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LALand BearsHi everyone. I've had this on my mind for awhile and would be interested to know how others feel about it. I work full time outside the home, so my "creative time" in my studio is limited to evenings, weekends, days off, etc.
The problem is, evenings, weekends, days off, etc are the only time my husband and I are both home together. I feel guilty about spending so much time back in the studio, although I know he is happy as can be in front of the tv in his recliner.
I am making some holiday bears that I have cut out 5 at one time. I basted the pieces together and tried taking a needle and thread, scissors and a few pieces out to the living room to sew in front of the tv and be closer to hubby. The light wasn't great but these were larger pieces, easy enough to sew. (by hand).
Question-do most of you limit your sewing to a particular place in your home? or do you have a sewing basket near a favorite chair....and try to do some of it amongst other family members?
Side note-once the kitties discover what I'm doing, it'll be chaos as I'm sure they will want "lap time" and will be very very interested in what I'm doing..... :crackup:
Take care everyone 
Lee Ann
desertmountainbearHi Lee Ann, I have a studio space where I do my machine sewing, cutting, and jointing. But my favorite place to work is in my favorite chair with a good lamp I purchased with a magnifier attached, and my sewing basket. that is where I work every evening.
Joanne
EJ's CraftsI don't have the problem of quality time with hubby but I have the opposite problem. As we retired almost 6 years ago and are together 24/7, I do all me work in the craft room. That is the "me" time for me. When we were working I would do the the finish work in the living room in front the tv so that we could have time together.
Note: Now if I just could keep the kitty from thinking he needs my attention all the time. :crackup:
Fulrfun BearsI use my craft room for cutting out fabric and sew next to my husband in front of the TV. Isew all my bears by hand.
Dances With Teddy BearsI, too, am a tv sewer. I do a lot of work during the day, in my studio. Evenings I hand sew or stuff or joint, etc next to hubby, in the living room watching tv. I have an Ott light behind me and tote whatever I'm working on in my makeshift sewing basket. I love to sew in the evenings. I find it very relaxing.
But we have no pets at present, so that part I can't relate to.
:hug:
Newcastle, OntarioHi Lee Ann,
Funny you should bring this up LOL. I am having some of the same issues. Hubby works long hours - he's not home until at least 6:30 in the evenings. He loves to watch TV in the evenings and so do I - we just don't like the same shows. I love mysteries and PBS shows, and he loves old westerns and really old movies. It has become a bit of an issue, because I like to disappear to watch my shows, and he feels abandoned. 
I have ressurected our old VCR and tape a lot of my shows to watch during the day, when he's working. He tries to make some compromises on the shows we watch, which I know is hard for him. We've been talking about making a couple of nights, "movie nights" where we can pick something we both like. It's a tough one to balance - we also have two cats that think if I am sitting down in the living room, my lap is their lap 
hugs,
Brenda
Woodbury Park BearsIn our house I sit in the family room watching one TV while I hand sew at night and weekends my dog Busta the Beagle jumps up on the couch next to me and gets as close as he possibly can and Ziggy my big dog lays at my feet so I am hemmed in. LOL. My DH sits in the lounge room watching the big TV mostly foxtel stuff and sport and brings me cups of tea (isn't he lovely) my daughter floats between the two rooms. I sit at the dinning table to cut out (usually 2 or 3 at a time) it's open plan so I can see him in his chair watching the telly. He goes to bed very very early to go to work at 4am so I have my boys for company. On the weekends he's in the garage working on his model railway and I'm sewing inside.
I don't know how well go when we retire still a way off but under each others feet I'm not sure?
Raewyn
I also work a full-time day job so my only time to work on bears is in the evenings (when the job doesn't demand them) and on weekends when I can. My studio is my recliner and I have an Ott light that I use to sew by. When cutting out pieces I place a TV tray in front of my recliner turn on my Ott light and cut away. That way I can spend quality time with my hubby, watch our favorite shows and no one is left out. The cats have learned not to touch the fabric and I make sure the pincushion is out of their reach.
Hugs,
BrisbaneTeddy bear making is my hobby as I work full time. My studio is where ever I happen to be. I sew in the lounge room, in the office, in my bedroom and outside on our deck if the weather is nice. I was going to take over the spare room for my bear making, but mum went and bought a queen sized bed and put it in that room. So I had to give up on my ideas for a large work desk. I compensated by jamming a whole bunch of my bear and other craft supplies into the room. :crackup: :crackup:
----
Therese
Posts: 94Hello to you all,
I don't create bears but I give old bears new life, at least I try 
. I have got a "mobil" work shop, I can't stand at the same place, so, sometimes it's funny because I am the only one having a passion for teddy bear at home, around wife and two daughters. It happened I had restuffed a bear with wood woolh in the living room, wife's face was a little bit like this >>> , after mohair cleaning I usually dry it with the hairdryer in the kitchen (so when it happens the television volume get louder ) I also can be very kind, sewing in silence on the sofa
I really can restore a bear anywhere it is, I don't mind at all if I have anything I need to do it I am not fussy. Well I have to say I sometimes ("very sometimes") put the mess I am sure you've got an idea of what I mean 
The best moment is when I have finished. I ask wife and daughter to come and have a look, so they say " Wahouuuuuuuuuuuu he is very nice, it makes wonderful change than how it was before you put your hands on him, well done" then they say "How long are you going to let him on the radiator of the bathroom ?
I know you're smiling reading this :dance: :dance:
Best Wishes
Eric
Laurie Lou BearsIt is easier now I make miniatures as I can work wherever I like and just use a lap tray.I have my sewing box within reach of my favourite chair too as it is so annoying to keep getting up and down for bits and pieces.
I usually end up with 4 cats all fighting for space on my lap so if I lose something it is usually under them One of my Siameses has a habit of pulling all the pins out of the pin cushion and then drops them on the floor and one of my other cats is a silent thief and will take bear bits and creep off with them when he thinks I am not looking 
Laurie :hug:
Hi all, long time no chat!
for me creating is my job, so during the days i work in my studio on the messy stuff, or things that require more tools, such as scissor and needle sculpting, painting eyes, noses, making armatures, and in the evenings I move to the family room with my hubby and do all my sewing. I sew everything by hand so I use the evenings to sew any pieces I will need for the next days work.
With a houseful of crazy critters this also helps keep my things in one place and one piece. My studio has two rooms, so if I am working on something inricate I close the inner door (back room is my working room, front room is my office, and designing area) which blocks all animal access, the cats love to steal things and give them to the dogs to destroy, and allows me to only have my pieces, needle and thread out in the evening safe from harms reach. Although I have become pretty good at sewing on the couch wiht a 5 lb Chihuahua in my lap!!
Lately I have been taking the weekends off, but if there is any sewing to be done, I do this in the family room close to hubby, and if I have anything outstanding that I am trying to finish for Monday I will spend a couple of hours in the studio on the weekends while hubby is content playing video games or having a snooze.
hugs,
Krista
Lee Ann,
I think that most of us that are married and have kids are in the same boat. I do try to stay in my studio so that the house stays clean. However, no one ever comes in here to visit me. I do have a small loveseat for them to sit on. I'm hoping to put a TV in here soon, but I've been saying that for over 2 years. Perhaps that would lure them in. I get lonely in here by myself and fee like I don't spend enough time with them as I am often still working when they get home from school & work. I just bring things out to where the family is and work and try to clean up when I am done. That's the best I can do!
Hugs,
Alison
This is a subject near and dear to my heart as I've taken on care of my darling five month old granddaughter during the week. It has been a challenge to eek out time for bear making during the week (usually nap time!) and still spend time with my husband evenings and weekends. It's a slow go. I certainly don't make bears at the pace I used to!!
Warmest bear hugs, :hug:
Aleta
Holt, MII work full time too, and while I don't have a husband, at the moment I have a boyfriend who is pretty time demanding.
I actually have a bag that is meant to be a bathroom travel tote, with tons of little compartments, that I carry around.
It works wonders... and until I get a bigger place, it will have to be my studio.
LALand BearsOh my goodness ! THANK you all SO much for the lovely replies. Big smile and laughter as I read them all. :crackup:
I believe I can solve my dilemma now.....I'll get a better work light for near my chair, and I'll plan ahead so I have some sewing I can do out in the front room. But mind you...the minute his eyes close and I hear snoring - I'm outta there !
Big Bear hugs to all
:hug:
Lee Ann
