Sewing with Little Ones

I've had more than one mom ask me, "How do you sew with little ones?". I say, "It's easy, I tape them to the wall.". Of course i'm joking, I wish it were that easy.

I do have a house to take care of, a 3 y/o and an 8 month old. Finding time to sew for my cloth diaper business can be tough. I also like to make my daughter's dresses, my son's diapers and not to mention other family members. Needless to say, my "To-do" List is never ending.

How do I do it?? How do I organize my time and sew ?? Here's all of my secrets.....

1. I pray...this may not seem important but when i'm focused on the Lord , He orders my days and I find that my priorities stay on the right track and my days are more productive.

2. I keep my expectations reasonable. In other words, If i'm sewing with both my little ones, I don't expect to get 45 minutes uninterrupted. That's NOT going to happen. My 3 y/o will play and entertain herself...I can easily get 30 minutes from her but my 8 month old?? Not happening. Oh he'll play but I have to watch him more. He can't walk but I'll find him climbing the shelving in my sewing room. Eating lint off the floor...etc.

When  I take them both down with me to my sewing room, I keep my expectations LOW. By that I mean , that I'll go down with some small tasks in mind. I'll trace out what needs to be cut..or if it's traced I'll cut...I usually don't do my sewing with both of them because i'll make too many mistakes. I keep my actual sewing for when they're both sleeping in the evenings. Which brings me to number 3....

3. I have a schedule or a routine for my children. I dont' have a tight schedule. I have more of a loose routine. That keeps our day flowing and more productive. It also makes it much easier to get everything we need to get done.

Here is an example of our Weekly Routine:

Monday: Cleaning day, Story time, ASL Signing time, Laundry
Tuesday: Pre-K Day, Baking day, Errands, post office, etc.
Wed.: Pre-k Day, Outting to the park...depending on weather. Laundry
Thursday: Pre-k Day, Grocery shopping, Baking day
Friday: Cleaning Day, Laundry, Shopping,

This is just a weekly routine. A daily routine might look like this:

Monday:
Breakfast
Cleaning
Laundry
Lunch
Reading time (Bible Story)
Signing Time (ASL DVD) - This can be done during my cleaning time.

Usually on Tues, Wed. and Thurs. I also have about 20 minutes in my sewing room. This is when I'll organize what I need to sew, my next order or just trace my next diapers i'm making. What I can do during the day, saves me from doing it later that night. This makes the most of my actual sewing time.

Bed time: Both my children have a bed time..i'm very strict about this. My daughter is in bed between 7-7:30 and so is my son.As a home schooling mom they have my attention all day but bed time is bed time. This is when I get most of my sewing done.


4. Have toys in your sewing area JUST FOR SEWING TIME. This is easy for me. I have a bin of toys and my children play with those while I'm down there for my 20 minutes. They like going down and enjoy playing with these. I say 20 minutes, but sometimes I get 45 mintues and other days I get 15 minutes.

Once in a while I have Sarah ( 3 y/o) with me alone and she will sit next to me and play with her playdoh and watch me while I sew. She also loves fabric and knows the difference between a Serger and a sewing machine. I guess you're never too young to learn how to sew.

5. Be Flexible...There are times where they're both sick and I don't get much time during the day. Other times they're wonderful and I get more time. I tend to go with the flow...this helps me from getting aggrevated. It also keeps going down to the sewing room more enjoyable for them. The less stressed you get , the better.

6. If you are a WAHM like me...you own the business, don't let the business own you.
You work from home..your family and home come first. I love my business but there are times, (like now, as I type this) that I stop taking custom orders. Or if i'm taking custom orders I tell the mom's that it will be 2-3 weeks for delivery. If I have too many orders and i'm under alot of pressure to get them done, I'll make more mistakes, I'll lose my patience with my children and I will no longer enjoy sewing. Not to mention that I'd dissappoint my customers with poor service or shoddy work.

7. Don't be afraid to say "no" to sewing requests. Many people, family members especially will say, "Oh will you make me one?" Those who don't sew don't realize the time that it takes, prepping the fabric, tracing , cutting and then actually sewing. They ask but really don't have a clue what they're asking or that the time it'll take. I've learned not to get upset, but to just be honest..."I really don't have the time" or "The little ones are just too demanding right now". Or "I've got a long list, I won't be able to get to your request for 6 months".

Last but not least....

8. Take new sewing projects and techniques one step at a time. I know that when I am using a new pattern...I want to jump in and get started. I've found that i'm better off reading ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS Before I start sewing..I make less mistakes that way. No matter how experienced you are...take the time to read the instructions. This is something you can do during the day while the kids are playing.


These tips are just a few . I'm sure many of you who read this will have your own. Please feel free to add them in the comments section. I love being organized and learning new ways to be more efficient with my time.

God Bless,
Laura
Precious Bunz Diapers.