Why I do this part 2...

...subtitled "Why you might want to do something like this too..."

I have had lots of people telling me that what I do is wonderful.  Like I am someone special for doing it.   I am not.  I get more from doing this than anyone else does.

I get to sew.  I love sewing.  Now I can sew every evening and never feel I am wasting my time.

I get to try out new ideas.  All the time.  I don't have to sew what someone else would like me to make.  Sure, I have certain things I need to repeat (owls!!) But I never make two items exactly the same.  So each one is unique.  I have failures - but you don't see those!  With denim, it's OK to throw those failures away  if necessary - though usually I rip the seams out and use the pieces to make something else.  Crazy patchwork covers a multitude of sins! When I make something which other people feel is good enough that they will pay good money for it, I feel that I have achieved something.

I get to feel good.  Every time I make something I know I am helping a child to eat.  How many people can say that they spend two or more hours a day, every day, doing something that they enjoy which also makes them feel good? I now think of items in terms of how many children they feed. The feeding programme currently costs about £1000 each month.  With that £1000, 500 children are fed.  So a £1 purse feeds a child for two weeks.  It feeds a child who, without the feeding programme, would only eat every three or four days.

I get to talk to lots of people about something that matters to me.  Usually, they want to hear.  (If they don't, I usually work that out and shut up quickly, honest!)

I go to lots of places and events I would not normally visit.  I meet people I would not otherwise get to know.  I can only do one event a month (well, OK sometimes I do more than that...) but I have met so many interesting people through doing this.  

Sometimes I get really nice comments.  Like the one from Martin who recently made a regular donation to the feeding programme. He said that he "met a really lovely lady who makes denim bags.at the E2BN conference  She inspired me to contribute."

As a result of making bags, I had the chance to go to Kenya.  I had never imagined I would do that.  It was an incredible experience. One day I will go back.

By making bags from old jeans, I like to think I am helping to reduce landfill.  A small thing, in the grand scheme of things.  But it matters.

Maybe sewing isn't your thing.  But I bet there is something you can do that will give you a similar feeling.

I'm so blessed to be able to do this.

I'm sharing this post at these link parties:

A Round Tuit	Sew Can Do	The Girl Creative
Manic Monday	Sew Chatty	Calling all Crafters
Inspire me Monday	Craftomaniac Monday	I MAde it Monday
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