Today, we went to Strategicon at a hotel near LAX. It was fun seeing old friends and acquaintances again. We cruised through the dealer's room, shopped at the flea market, and learned how to play a new game called Dominion.
It was a really nice half a day at the con, and I had fun. Maybe we'll go to the next con in February too. A pleasant break from sitting around the house not sewing.
Why am I not sewing? I don't know... just feeling restless and uninspired, which is a shame because this was a stay-at-home-retreat weekend for an online group I belong to. I SHOULD be working. I just can't bring myself to make quilts just for the sake of doing something. Lately I've been thinking long and hard about just what I want to accomplish when I make quilts. I've kind of decided I don't want to just sew and sew and sew just to be doing it. Production sewing isn't my idea of fun. I want to create art, not blankets.
Which is not to say that some beautiful and artistic quilts don't come out of 'production sewing'. I love seeing other people's beautiful quilts that are sewn just to try new techniques or patterns, or just to be sewing something. I just am not inspired to sew that way any more myself. I used to enjoy sewing just to try a new pattern or use fabric that I like. My inspiration for doing that seems to be fading. I'm not sure I can even explain it properly and I don't mean to insult anyone who quilts just to make them. I think it's wonderful, especially all the quilts made for charity this way. I'm just not inspired to do this right now.
Maybe this mood will pass and I will go back to making quilts just for the fun of sewing them together. I don't know. I only know that right now my quilting muse is leading me down a different path. Sadly that path is leading me to making far fewer quilts. Which makes me depressed somewhat.
Perhaps I need a little break - like a vacation away from home. Maybe if I went somewhere new and interesting when I returned home, I would be inspired to sew again. I think I'll suggest it to my husband. I need to do SOMETHING - I have a quilting retreat coming up in November, and I've got to be ready to take one or more projects with me to sew while I'm there.
I do have three quilts at the LAQ, which I should have back by then and I can put bindings on them. Other than that, no plans yet.... big sigh.
Tomorrow I will play a game with my husband and friend and that will have to suffice as my 'get-away' for the holiday weekend. Monday, I have to play Tom Sawyer and whitewash a fence.
I want to learn how to hand-paint fabric.
I want to learn how to hand-dye fabric.
I want to learn how to manipulate and alter fabrics by burning, waxing, and embellishing them.
I WANT to get back to sewing too... just don't know when... I once made a quilt with a banner across the top of it that reads 'DO WHAT YOU LOVE - WITH ALL YOUR HEART'. I need especially to learn how to take my own advice.
I think we all get to feeling like this at some point or another. I know that I lost my mojo and feared it wouldn't come back, but it did. Relax. You sew for fun. It's not a job. Try this trick: tell yourself you are not allowed to sew for a set amount of time (a day, 3 days, a week, whatever works for you). Then when that time is up, go into your sewing area and sew for fifteen minutes. Or just be in there for that time. Your muse will tell you what to do. It's just a time to reset things, that's all. Good luck!
ReplyDelete