Retired!

 New Beginnings

It’s official, I’m retired.

It has been a week now and it is still sinking in. All of a sudden I have time. I can just … be.

Really this is the first time in my life where I was not expected to be constantly busy. To be productive, to live according to someone else’s timeline.

There are a lot of things that I want to do but the urgency to squeeze them into specific time slots isn’t there.

This week I had to clean off the bed in my craft room and change the sheets. (Our daughter is coming into town this weekend and staying with us.)  It took me almost a week but it is done. 

Over the last few months the bed has become my de facto desk. I have a lap desk set up on it with my computer on top so that when I sew I can easily consult the pdf instructions without having the computer eat up my limited sewing space. Since the bed is a desk, that means that the bills and other papers that I didn’t have time to file and sort wound up intermingled with sewing patterns and scraps of fabric because, in addition to being a desk, the bed is also a great place to put projects-in-progress.  And my feet. (I’m currently sitting in my desk chair with my feet up on the bed and the lap desk on, well, my lap.) During the morning hours it is a lovely place to sit and bask in the sun. And, since I’m retired, I can do just that.

Now I still have a lot of other things to do in this room and in almost all of the other rooms. That said, I can do them when I wish. Slowly, quickly or, should I so choose, not at all. The last one is unlikely but it is an option.

In the last week I have slowly and intentionally practiced with my new serger/coverstitch machine. For those not in the know, it is a machine, a little bigger than my sewing machine, that allows me to sew with much more professional looking seams and hems. The new machine is now occupying my sewing table and the sewing machine is on the floor waiting for me to clear off my desk (not the bed-desk but my actual desk-desk) so that  I can use them both on the same project without having to switch them around.  The desk desk is currently occupied mainly with my daughter’s violin and another lap desk (they multiplied during lockdown.).

My new machine was my retirement gift to myself. So far I have made 2 pairs of workout tights, two pairs of flare leggings, two double layered hooded blankets and a dress. I have also used it to repair a couple of items where seams had popped open. So for someone not doing much this week, I’ve actually done quite a bit.

Past projects have either been rushed through in a weekend or taken a couple of weekends to complete due to time constraints, Yes, the blankets were over a month overdue but I am hoping that, with time on my side (and the presumed ability to actually decide on the fabrics) that I will be on time for the birthdays next year. (Sorry L & L!)

What else have I been up to this first week of retirement? Well I worked out 6 out of 7 days, 5 barre classes and a rowing class. All in the morning! No more late dinners! I also finished another project which has a looming deadline and made progress on some knitting. And finally, I took time to sit with a cup (or three) of tea and just read.

#noregrets

Counting Down (reprise)

 I know, I know, it's been a while since I've blogged. Life took over and, when life is on the tougher side, I tend to not want to write publicly. The fear that I will say something that will upset someone is ever present so, when my brain is in a somewhat negative space, I try to avoid sharing.

I also prefer to write in the morning when, warmed up by the shower, my thoughts are flowing most freely.

Usually I do not have the luxury of writing in the early hours so the words go unwritten.

Today, however, is the exception and, I hope, soon to be the rule. You see, I am counting down.

In a little under three months I hope to be retired. A lady of leisure, a lady who lunches or, at least, a lady who doesn't commute and follow someone else's rules and requirements all day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year.

I could give you a number but by the time you read this, the number will have changed, shorten, shrunk and maybe disappeared all together. And all that follows is fresh content.

Fingers crossed!

Slowing Down

 Slowing Down

I have a hard time holding back when I get an idea I really want to try.

For example, last week’s post. Go back, read it, comment and then return. I’ll wait …

I want to do it. I want to try to start my own semi custom, small batch, sewing business.

Now! 

Friday I was *this* close to stopping at the Spandex House (yes, it is a real place) and getting fabric for a sample first make.

Fortunately I got distracted and went home instead.

I need to slow down. I know that I do. My retirement plans are still up in the air and things at work are changing rapidly due to our new Mayor and Chancellor.

Also, I need to build my skills. I’ve only been at this clothing sewing thing for about a year and I know I still have a lot to learn. Yesterday, for example, I finally managed several good hems with a twin needle. (You know, the double line of stitching on the hem of your tee shirt – that. It’s not as easy as it looks.) I used some cool Kracken fabric from Sew Dynamic to make tee shirts for Mike and Natan and tried the twin needle out on them. Not perfect but not bad either.

Lessons learned from these shirts: 1. I need a little more than a yard of fabric to make short sleeve tees for each of my guys. I thought I had enough for Natan’s sleeves and discovered, after I had cut them and was ready to attach, that one was missing the top part. I improvised a fix and moved on. Mike’s shirt has contrasting sleeves and neck band. 2. I need more practice on twin stitching the neck band down. 3. I need to check each piece for issues before I sit down to sew it up - turns out one of Natan’s sleeve was missing its top. I sewed another piece of fabric on and made it work. Now I have ideas for color blocking sleeves!

In addition to needing time to build skills, I have several projects that I have fabric for and need to make up. These include, but are not limit to, a long black dress for Batya to wear for performances (Riverside Orchestra), multiple camisoles for me from the left over fabric from the quartet of tee shirts I made for Natan a few weeks ago and … pillow cases.

For the master bedroom we own two sets of bed clothes. That translates to two fitted sheets, two duvet covers and a passel of mismatched pillow cases. When one sheet wears out I replace it with the least expensive, same fabric content, option I can find on Amazon. That means that my bed is a mixture of different colors. No, I do not care if everything matches.

What I do care about is the fiber content. Many years ago I bought a set of linen sheets on sale. I never looked back.

So, when one of Mike’s pillow cases wore out last week, I decided it was time to make my own. We went to Gray Line Linen and purchased enough fabric to make a few pillow cases. In a color which neither clashes nor matches the rest of the bedding.

So, to summarize, I have plenty to keep me busy. And yet I am anxious to get started with the next part of my journey through life.

I am going to do my best this week to focus on what I have now instead of what I think I want next. Next is still far away and I need to live in the here and now.

Let’s see what happens.

Post Script: Here are three of the five pillow cases! Now to cast on a sweater …