Thursday, February 11, 2010

Someone just needs to tell me what to do...

...and I'll do it. Maybe. After finishing 3460, I have been unable to get started on another project. It's like my creative juices have dried up. So my solution was to sign up for some quilt-alongs. I thought if someone could just say, "This week, your assignment is to...." then I wouldn't even have to think too much. I could just follow along and actually accomplish something.

I signed up for this one. Wanna see my progress? Fabric nicely laid out for picture taking. That's it. That's as far as I have gotten.

I signed up for this one. Wanna see my progress?


I got the paintbox button posted on my blog. That's the extent of my progress. I don't even have my fabrics picked out, although I did purchase a lot of solids in preparation. Does that count?

I plan to make Valentine's pillowcases for my grandkids. Wanna see how far I've gotten on those?

So do any of you have solutions for getting out of the "stalled" mode. This seemingly never happens to some people, like this person and this person. I sure would love to know how they keep their "inspiration and production" mode in full gear. Don't they ever have days weeks where they want to sew, but then just say, nah, I'm just gonna sit on this couch and read a magazine. Any ideas? Really. Feel free to just tell me what to do...

12 comments:

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Andrea said... #

I'm so there with ya! Love that paintbox quilt-along. The only thing that I've learned is that I'm not an "along" type person. I've joined 3 in the past and lasted all of 3 days. I get distracted by what everyone else is doing and their progress, what their stuff looks like, etc... that I waste time and don't do my own project! So, I don't do quilt-alongs.
I try and set little goals for myself - like doing chain piecing of one part of the blocks for 10 minutes only, and then if I get into then I'll do more.
Not too helpful huh?

The fabrics you picked though are gorgeous and they will look fantastic. now get to it!

Grandma G said... #

You're speaking my language! I hope you get some inspirational answers!

Mary Grace McNamara said... #

Gorgeous fabrics you have to work with! I would say just start on something, anything. Maybe a quick project like one pillowcase would be good to start with, and see if that gets you going. One pillowcase a day or two a day or some little goal like that. Then if you're not enjoying it, you know you just have to finish that one thing and you're done for the day.

Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to do handwork so I find it's best not to start something. Just wait and your inspiration will come, either out of necessity or desire.

MGM

Crystal said... #

I get motivated in one of two ways. Either I trick myself into sewing something every day by saying "all you have to do is sew one seam" or set a time limit like 15 minutes. Most of the time I end up sewing way longer because the hardest part is getting started, I think. And if I don't sew for more than my 15 mintues, that's ok...at least I did something.

The other thing I do is to give myself permission to not sew. I just do something else, watch a movie or something and I forget about all the sewing that "needs" to get done. Because it doesn't really need to get done this instant.

I'm usually back in the studio before the end of the night because when I don't have to sew, I want to sew.

wishes, true and kind said... #

Maybe you are doing the right thing. Maybe taking a little break will be just the thing you need to recharge your battery. Even creativity needs a vacation now and then.

Anonymous said... #

Well, I just took a really long break where I didn't do much of anything unless I had to. Then I rearranged my creative space and looked at a lot of magazines and started pasting little pieces of paper together and somehow, that got me going again. What I've really wanted to do is a bunch of small new projects, but what I've ended up doing is trying to finish things. I guess what I'm saying is that I think you have to go with the flow and see what happens and sometimes that involves lots of starting and stopping and maybe making mistakes?

ilovebabyquilts said... #

I see you read the lovelylittlehandmades blog too! I suggest you make some red and aqua tiny gnome houses surrounded by white like Kerri requested from her bee. That's what I'm doing to break my creative slump!

Kristen said... #

Oh man I'm right there with you. I'm trying a slightly different route; participating in swaps. That way I'm accountable to someone other than myself. And the swap I joined is not a huge project, just a few potholders. At least it's something. =)

Ashley said... #

I feel that way too sometimes - especially when there are projects that I actually HAVE to finish... What works for me is to have a lot of different projects going at the same time, because sometimes I feel like being creative, or sometimes I want to make a bunch of repetitive blocks, or just do a lot of cutting and prep work, and sometimes I just want to sit amidst my fabrics! And then there are certainly those days when I want to just sit on the couch and watch TV (and on those days, that's exactly what I do! It's definitely good to give yourself a break!)

Tanya said... #

I think it's fine to have some time where you just sit on the couch and take a break from being crafty. I know there are days when I think all day about which project I'm going to work on, think about my yarn/fabric and what I'd like to accomplish that evening and then get home, sit down in the TV chair, look at my knitting basket (which is RIGHT by the chair so it's not like I'd even have to get up to get a project) and say, "Meh...I think I'll just skip it...maybe tomorrow." I've had several days in a row of this and just think of it as giving my creative juices a chance to recuperate. When you're ready again, you'll be inspired to create. Until then, if you do it even when you don't want to, it might make you hate it.

Letterpress said... #

This made me laugh out loud. Been then, done that, still doing it. I've decided that a lot of it is I go overboard buying fabric at quilt shows or online and then am overwhelmed by all I have, and can't seem to cut into any of it. It's the overwhelmingness (is that a word?) of it all.

I do much better if I say, I"m just going to make up "X" project. And then I work on that. Of course, gray days, too much to do in my non-sewing life, lots of little visiting grandchildren, falling ill--all these things can throw you off track.

I also think that sometimes we quilters troll each others' blogs and feel like we have to be as productive as this person or that person. Maybe their quilting is a business, and that's how they earn their money. My sewing/quilting is for me, and so I take it at a slower pace.

I love what the other comments say--great post--great topic. Thanks!

Camille said... #

Hey, that looks like progress to me! My thoughts are, only do it if you are enjoying it. If you need a break, take one! Something will eventually make you run back (great fabric, new idea, etc.) As for stall mode- I SO know where you are coming from. Really, I do.