Be a Satisfactionist

Sue Kim made up the term ‘satisfactionist’ to recommend those of us who sew be more focused on satisfying sewing, than perfect sewing. It does not mean we set out to sew crooked seams or bumpy hems! Being a satisfactionist means accepting the little ‘oopsies’ that occur during sewing, without letting those ‘oopsies’ jade our view of our handiwork. It is important to enjoy sewing, and it is gratifying to be fully proud of our efforts.

When we begin sewing, we hold ourselves to the standards of items we bring home from the store – items sewn on specialized, powerful machines by people who use them eight or more hours a day, five or more days a week. Or we want our projects to look exactly the projects of our grandma, who has been sewing for longer than we’ve been alive. Or exactly like our favorite sewing blogger (who, let’s face it, probably does not share her duds!). So time and again, we come up short.

But that isn’t very satisfying, is it?

It is satisfying to credit ourselves when we finish our projects, when we tackle new techniques, and when we fudge things that turn out to be awesome. And it is very satisfying to graciously accept compliments on our work! We don’t have to mention that the interior stitching was done in two colors because we ran out of thread, or that our hem is slightly uneven, or that our buttons don’t quiiite line up with our buttonholes.

Sew for satisfaction, and be satisfied with what you sew.

Just Call Me Goldilocks

As mentioned before, my first attempt at a Floral Bag by Sue Kim was too big. So I went ahead and made the smaller version … only to find it fits my laptop, and not much else. Too small! On the plus side, I still love this bag pattern.

I didn’t put any pockets in, both to speed up construction and because a gathered interior encourages pockets to tip over, spilling everything out of them. But for my intended usage, pockets are really a necessity. I could always wear one of those new-fangled cross body bags which are coming into vogue, but I like my bag to be my purse as well.

Nonetheless, I’m going to make another Floral Bag, in a size halfway between the large and the small, and I’m going to figure out a way to make effective interior pockets, too. And maybe some subtle exterior ones, too! I’m envisioning something country and rustic, like little blue flowers on a red and white gingham background. Maybe with a cheerful yellow lining? We shall see.