Quilting, for me, brings about the same feelings that walking on the beach does. Obviously, when I make a quilt there is more brain power and decision involved, but when I actually sit down to sew and piece things together, my body feels like it lets out one deep sigh, and I feel settled.
But I also have a tendency to overdo things. My mom used to point this out to me, in hopes that I would see a frenzy building and try to find a place of calm. But I am stubborn. So I go go go go and basically deplete my inspiration well and creativity until I am flat empty. And then I sit here and wonder what happened. Every. Single. Time.
That is where I have been this last month. In an inspiration/creation dry spell. I don't like it. I have nine thousand ideas floating around in my head, but when I go to sit down to make something, I just can't.
Another part of the equation is the whole etsy shop thing. A lot of quilts that I have just loved have been sitting in my little shop for quite some time. On the flip side, quilts I made that I felt so so about sold rather quickly. I am still new to this "selling what I create" thing and there is definitely a lot of learning and soul-checking going on. I think somewhere in my frenzy of MAKE ALL THE QUILTS I started making things that i thought people might like, as opposed to making quilts that I just want to make because it sounds fun. As soon as I did that, I think I started chipping away at the joy that quilting brings me. So I am back to this place, of reevaluating, of deep thought, of forcing myself to throw thoughts out of my head, and just make. I have to say, though... it's tough when you attach a bit of your heart, your imagination, to something. It feels a little deeper. Anyhow, that is something I need to work through and figure out my happy middle place.
I realize it's very likely that y'all (and by y'all I am not even sure that there is a single person who will ever read this) have checked out by now......
Mostly just sharing this in the hopes that maybe another maker might read this and share their experiences with this sort of inspirational drought. Because I would LOOOOOVVVEEE to get my quilty mojo back.
.....on the flip side of this, I am thinking maybe I just need to go to my unfinished projects bin (because I literally have over two dozen started quilts--- some are whole quilt tops that need to be backed, quilted, and bound....) Maybe finishing one of those would help me reset! Here is a look of what I have got on my list to finish. Y'all.....this is evidence that I have a problem finishing.
The one above was made from an issue of Love Patchwork & Quilting and was meant to be the first quilt I made just for myself. I really love it. But as soon as I assigned it the label of "just for me" it went to the bottom of the pile of things to complete. I need to fix that. Pretty sure I am going to still keep this one for myself because the way the center looks like it is glowing makes me really really happy. And blues are my jam.
My husband bought me a bundle of these Tanya Whelan fabrics for Valentine's Day 2 or 3 years ago!!! I love them. They make me super happy. And this one was a "quilt as you go" so all I need to do is press, back, and bind.
I made the above quilt top back in the summer of 2014 as we were waiting for my husband to return from his deployment to the desert. I totally remember all of the anxiousness and giddiness as I was piecing this together--- I was trying to give myself something to focus on so I wouldn't just explode with excitement. But I realized my squares didn't match up....because that was back before I did patchwork squares THIS WAY So I set the top aside because I was bummed about the lack if alignment and I forgot about it. But the colors are beautiful and it is good sized, so I just need to finish it!!
This was one of the very first quilt tops I ever made. Just strips of some of my very favorite fabric. I keep debating cutting it into squares or rectangles and framing it in white and then piecing it together block style.....but this is a must finish because I love the colors.
This was supposed to be Declan's car seat quilt but I stopped because I can't even remember why.
This one I just made this past winter and I really do love it and love the colors. I have a binding all sewn together for it, too, so I need to find the right backing for it and get it finished.
I made this with Elea Lutz's fabric and it makes me super happy. Only, I made it as we were in the process of moving and somehow when we got to the new house and I laid the blocks back out, I messed up my original design of colors and it drove me nuts that the oranges and minty teals were adjacent from each other. Probably a lame reason to give up on it.
Triangles. I LOVE the way they look but can never get them right. Like ever. But I have decided that I am going to finish this one because I love the springy colors. It will either be a couch quilt or maybe a quilt for the camper.
This quilt I made with Doe fabric and I loved the masculine look to it. It is backed and minimally quilted. I quit because there was a pucker in the white and I was so bummed. Which is dumb because all I need to do is seam rip and fix it, or leave it as is.....This one is so close to being finished!
Okay.....so there you have it. I have 3 other quilts tops done, but they are meant to be gifts so I am going to keep those hidden.
Do you have a stack of ALMOST finished things that you are neglecting? Or any tips for helping rejuvenate the love of making? I'd love to hear them!!!
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