I’ve seen countless craft rooms and sewing rooms all over social media, they are almost always picture-perfect and elaborately styled.
Instead of giving you another unrealistic expectation to try and live up to, Sewing Report is bringing you an “Honest Craft Room Tour” to show you the authentic space I work in for sewing, quilting, and craft projects. Let me know if you liked this type of video, and I will try and do this once a month. Subscribe to the Sewing Report YouTube channel if you’d like to be notified about the latest videos – it’s free!
Tell me about your own sewing & craft space, too! Post on Instagram and tag @sewingreport and #honestcraftroom.
While I love Instagram and Pinterest, I have to admit that being constantly bombarded with magazine-quality images is just starting to get old. Privately, I’ve had conversations with others in the sewing and quilting world – they have also told me that particularly Instagram feels like too much work. You don’t just snap a quick pic and get on with things. Nooooo…. Instagram has been compared to being the “museum” of photographs, while platforms like Snapchat is more of a conversation – fun and casual. (PS: I heart Snapchat!)
Author and money expert Rachel Cruze (she’s Dave Ramsey’s daughter) has a new book coming out soon called ‘Love Your Life, Not Theirs.’ During Cruze’s book announcement on the Dave Ramsey radio show, she talked about keeping up with the Joneses. “Thirty years ago you had to see the Joneses in person, and today we carry them around in our back pockets on our phone via social media,” she observed. “So this idea of comparison living is everywhere – whether you’re on Instagram or Facebook, or in the carpool line picking your kids up from preschool.”
You can pre-order Rachel’s book on Amazon – it’s going to be released in October of 2016. (I’ve already ordered mine!)
While Cruze focuses on the financial impact of this phenomenon, the sewing and quilting community is certainly not immune.
You know what I’m talking about.
A fellow quilter on Instagram posts AMAZE-BALL photos at least twice a day, and appears to be making two quilts every week with detailed free motion quilting. WTH? You admire this person and enjoy seeing their work, but it also eats away at you. Your photos aren’t nearly as good as hers, and you are only able to complete two quilts a YEAR. She has four angelic-looking children who are always modeling the chic clothes she sews for them. Oh, and now she’s making a delicious and healthy dinner that looks like it was plated by effing Thomas Keller.
And then you give up, order a pizza, and huddle on your couch watching Ryan Lochte foxtrotting it up on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’
Trust me, I’ve been there.
It sucks.
None of my sewing projects will ever win any awards, and as I mentioned before – I don’t enter quilt shows.
Partly, it’s because I don’t need another reason to compare myself to another quilter or another sewist. I do that enough already in my head, and it’s not healthy. It feels crappy. I’ve noticed that particularly in the quilting space – there are quite a few people who seem to want to outdo everyone else – the “one upper.”
According to Urban Dictionary the definition is: An annoying person who responds to hearing someone else’s experience or problem by immediately telling a similar story about themselves with a much more fantastic (or terrible) outcome.
This is also very evident on social media platforms – but instead using photos or videos.
“Oh, you went on a vacation to Disney World?”
“Well, my husband and I just returned from a trip from this remote, private island that no one has ever heard of because it’s just that exclusive. Take that!” (Uploads a gazillion photos)
So I’d like to help foster a more realistic environment and expectations within this community. Of course, I’d like my photos and videos to be good. Who doesn’t? But I don’t want it to appear completely unattainable for the average person. I’ve also got a new video series in the works called “Sewing Fails” to highlight my disappointments with my accomplishments.
Definitely want to hear from you also – is the level of perfection on social media getting out of hand? What else do you think we can do to create a healthier standard for content?
See ya next time!
Jennifer
SHOP THIS SPACE:
Target Threshold French Bulldog Tape Dispenser
http://bit.ly/2cEPGvB
Target Nate Berkus Limited Edition Gold Swingline Stapler
Target Threshold Cantilever LED Desk Lamp (similar style)
Target Threshold Modern Anywhere Chair – Graphite
Target Threshold Darley Writing Desk – Vintage Oak
Janome New Home Memory Craft 7700 Sewing Machine
Brother 1034D Serger
Sailrite Heavy-Duty Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Premium Walking Foot Sewing Machine
IKEA FNISS Trash Can, White ($1.49)
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60295438/#/40295439
IKEA DIGNITET Curtain Wire Set
Target 4’ Folding Banquet Table
MiKri World Glitter Mirror Canvas Vinyl
http://www.mikriworldsupplies.com/category_52/Glitter-Mirror-Canvas-TM-Vinyl.htm
Crystal Ninja – Crystal Katana complete starter set
http://www.crystalninja.com/complete-starter-kit/?aff=sew
Alvin Professional Cutting Mat – Green/Black 36×24
Gingher 45mm Rotary Cutter – Right Hand
Creative Grids 8 ½ x 24 Rectangle Ruler
Panasonic Cordless Freestyle 360 Iron
Scotch-Brite Pet Hair Roller (2 pack)
Elmer’s Washable No-Run School Glue – only use the white variety
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links for several different programs. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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