Made By A Fabricista: 5 Ways to Get Your Sewjo Back

It happens to all of us. We are eager to sew, sit down to go over our project and get it started. At some point though you just can’t get yourself to finish. You get frustrated or stuck and your project gets put to the side. When you come back it just doesn’t excite you anymore. Why does this happen?! A lot of things could cause it. I totally lost my Sewjo on this project. While I’m happy with how it came out it was not easy to finish. You can get your Sewjo back though!!

Here are 5 ideas on how to do that.

1. Clean Your Sewing Space

I know! No one wants to talk about cleaning. And in a lot of sewing community forums people always joke about sewing first and cleaning or cooking later. I have done it too. But a cluttered space can contribute to a cluttered mind, especially when trying to wrap your head around a new project. For me I like to clean my whole sewing room. I put all scraps away, vacuum the floors to get rid of all the thread. When it ends up all over the house and in the laundry I know I need to vacuum it all up. And I definitely cleaning off my sewing table. You got to have room to work and see your project. Cleaning helps me feel more organized.

Closet Core Patterns Fiona Sundress

2. Take a Break and Get Inspiration

Sometimes you actually really need a break from sewing, especially if you sew a lot. Get outside and try another activity. I like going for a walk. I think of other things while walking or how to execute the project I’m working on. Sometimes I will go out and walk around one of the little beach towns here and get new ideas. I see what is trending in the stores and how I can recreate it in a fabric I would like. Just seeing what other people are wearing or even decorating ideas can help motivate me to get back to sewing.

3. Take a Class

Taking a class can help you meet like minded people. You can bounce ideas off other people or get inspiration from them. Fabric Mart has virtual classes too that you can take to help you get new ideas or learn new things. Having a guided course can help you finish a project and sometimes seeing a finished project to motivate you to getting sewing old projects again.

4. Work on a Small Easy Project

Sometimes you do need to put your current project aside and work on something different. I really like making garments but I do get tired of having to fit myself every single time I work on something. So what I do is I make a project that doesn’t require fitting. I make bags or home decor. Or I make a tried and true favorite pattern that has already been fit adjusted. I love Noodlehead patterns for bag making and Fabric Mart carries Noodlehead plus a lot of other bag patterns. It’s a great way to sew without the stress of getting it just right for your body.

5. Learn one new skill

Try to learn something new on a project. It is ok to challenge yourself. Having a hard time sewing zippers? Cut a swatch of fabric and practice sewing it in. Learn how to do it BEFORE you start on your current project. Practice sewing buttonholes. Or practice sewing curves or whatever you are finding is holding you back. There are so many free resources on YouTube or TikTok now. You can find help with anything!

You can get your Sewjo back. It might take time. Try these tips to help you in the future, before you know it you will be inspired be sewing again! Happy sewing!

HANNAH | @modistrasews

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following category DENIM.
You can also shop our collection of Closet Core Patterns HERE.

Made By A Fabricista: Closing 2025 with a Lined Jacket

Hello again, sewing friends! It seems we have arrived yet again in the grandest season for layering, all this oncoming cold weather. I like ending the year with something warm and very useful. Seems based on my past Fabricista posts, I love to sew year-end outerwear, and this round is no different! I challenged myself with a new lined coat (wait, jacket? Coat? I feel like the presence of wool changes things?). Anyhoo, since the lovely Chalk & Notch Den Jacket has been in my queue, I proceeded ahead. I like the large pockets, the option to line or not, and the extra bodice and sleeve seams for topstitching. Sewing this coat is not at all difficult, but the many pieces and loads of topstitching will take a bit of time. My version took me a few multiple-hour sessions to complete. I sewed a size 2, which matches my measurements, and I made no alterations. Hint: for a quick size test, just employ the lining pieces. Gorgeous, muted blue as a soft wool flannel ? This is ...

Made By A Fabricista: Chalk and Notch Wren Dress: My Buffet dress for the Christmas season!

I recently sewed the Chalk and Notch Wren dress using a beautifully soft black voile from Fabric Mart, and it turned into such a satisfying, enjoyable project. The pattern itself is very easy to understand and straightforward with clear instructions, intuitive construction, and a relaxed fit that makes the sewing process easy. A buffet dress in the sewing community is a dress that is loose fitting, so you can eat at the buffet without your dress being uncomfortable afterwards, lol! Because the voile I chose is extremely thin and transparent, I opted to line the bodice and first tier. Adding a lining not only provided modesty but also gave the delicate fabric a bit more stability, especially around the neckline and button placket. A helpful tip when sewing a lining into a lightweight bodice is to treat the lining and the main fabric as one. I sewed the bodice as you would for a lined bodice, and the first tier I sewed the pieces together with a basting stitch to make the process...

Made By A Fabricista: Sheer Elegance and Everyday Comfort with my Two New Tops

Hello Sewing Friends! It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with my last Fabricista make for 2025. While many sew a special holiday outfit at year’s end, I went in another direction sewing two tops that couldn’t be more different. One is sheer and elegant while the other is easy comfort for everyday wear. These tops reflect how I dress at this stage of life. As an over-50 sewist, these two tops reflect how I dress at this point in my life. Sometimes I want something a bit special, other times more basic. Either way, sewing them in beautiful fabrics, custom fit to my body, makes all the difference in how I feel when I wear them. Even though I’m quite pleased with my two tops, my original plan was to sew a jacket with the tropical print stretch twill and pair it with a top sewn from the soutache mesh knit . Sadly, I wasn’t quick enough to get enough of the stretch twill to make a jacket, so a top it was! You do know you have to act fast when you see something you love on Fabric ...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog