Skip to main content

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.

Comments

Recent Posts You Might Like

Sewing With Intention: New Look 6106 and a More Coordinated Wardrobe

Sometimes a sewing project begins with a beautiful piece of fabric or a pattern you just have to make. This one began with my closet. Recently, I did a major closet purge. I took a good look at what I actually wear, what I kept reaching for, and—maybe more importantly—what was missing. Once the pieces I no longer loved or wore were gone, something became very clear: I want to be more intentional about what I sew next. Instead of sewing individual pieces that I love but don't necessarily wear together, I want to build a wardrobe where my handmade garments coordinate with the clothes I already own—and with the pieces I'm planning to sew next. For this month's Fabricista project, this beautiful lightweight shirting from Fabric Mart turned out to be a wonderful place to start. The Fabric That Started It All Fabric Mart provided this beautiful oatmeal and black heathered shirting , along with the matching thread for my project. One of the things I love most about this fabric is ...

The Perfect Plan for this Linen Blend! Until I Changed My Mind.

Hello Sewing Friends!  It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with another Fabricista make.  When I saw this linen blend designer fabric on the Fabric Mart Fabrics website, I was intrigued.  After all, I, like many of you, love to find designer fabrics at an affordable price. It is a linen/nylon/rayon/Lycra blend, and I wondered what the designer had created with the fabric as I wasn’t familiar with that combination of fibers.  Surprisingly, I discovered a sleeveless, lined, mid-length vest in the same color with an almost identical fabric composition. Perfect! I’ve been wanting to sew a longer vest with matching pants, and that discovery confirmed this fabric would work beautifully for the look I had in mind.  The vest I’m wearing, from the June 2026 Burda Style magazine, it is not what I was originally going to make.  You see when I found the designer’s vest, I remembered seeing a Butterick pattern that was almost identical.  I ordered the pattern excited to...

Fall + Flannel = Shacket

If there is one piece that transitions easily between crisp fall mornings, mid-day warmth, and chilly autumn nights, it’s a shacket. Today, I’m excited to share my latest Fabric Mart make: the Ellie and Mac Patterns Connie Casual Shacket, sewn in a dreamy plaid flannel coating fabric . Here’s a glimpse at how it came together, along with a few construction tips for planning your own version! The Ellie and Mac Patterns Connie Casual Shacket pattern offers plenty of options needed to make the perfect transitional top layer for fall. With a relaxed body, oversized sleeves, three lengths, and a curved or straight hem option, you can make your dream shacket a reality.  For this sew, I selected a plaid flannel coating fabric with a soft blend of sage green and cream tones from the Fabric Mart website. Heavyweight flannel is ideal for a shacket because it provides structure and added warmth. As a bonus, this particular fabric is extra soft and snuggly, which I love. In addition to the fa...

Return to work wardrobe in ITY – which is your favorite?

In June of this year, after spending nearly 11 years at my place of employment and after restructuring and cost cutting, I took a separation package. I was so fortunate to be able to take a few months off, and also to very quickly find a position with a new company. I start my new job on September 14th and I’m super excited!  This new position is also different for me in that it is local to my area (whereas before I worked remotely and traveled to the office every few weeks) – so I’ll be going into the office three times a week. So of course I needed to sew up some new outfits! I’m a huge fan of ITY knit fabric ; ITY stands for interlock twist yarn, which describes the way the yarn is knitted together. I love it for tops, dresses, skirts, and even pants: it’s comfortable, easy care, low wrinkle, and comes in so many beautiful prints. I sewed up three new outfits over the last two weeks and I’m excited to share them with you today! Oh, and also – I need help choosing what to wear fi...