workroom peeks: habitual

April 30, 2013

Written by Meg

Megan Nielsen Patterns studio peeks

As you may have gathered from this post, i am a creature of habit.

What i didn’t realise is how stuck in my little habits i am when it comes to sewing. I sat down to sew some things the other day, and just couldn’t because i was so uncomfortable. It was a few minutes before i realised it was because i was wearing shoes. What? I can’t sew with shoes on. How odd.

I guess i’ve always sewn barefoot or in my sockies, but i never really noticed before. how silly :) But the more i think about it the more it makes sense – that feeling of complete control over the foot pedal is something i just can’t deal without. I can live with this oddity, but i must admit, it makes me laugh at myself!

So my dear friends, do you have any silly habits you find yourself falling into when you sew or craft or whatever? Just me and my barefoot sewing all on our lonesome?!

Meg XOXO

About Author

Meg

Meg is the Founder and Creative Director of Megan Nielsen Patterns, and is constantly dreaming up ideas for new sewing patterns and ways to make your sewing journey more enjoyable! She gets really excited about design details and is always trying to add way too many variations to our patterns.

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Jaime

10 years ago

I can’t sew with a shoe on either! I can’t get the feel of the pedal I guess.

BlackLabel

10 years ago

:-) this post made me LOL. Yesterday I was looking for a pair of shoes – couldnt find it anywhere…THEN, I found them lined up under my sewing table with 3 other pairs. I realised then that I always kick my shoes off before I sew. How funny! I also cant sew without music – the more ROCK the better.

Samantha

10 years ago

Can’t wear shoes either. Also must have clean hands….no stickiness from moisturizer, fruit or anything else…

Huff

10 years ago

I’m another sewing shoeless. I always felt like I have more control barefoot. My worst habit is holding pins in my teeth. I have pin cushions and magnets and tins galore to have them on hand but still I work with at least a couple in my mouth! My grandmother would be horrified, it was one of her pet peeves!

Dana

10 years ago

Sewing barefoot AND driving barefoot. Always slip my right shoe off in the car (usually unknowingly), and when I can’t (like when I’m wearing boots in the winter) I feel horrible the whole way!

Kathryn

10 years ago

I can’t use the foot pedal with shoes or with socks – barefoot only! I also have driving shoes I keep in the car which my husband thinks is pretty weird!

sallie

10 years ago

Ew! Shoes on while sewing??!! Blech! No way!! Other weird habits…? Hmm… I always make myself something to drink and never drink it (get too busy) and I also always intend on listening to some fun music or a podcast or something, only to discover – 5 hours later – that I’ve been working in complete silence! So basically, when I’m in my sewing room I’m sewing and NOTHING else!!!

Jessica

10 years ago

I am the same way… I learned to sew during summer when wearing wedge sandles and such so naturally I would take them off to sew later I realized that since that is what I became accustomed to it felt really odd to do it any other way. I thought this would make taking a public class akward, but I was surprise to find that many sewers are actually in the same boat! My classes are full of plenty women with and without shoes!

Amanda

10 years ago

Hah, I am so glad to know that it’s not just me either ;-) I absolutely cannot sew with shoes on. Socks, maybe, but usually not. I try to listen to podcasts or tv shows while I’m sewing, but I’m still at a phase where it takes a lot of concentration so I usually don’t end up actually *hearing* any of it.

EmSewCrazy

10 years ago

Who does sew with shoes on? I was teaching a Sewing 101 class in a shop and had a student ask if they could take their shoes off to sew! Must feel the control!

redambition

10 years ago

How funny! I am exactly the same. I often find myself hunting for a pair of shoes or my slippers and just can’t find them anywhere… until I check under my sewing table.

I just can’t feel the foot pedal properly with shoes on. I need my bare foot to get proper speed control.

Nicole

10 years ago

Haha, me too I cannot sew wearing shoes. I also cant drive wearing shoes it just feels WRONG!I can only wear slip on shoes 99.9% of the time but who cares lol

Joyce

10 years ago

Always barefoot, unless its really cold and then I sew with just my left shoe/slipper on. Must be the control thing! Other habits include having 3 pin cusions but always sticking my pins in by top – handy, but not so good if you forget and get prickled getting undressed later! (Always much later, sewing stopping time is always hours later than intended!)

wendy

10 years ago

I hate shoes. Don’t get me wrong, I can easily adore a beautiful shoe and when I leave the house I like wearing nice shoes but as soon as I can, I take them off, if it was anyway practical I would never wear shoes except for parties where I can wear gorgeous heels… I used to sit barefoot in my office, so everytime a client entered I had to shuffle them back on without the client noticing before getting up to close the door… So needless to say I don’t wear shoes for sewing, ever. I also put pins in my mouth, I actually can’t pin fabric without at least one pin in my mouth (how weird is that?) and I also need music… Guess I have a whole lot of sewing habits…
Glad to know I’m not alone…

Christina

10 years ago

Hum… seems like most of us don’t like sewing with shoes on. I’m the same ;-) but I did have to change my sewing habits quite a lot after having a very painful surgery on my right foot. The surgeon basically broke my foot in several places and put it back together. When the pain finally was bearable, I was still stuck with a cast for several months and I had to keep my leg elevated at all times. So I had to learn to use my left foot for sewing while seating with my other leg at a very weird angle on a chair. And do you know what? Now I can sew with both feet just as well;-) Just goes t show that habits are just that… habits! You can retrain yourself and break your usual routine if need arises or if you really put your mind to it. And I do think we all can benefit from that from time to time;-) whether it be when sewing or otherwise. When I’m on “autopilot” I don’t experience and appreciate things like I do when I stop and smell the flowers.

Truly Myrtle

10 years ago

Barefoot or socks here too – shoes are a no no for sewing!
I am also addicted to my magnetic pin cushion – without it I end up with pins chucked all over the place!

Sam

10 years ago

I, too, sew without shoes although that was a problem when I did some classes at TAFE. The classroom was treated as if it was an industrial workplace and, of course, OHS rules won’t allow a person to potter about or even sit at the machine bare-footed.

There were many a time I’d be sewing along merrily when I’d notice the teacher coming my way, to check out my progress, and my foot/feet would have to be shoved so quickly back into the shoes!

Also, I put pins in my mouth all the time until I read this article:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/13/experience-inhaled-pin-into-lung

Never again!

Sam

Tilly

10 years ago

Same here! I took my shoes off in one of the Sewing Bee auditions, the producers thought it was hilarious.

Author

Meg

10 years ago

Reply to Tilly

hehehe Tilly you are too adorable!!! Seriously, it’s been so awesome hearing about all your GBSB experiences – thrilled beyond belief they chose you! Though to all of us in the online sewing community it’s really not a surprise – we all knew you were awesome :)
Hoping you’re well sweetpea! And its nice to know i’m not alone in strange sewing habits hehehe XOXO

Karin

10 years ago

This reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut, who was known for talking about how he wrote in his bare feet.
http://jvictoriasanders.com/post/10606541828/quote-unquote
I tend to, too. Maybe shoes and socks stunt creativity? :)

workroom peeks: habitual

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