Time Thieves

May 16, 2025

Whoa - that went out a little quicker than I thought.... Here's the WHOLE Newsletter!

 NOTE: I'm in Yellowstone National Park, which is Mountain Daylight Time - one hour later than Central Daylight Time.  As a result these will come out an hour later.  So don't worry that there's a snafu in your morning (or afternoon or evening) ritual.  It's just the time difference.

What are Time Thieves, and how do they affect our work in our studio?  This is something I learned about on Henry Cloud's Boundaries.me website.  He does an interview with Julie Funt where they talk about these thieves of time, that masked themselves as being productive and even desirable but actually steal time from us and make accomplishing our tasks or finishing a project grueling and even impossible.  

In our last newsletter talking about how to start a project, the thinking part is as important as that list of actions.  If something is preventing us from starting or finishing, it's as vital to know about, as are the steps to starting a project.  

A beginning is such an important part, that you want to giver yourself the best advantage as possible and not get hung up on activities or thinking that doesn't matter.  Below is a list of these "Time Thieves" and how they can manifest themselves in good forms and bad forms.  Knowing this is the most important part, so that you can say to yourself:  Hey is what I'm doing really helping me finish my project.  

This is a shortcut explanation of time thieves.  There's a good side and a bad side to all of these, and our job is to not only know about these, but be able to stop ourselves when we are in the middle of a time thief.  

From my own personal experience with this, it's like a high.  I've never done drugs, but I have been drunk more than I should (hence the reason I can't imbibe today).  But I also know what it's like to be addicted:  addicted to figuring out the harmony to a song so that I don't have to clean the house;  obsessed with cleaning every inch of my home, so I don't have to do taxes;  and getting lost in Pinterest without even realizing it getting little shots of "Well done - you just found a photo of a yellow spotted tiger!"  Yeah, right - so what good is a yellow-spotted tiger?  What in the world am I ever going to do with that knowledge?  That's the sort of thing that goes on with the sneaky little time thieves who are busy giving you shots of endorphine joy, but leading to nothing useful.  
 

What's worse about this is that Pinterest can be and extremely useful tool.  I can use it as a wonderful source of ideas for variations or for something just a little different without having to start a search all over again, of something that I thought I saw.  But if I'm not careful I'll be looking at cars with purple bumpers and sit there and think, "What in the world am I doing?  Get the idea and get on with your project!"  

So trekking down that list from last week, here's where this can become a problem

1. Assess Your Skill Level: - Don't obsess about this. This isn't a contest to compare yourself with the latest winner of the Great British Sewing Bee (and if anyone from the UK is listening that should be broadcast in the US!!!!! Thankyouverymuch!) This is simply a quick way to make sure that your project matches pretty closely to your skill level.  I reflect on some of my projects and think how child-like they look.  But I don't get upset with myself cause I had to go through that stage to get to the state I'm at today.  BUT, I do not obsess about a skill I might not have, and therefore have to give up a project.  It's just plain easier to let it go and move on.  By all means, don't obsess about not knowing everything there is to know about sewing.  
2. Identify Your Interests:  This is where that dang Pinterest can be a problem.  I recommend keeping track of what you're doing and getting in and out.  Otherwise, it becomes a huge black hole of nothingness that will take up your whole spare time.  
3. Consider Time and Budget: Again, no obsessions allowed here.  Allow yourself more time than you think - I usually allow at least twice as much time on my heirloom wedding gowns and for clients, so it becomes fun and not an endurance contest.  And certainly don't try to set some world record.  We're supposed to have fun sewing!  Remember that.  
   
   The same is true of budget - stay as close as possible, but realize there's a time to splurge.  I have the most magnificent hoodie a person could ever expect to own.  The fabric is from my local Bernina Store, and in the beautiful tomato red that is so wonderful for me.  I made it purposely longer - the length of most of my core pattern tops, so it's almost like a car coat rather than a hoodie, but it has a headpiece too.  It was a splurge for me cause this fabric is domestic, very well made, and heavy without being bulky.  I didn't realize how wonderful it was till we had a complete of those 0° days in winter (no comments from you all in the Ice Belt who go through this every winter), and a ferocious north wind taking my dog for a walk.  But this coat kept me warm the whole time.  No amount of wind or cold can penetrate that jacket.  So this hoodie works when I want something warm for a 60° or a 0° walk.  It's now about five years old, and I just washed it from its winter wear, and it looks brand new.  This hoodie will go another 15 years at least and keep me warm the whole time.  So, splurging can be a way to save money.  It sure is with my hoodie jacket.  
4. Choose a Pattern:  Pinterest to the rescue or time thief again.  And like all these time thieves, stay as much on target as possible.  We must realize that many of these social media sites are purposely creating algorithms that will keep us on longer and intentionally take us off topic as fast and as often as possible. This is all to gather more data on us, and then place before us the very things that the data says we like.  It's an awful dilemma.
5. Match Fabric to Project: At last we are away from social media.  I use a couple of basic rules here. 
   - What's the season - cold or hot?
   - What's the use - from casual/activewear to formal
   - What's basic style - frou frou or tailored?
   - What's your color palette?
   All of these can help narrow your selection.  But the truth is that the practice is what makes this better.  I went through about 30 jackets before I really felt comfy in making jackets and then breaking the rules (like the ponte jacket with fine tailoring techniques to make it look like it's a tailored jacket but it stretches!) 
6. Set a Goal:  This can be a collection of garments (for example, after going through your closet and culling out what you're not wearing - and you all are doing that now that the seasons are changing...right?...OK just checking!)   But this activity alone can tell you where your "holes" are and that goal would be to fill those holes.  
   
   Another example is either a change in employment or a life passage stage.  For a change in employment that might be more formal or more casual, or retiring and moving into a whole other life change.  Some of the other life changes are from having your children, being at home with them, then taking them in carpool, then maybe going back to work at home, then doing awards ceremonies or recitals for the kids, and then graduation and marriages.  All the require specific styles and levels of formality.  
7. Get Inspired:  Now you are ready.  Once you have the idea concretely mapped out in your head, that usually takes care of the inspiration.  Of course while I'm sewing my new garment, I'm thinking of all the ways I will wear it, and how much fun it will be to have something new.  That really inspires me.  

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I kinda went into a lot of detail here, and some of this may hit a nerve and some may not.  But what will hit a nerve is that list.  Here it is again.

Remember, each state has a good side and a bad side.  Also, remember that there is usually one that's ornery for you.  For example, Information is mine.  I'm so curious about everything in life.  From the unification theory to what makes tectonic plates move - it all interests me, and why I love the internet so much.  But now that I know this is a particular soft spot for me, I know that when I'm looking at that yellow-spotted tiger, it's time to step away from the computer and take a little breather to reassess where I am and what I need to be doing. 

A few years ago I wrote a Time Management package, and part of that package was defining and being aware of these Time Thieves.  I updated that and you can download it here.  It's a deeper look into these burlars of our most precious resource - time.   

Another informative film I've seen lately that helps me understand how devilish these magical algorithms are is The Social Dilemma.  It's streaming on Netflix right now, but It can also be seen on other services.  By the time you finish this movie, you will have some excellent perspective on how much scrolling you need to be doing and how you can use their algorithms to set up what YOU would like to see and what you WOULDN'T like to see.  

So happy and HEALTHY sewing ahead!
 

The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style.  Check it out. 

Look for future classes coming in 2024
The Core Pattern Shirt, (one of my favorites for woven core pattern that you can make into a myriad of different garments), 
Basic Knit Top (core pattern class for knit basic tops, shells, tees, dresses, and tunics)
 

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