So completely uninspired and crazily overwhelmed

10:39:00 AM

I lost my sewing mojo and I can't find it. Anywhere.

This summer has been absolutely non-stop so far with house improvement, medical appointments and assessments for one of the kiddies, and zero sewing.

Don't get me wrong - I love my home improvement - just check out my IG feed:

...but it's becoming a bit overwhelming, and frankly, really bumming me out.

The main culprit is our leaky, wet basement. Last month hubby removed all of the drywall on the masonry wall so that we could find the source of the water. Scratch that - sourceS.

panorama of the basement right now. Sh*tshow. 

It was dark and oppressive before, but now with exposed studs, all of my stuff in chaos, and no organization whatsoever I'm feeling SUPER bummed, overwhelmed, and totally uninspired.

The tough thing is:

- before we can close up the walls, we need to deal with the leaks.
- in order to deal with the leaks, we need to dig holes outside to apply waterproofing/sealant to the cracks.
- before we can dig holes, it has to stop raining.
- it would be a waste to paint the top walls since we're ripping them down when we re-drywall (I've considered doing this anyway...but it feels like I need to get as much of the outside stuff done around the house while the weather is warm...)

Then, when these non-stop thunderstorms finally cease, and we do manage to get the cracks dealt with from the exterior, we'll need to pull up the basement floor and seal the walls and floor just to make sure that no water ever (okay, that's unrealistic for Chicago, but minimal water) enters the basement. Which we can't afford.

So. I'm stuck in this crazy chaos for the indefinite future, and it sucks.

Does anyone know anyone at House Crashers or something? Or maybe a cabinet and construction and waterproofing companies which would like to give me an awesome space in return for some fabulous quilts??

I jest. Sort of. ☺

I'm trying hard to get my mojo back. But I'm bummed. And pretty much never stop moving with some project or activity around the house or with the kids.

Any tips you've found that help you get re-inspired??

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9 comments

  1. Skip the depressing basement and get some hand work out. You could do hexies or embroidery on that beautiful deck!

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  2. I was going to suggest hexies. They are sew sweet and addicting!

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  3. you need to take some time out from the repairs etc if at all possible, you sound so drained and exhausted. have some fun with the girls and DH then maybe your swing mojo will return.

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  4. Oh, Erin, I am so sorry you're dealing with house troubles! I hope the rain stops soon so you can at least tackle the first part of the solution. In the meantime, I absolutely agree with the others that a little hand stitching might be just what you need. At least then you'd be looking at and playing with beautiful fabric for a while. Also, it might be just the little bit of 'me time' you need to recharge.

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  5. Erin, I really feel for you, especially because we went through the very same situation many years ago when we lived in Franklin Park, IL.. This year, we might as well be living in the rain forest with all this ##%@#$% rain we've been getting. Nothing gets a chance to dry out and I think my tomato plants are already diseased because of it. My husband did the exact same thing yours' is doing and it was a big pain in the butt. We lived in that house for almost 40 years before moving further to the boonies in Yorkville, where we've been for 20 years now, with no leaky basement. Hope your problems get resolved soon, but after looking at the forecast for the coming week, it looks like more rain forest weather. lv2bquilting2@comcast.net

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  6. I don't see that so much as losing mojo as having other tasks that have to be done. When I think of losing mojo, i am sitting in my chair with a book and no other pressing tasks, could quilt but don't.

    When I moved, it was a year before I did any quilting. I took to knitting because it was in one corner and easy to get at. Finally I organized the fabric, and that did help some. But it was still so hard to get at what was in the back corner, and that was usually what I wanted. Things I made during that time were made from what I could get to easily. And even though I had 12 bins of fabric, I'd shop rather than hunt. Naughty, naughty. Then I reorganized again, and now it is relatively easy to get to any tub of fabric when I need to. And I am sewing more.

    I'm certainly not suggesting you reorganize. I was in control of my mess in a way you aren't in control of yours. Just commiserating.

    BTW, I finished Urban Chickens that I started on the Sew Solids Bee, and it is going to the Sisters Outdoor show with PMQG exhibit. You may have seen it on FlickR. And waiting in the wings, two projects down the line, is making a top from the (polar) bear paw block I made for classic meets modern--top is half designed in my head, now to hit the graph paper. knitnkwilt.wordpress.com

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  7. So sorry about your water problems.. Been there done that and at least $50k did exactly what you are talking about.. Excavated 2 of the 4 walls down to the footer which involved ripping up the driveway and front stoop and garden.. And still I had water.. Far less, but yea it never stopped.. Add in one crazy freak storm and I never had water like that.. But now we've moved and built way above ground level so our water issues are very much minimized now!

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  8. EPp or needlework...... Same here, my room has been turned upside down from having the house pipes busted, All the rain, and wind.. I had to buy a new fence because the wind through my wrought iron patio set through it. Now my ceiling is mildewing so I went and bought me some fun things like the letter S that lights up, and new thread holder and I am reframing some pictures and dowl it up a bit.. I wouldnt be sewing if I didnt have the IG swaps which I will never do again. IG only swaps suck. Rest assure you will have order soon enough. its tough just moving in like that and having the problems. sorry , but its never ending........

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  9. I'm not sure I have any tips but I can empathise. We are inundated with builders - stonemasons, plumbers, carpenters etc at the moment and everything is in such a mess. We are watching them destroy the grass we had carefully nurtured but they don't have much choice I suppose as they need to get machinery all round the building they are renovating. I'm not looking forward to clearing up when they've finished! I decided last week to stick to very small projects that I can finish quickly and I can try to be enthusiastic about - at least I can then say I've made something!! The quilts are going to have to wait for a bit!

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