Really. I need to. I have been on a sewing kick for a couple of weeks. I made two Lodo Dresses, a Fringe dress and two pairs of Luna pants.

Then I decided to make a striped skirt. I got a little bit over confident and decided not to use a pattern and to just follow the YouTube tutorials. Mistake number 1. I was also using a knit fabric. Mistake number 2. Mistake number 3 was making it.

It turned out terrible in every way. Ironically the stripes matched perfectly. But the seams were wonky, the hem was unever. The elastic pulled in all the wrong directions. The machine ate my fabric twice. And even the iron melted the fabric.

I should have stopped when I was ahead. There comes a point when I know I need to stop but usually don’t until disaster strikes. I was sewing because the fabric was there and I just felt there was a need that had to be met. I wasn’t making a garment that I wanted or needed. I was making for the sake of making.

I had just done a stash inventory and felt really excited that I had a lot of usable fabrics.

That is the problem with crafting for me. At the beginning it was therapy. Something to keep my hands busy. To stay engaged in something from start to finish so I would feel accomplished. And as much as I still love making things, I really want to make things that will last, be cherished and are things that I actually want to keep and use.

I have sort of managed to get there with knitting. But not yet with crochet or sewing. I still crochet bags with the full intent of giving them away because I don’t need them or have the space for them in my closet.

I have been trying to minimalize my wardrobe. Not 100% minimal or capsule, but just own less in general. It is liberating for me. I generally don’t own a lot of clothes anyway and I like it that way. So there is no need to add more items to my wardrobe unless they fill a need.

But that is challenging for me, because there are many afternoons where I just want to make something and get it over with. But you really shouldn’t do that with clothing.

So, I am going to step away from the sewing machine for now. I think I will stick to smaller projects like heated rice packs and reusable grocery bags so I can get the satisfaction that comes with finishing a project that I can use.

And in the meantime, I am going to do some wardrobe planning and building.