Ask Sewfie... advice for the sewing obsessed, because you know you need help. E-mail "Ask Sewfie" today!

Dear Sewfie,

My sister-in-law sews a lot of gifts for the whole family. She puts one of those “Handmade by So-and-So” labels into EVERYTHING she makes, whether it be a bag, a shirt, a pair of pajama pants… she even sewed one to the bottom of a stuffed animal she recently made for my son!

Too many labels?

She is making me crazy with all the labels. I know its handmade. I know she made it “especially for me”. I just find the whole tag thing pretentious and annoying. How can I get her to stop?

- Tagged Out

Dear Tagged Out,

When one sews a handmade gift for someone, it is an act of love. It takes both dedication of effort and time. The sewn-in label is just a way of saying: “I thought of you and I care”. Its like a tiny little greeting card. So for Pete’s sake lighten up! You should be grateful she wants to spend her precious time trying to create something special for you.

I’m guessing you didn’t mind when Tommy Hilfiger put his little flag on your chest or Victoria emblazoned her moniker on your drawers, so your dear Sister-in-Law should be shown the same courtesy. And you might want to give a quick re-read to one of Sewfie’s previous posts: Don’t Be a Handmade Grinch. The same crabbiness applies.

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Ask Sewfie... advice for the sewing obsessed, because you know you need help. E-mail "Ask Sewfie" today!

Dear Sewfie,

I’m trying to sell my house and my real estate agent says I have to put ALL of my sewing stuff away, completely out of sight. She says I have to bag up my entire studio, closet my stash and put away my sewing machine. She says all my desk tops need to be completely “free of clutter“. Frankly, I’m offended that she referred to my sewing equipment as “clutter”…. be that as it may, is this necessary? I sew every day and I earn an income from selling my crafts on line. Putting away all my stuff would not only render me bored witless but also without an income! Do you think this is really necessary?

- Stitch-less in Seattle

Dear Stitch-less,

Your zealous agent’s assertions are sad but true. Because of the dismal state of the real estate market, sellers are in a terrible pickle and buyers are totally taking advantage of the situation. Before they walk away with your house at a steal of a price, they expect to be paraded through it as if it were newly set for a photo shoot with Martha Stewart. They expect beautiful, expensive and immaculately pristine furniture arranged by a feng shui master and any hint of individual personality must be scrubbed from your home. Or better yet, stashed in off site storage.

Case in point, in a recent article at MainStreat.com, this photo of a little sewing machine in the corner was featured in a article called Ugliest Real Estate Photos. Apparently, the author felt home sewing was as ugly as dirty toilets and faux wood paneling.

Innocent vintage sewing machine impugned by "Ugliest Real Estate Photos"

Although Sewfie laments this sorry state of affairs, sometimes one must go along to get along, thus she advises the following 3-point plan for keeping your real estate agent happy:

• Box up the majority of your fabric stash into clear storage bins and keep it in the closet. The clear containers will help you find stuff more easily when you need it and after your stash “ages” in there for a while, you might find there is some of it you can live without. (Sewfie will write more on “thinning out your stash” at a later date.)
• Save out the tools (scissors, rotary cutters, tape measures, etc.) and notions you use everyday. Keep them in a small storage container, like a tackle box or similar container with a lid. This way, when a house showing comes up, you can toss that container into the closet without losing anything. Keep out the fabric for your current project only. When you are not actively working on that project, keep your UFO* in a tidy folded pile on your sewing desk.
• Cover up your sewing machine. There is a nice tutorial on Sew, Mama, Sew! for a reversible sewing machine cover.

Following this simple plan, you should be able to keep up your sewing work while maintaining the requisite tidy workspace. With any luck, you’ll soon be able to stitch up one of these** for your new place…

*UFO = Un-Finished Object
**Art Quilt Wall Hanging, “Home Sweet Home” by Moran Art and Quilts

Enjoy these related posts...

1. Finding time to sew for a busy Mom
2. Getting Your Child Started with the Sewing Machine
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