How are you? I feel these last few months have been flying by and when I do have time, I’ve been feeling very down. Could be the colder weather and shorter days, but I think I’m also feeling the world scream. Sometimes I end up spending my free time all stressed out and that brings me down… you know, that frustration of not being able to calm your own mind – and constant critical thinking that spins into depression? Do you have ‘Down Days’?
For me, the best way to overcome this is to create. It doesn’t even matter what it is! Even if I’m cooking something, I’m creating and creating is positive… and we need all the positive energy we can get. I’m so grateful to have the ability to sew and make quilts. There’s something about the texture of fabric, and all the colors that really are soothing to me.
Current Quilt Project
I still can’t really show my current quilt project since I haven’t shown it to the person who commissioned it yet. However, I’m so excited to show it, as soon as the new owner receives it, I’ll be posting all the photos! Either I’ll be happy they liked it, or really bummed if they don’t. Another source of stress for me is questioning every single choice I make. In this instance, I worry color and fabric choice, and the design. I’d love to let that go, but I’m like this in every design project I’ve created for someone – even t-shirt designs.
This is partially WHY I keep this blog: I love sharing the progress in projects as I go – AND getting feedback as I go! It really helps direct my vision. For now, here’s a quick pick of the binding and the back of this current quilt project:
The backing fabric is called “Widescreen” by Carolyn Friedlander and I really love it. The quality is great – I like the heavier fabric for backing. This one was 4.5oz where some others were only 3.7oz. I was considering piecing a back for this quilt, but I’ve already hit over 100 hours on this project, and am only charging for 60, so I have to have some limits. At this point, I’m hoping to have enough orange-y scraps to create a new quilt for my own bed!
Upcoming Projects
This has me thinking about all the projects I want to get started on already!! I want to make a quilt for my daughter, and one for our bed. I also want to start a new hexie quilt with all the leftover hexies I have, AND I want to start another Kaleidoscope EPP type quilt, but with a new design.
Before any of this can even start, I need to reorganize my sewing / office area!
I bought a new rug that will fit my entire room – and I’m so excited to use it. To do that, I have to clear the floor – and to do that, I figure I might as well empty the whole room, super clean, and re-organize. I think that will really help clear my head fog. I’ll have to re-organize all my fabrics too – and that is always good for at least 3 new quilt ideas!
The Chakra Quilts are complete, and so I’m also trying my hand at writing about them. It’s proving to be much harder than anticipated for some reason, so I’m just free writing for now and seeing where that takes me. It hasn’t gone that far yet, and is a little disappointing. But I’m not giving up yet. I just have to wait till I have another ‘focused’ phase, where all I do is one thing till it’s done – and use it for my writing rather than quilting.