrics (that bent the pins in the first place ::)).
Seems (or seams) I'm one of many in that I can't sew with my shoes on, even if I'm not using the pedal (the pedal on my machine is removable, with a push button start/stop and three setting speed slider). I also can't sew with my glasses on. Aside from that I probably have an odd habit or two, but I can't think of any.
I have to be completely barefoot. Even in class. and since in class I have no control over other people and the location of their pins I have to put shoes on and taken them off over and over again. At home I've got a push butttons start but I have to be barefoot anyway. I also have to take off my watch, rings and any bracelets I'm wearing that day. Also my necklace if I'm wearing a long one. Back when I had long hair I had to put it up with a hair comb I got at faire so I didn't worry about it falling in my face. My hair is short enough now that tucking it behind my ears is enough.
Quote from: Elennare on May 05, 2011, 12:54:16 PMI also have the odd habit of putting slightly bent pins, that I think I might eventually get around to straightening out to use again, in the green top part of my pin cushion.
I just noticed the growing collection of bent/broken machine needles in my pin box. No clue why I've been keeping them.
I've just seen the results of a habit I forgot: the arm of my sofa looks like a pincushion, because that's what I do with it when I'm hand stitching in front of the telly: poke the pins into the arm of the sofa beside me!
Quote from: Kate XXXXXX on May 06, 2011, 03:31:40 AM
I've just seen the results of a habit I forgot: the arm of my sofa looks like a pincushion, because that's what I do with it when I'm hand stitching in front of the telly: poke the pins into the arm of the sofa beside me!
I used to do that, until I got a leather sofa... Absentmindedly nearly poked a hole in it, but luckily caught myself in time...
I just thought of another one. Well, it's not really mine, but my sewing helper's...
My kitty likes to occasionally check that I have the machine threaded correctly, and that the thread is running smoothly from the spool into the machine. This is not a problem, except when she decides to do it while I'm stitching something. Then, it results in broken thread. Ah well. At least she's not checking that the needle is working right... ;D
I also sew barefoot and my room can look like a disaster hit it and I still know where everything is. Until I am finished that is and then I have to clean it top to bottom and put everything away. And I have to have a lot of light to work with.
I dont need cats to pull the thread out. My little niece who is 19 months likes to pull the spool off while I am sewing, then she likes to hold her hand over the hand wheel and feel it spin
Barefoot, glasses off, pins in the mouth, new pins for each new project (can never have too many pins), I also bless the Almighty Scissors as they are gently taken in and out of its case with each use...and...I have to have one of the LoTR movies playing, dunno why, but I cant concentrate if I dont have them in
Well, ok, if we're talking about rituals--I have to have a dose of RF.com in between every single step of a project! Hence my spate of "Need help now quick!!!" posts. ;D Cut out the fabric, take a RF break. Sew the first seams, RF break. And so on.
I will occasionally park a needle in the arm of my sofa as I sew or embroider--but, again, have never LEFT one there! The dogs and the husband, remember? I've recently discovered that my pincushion has eaten *all* of my hand sewing needles, and I can't seem to get it to give them up. Sigh.
And this is silly, but hardly *my* habit--the one feature I wish my Viking Emerald had was a stop-start button that bypassed the foot control, because my dog Gracie Pigeon insists on SLEEPING ON IT while I sew!!
I can kind of understand the new pins for every project. I end up doing new pins every few projects, as I find the containers open in my basket, and can't get myself to sort through the accumulating mess in the bottom of my bin to find pins. I probably have half a dozen batches of assorted pins tangled down there.
And I seem to have a compulsion to buy a new measuring tape every other project, as I assume that I won't be able to find the old ones (the kids like to play with them), without even bothering to look.
Quote from: Hoowil on May 07, 2011, 07:19:08 PM
I can't get myself to sort through the accumulating mess in the bottom of my bin to find pins. I probably have half a dozen batches of assorted pins tangled down there.
That's too funny! I actually did exactly that last week (when I discovered the pincushion had eaten all my needles). I was hoping to find at least *one* sewing needle down there among the bent pins & bits of fluff, but no. At least I managed to toss out all those bent and broken pins!
I always remember my mom's pin cushion eating her needles so I am extra careful not to let it happen to me! ;D
Who knew tomatoes liked to eat needles? ::)
Mine does. The poor thing is slowly gutting itself though. The top got ripped off somewhere and its leaking sawdust but I find pins every now and then in it,
Nothing to unusual here.... I have to feel the pedel, Sox are good, slippers are okay, shoes are right out.
I have to picture the steps in my head as well. Sometimes I'll even go through the motions with my hands with what I see in my head before I actually do the next step.
If I have to stop sewing at a certian point before the end of the fabric I will use a red headed pin for the very last one. And then point it the other way. To me that says "Stop"!
And of course I talk to my machines! ;)
Quote from: Kate XXXXXX on May 06, 2011, 03:31:40 AM
I've just seen the results of a habit I forgot: the arm of my sofa looks like a pincushion, because that's what I do with it when I'm hand stitching in front of the telly: poke the pins into the arm of the sofa beside me!
I do that, too. And have accidentally left them there and gotten in trouble for it. I've also left them stuck in the foot of my bed, too. And since my bed is in my sewing room and doubles as a place to sit, I often find pins and needles tossing around with my comforter.
As far as the losing needles in the tomato thing goes, I always keep the needles with the remains of the thread in the eye when I put them in there. It can get a little tangled, but if the needle wants to get lost in the tomato, I can always pull it out by the thread.
I gave up the tomato shortly after my daughter could crawl. All it took was once, with her doing her darnedest to get at the thing for me to realize small children, and small stuffed fruit full of poky things just do not mix. Another contributing factor to the pile of metal in the bottom of my sewing box.
Now I generally make a ball of scrap from whatever fabric I'm working on as a temporary pin cushion. After the first few pins, it holds together, and the kids could care less about the wad.
As as to tomatoes eating pins, I will probably spend the rest of the evening singing 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes'. Thanks.
Attack of the killer tomatoes!
Attack of the killer tomatoes!
They'll beat you, bash you, squish you, mash you
Chew you up for brunch and finish you off for dinner or lunch!
They're marching down the halls
They're crawling up the walls
They're gooey, gushy, squishy, mushy
Rotten to the core
They're standing outside your door!
Remember Herman Farbage
while taking out his garbage
He turned around and he did see tomatoes hiding in his tree
Now he's just a memory!
I know I'm going to miss her
a tomato ate my sister
Sacramento fell today
They're marching in San Jose
Tomatoes are on their way!
Ok. So this may be TMI, but we are talking of silly sewing habits right?
Well mine is...I sew in the nude. For some reason, I concentrate more and get more cutting and pinning and sewing done while in the nude. Perhaps the constant threat of having a needle poke me keeps my mind focused and gathered, but I swear but it, it works for me! lol.
Ok, I can't top Lady Seasan, nor is it technically a silly sewing habit, but with all this talk of pin and needle eating tomatoes...I have to ask...what about magnetic pin holders? I have one to hold my pins and the occasional hand sewing needle. It can take a nose dive off the ironing board or table, and has done both I assure you, and has never lost anything!
Quote from: Lady Kett on May 09, 2011, 08:06:23 PM
Ok, I can't top Lady Seasan, nor is it technically a silly sewing habit, but with all this talk of pin and needle eating tomatoes...I have to ask...what about magnetic pin holders? I have one to hold my pins and the occasional hand sewing needle. It can take a nose dive off the ironing board or table, and has done both I assure you, and has never lost anything!
I love my magnetic one. I use the tomato for needles and the odd non-magnetic pin. Then I have some pins in a plastic container, but the majority stay on the magnet, because I'm a real pro at dropping containers of pins all over the carpet. :)
Due to my sewing room also being my office I am warry of having a magnetic pin cushion around because of the electronics. I dont' want anything to go haywire. I always require shoes in my sewing area regardless. I keep a deep tub that I keep my pins in. When not in use there is a lid on it. I still have occasional dumps, mostly due to lack of sleep clumbsyness, but I have less during non working times due to the lid.