This one is a bit odd to ask now, given people aren’t doing a lot of visiting with others, however I wanted to find out whether other people sew when they have people staying with them for a longer visit?
I live across the other side of the world from my parents, so when they visit they will come for several months at a time. This makes sense financially and when dealing with jetlag!
Obviously when someone stays with you for that long, you sort of settle into a routine of more like normal life, rather than adjusting to do special activities because you have “guests”. There always comes a point (usually around week three or so) where I decide I really just need to sew and might slope off of an evening or for a few hours on the weekend. I think my folks enjoy that we live normally when they are here and don’t feel disrupted (that’s how I rationalise it to myself anyway!).
Do you sew when you have visitors staying in your place? How long would they need to be visiting for before you might decide it wasn’t rude to sneak off and sew?
Chloe is a Sewcialists Editor who lives and sews in Australia, on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. She blogs at chlo-thing.com and can be found on Instagram here.
I probably wouldn’t sew the day they arrived but maybe on the third day 😂 I would go crazy if I had to spend 24/7 with a guest.
Yeah, it’s definitely fine for a few days/nights then gets more and more difficult!
It depends who it is. With family yes. In fact, when I visit my parents I often get roped into doing the quote ck mending jobs my mom loathes. I’ve started partially finishing garments I make for her before I go so that I can fit them properly and then just mend everything while I finish them. When people visit me, I try to stick to handsewing or tasks that can be done in the same room.
First of all, if you have a partner they must be very tolerant or extremely chilled out to cope with your parents staying for several months (my husband would loose his mind! Although I would love to have my parents stay several weeks). I think after the 2nd week it’s ok to resume normal life and in the evenings if they are happy watching TV or something, it seems fine to go and do your thing. I often knit in the evening if people are staying as it seems more sociable.
He is extremely chilled, as are my folks so it all works out! Knitting is a good call, easier to stay part of things but scratch the crafting itch!
I even knit at get togethers at my in-laws. It’s the only way I keep my hands from strangling someone!
Really depends who it is – if it’s my parents I’m more than happy to sew, but we are usually so busy that I just don’t have the time. With my best friend definitely – she often joins in. My in laws usually not – my FIL tends to take over the basement room where my sewing stuff is and I don’t want to disturb him, but they generally only stay for about 10 days so it’s not hard to pause for that amount of time. I generally just turn to my knitting during that time instead since I can do that and talk to my MIL at the same time.
I need a best friend who sews (and comes to stay)!
I also don’t have visitors for more than about 10 days, but I can’t sew when they’re here! My sewing room gets converted into the guest room.
I think once when I was heavily into quilt-making, I set up a table in the living room!
My in laws stay for a couple of months at a time when they visit as they live in South Africa and we are in the UK. I really struggled with this as the spare room is also the sewing room and so I cant really use it! One year I was finishing up my wedding dress so that was a good reason to sew and not feel antisocial! I eventually took up English Paper Piecing as it is something that can be done whilst hanging out with the in laws whilst satisfying that creative urge!