When you sew, you will get a lot of requests from people wanting you to make them things. It is after all only natural that you are their go to person for arts and crafts. But while this can be flattering, it might also feel like you are being used. And that is what I want to address today.
A couple of years ago I was approached by some women from my church, they wanted me to "help" them with some projects because our church was planning to host a crafts sale with the proceeds going to a local charity.
When they spoke of help, what it actually turned out to be was a form of slave labor. They wanted me to sew a hundred sets of place mats, napkins, and table runners in less than a week. They had had over a month to get busy on it but they hadn't even cut their patterns to size. I didn't know how to go on with it and my husband called the main woman up and asked her why she had procrastinated since it was obviously her project. They canceled their contribution after that and I got back to work on my own project. I sewed twenty throw pillow cases which turned out to be a big hit!
That is when things move in the wrong direction.
They wanted me to essentially do the work they had agreed to, and with four of them that should not have been a problem. Could I have done it? Probably had they cut everything to size, but as it were I would not have had time to do my own sewing and I would have been left standing their empty handed while people praised them for their contribution.
I am not at all against helping people.
And that is why when my sister asked me to help her with a bridal shower she was hosting I was thrilled.
I had a lot of work both at home and in the office to do but I didn't get the feeling like I was being used. I was asked if I would like to help with the bridal shower, not if I could take some of the work off of her hands.
And though that is what happened I actually looked forward to the work and tried my best to get it done. Even though I actually didn't get everything finished. It was still fun and everybody was happy. I wrote about the bridal shower in another post.
Those are the two sides of same coin, the positive and the negative aspects of being able to sew.
Just try and enjoy it and do what you want, not what people expect of you.