Saturday, August 1, 2015

Has been hot and dry here.  Dry meaning no rain.  Has been humid, some days worse than others.  Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow though.  We need some.


I have been wondering what inspires other quilters to make a new quilt.  I never thought I would run out of ideas or the desire to make a quilt, but that seems to have happened.  This has been going on for several years now .  Right now I would say I am at the bottom of the "make a quilt ladder".  Can't seem to get that particular part of my brain going.  I have a quilt in progress, but it has been in progress for a few months now.   I have gone to quilt shops, admired all the samples hanging on the walls,  bought fabric that I did not need but really liked and have watched a few quilting shows on TV.  I do a lot of gardening in the summer, but have always told myself, in the winter I will sew.  So ladies, my question to you is #1 have you ever been in a slump where you did not want to sew/quilt?
Question #2 what inspires you to sit up all night making the next quilt?  Well maybe not all night, but
where you don't want to stop for anything.....
thanks
Pat in Flint

8 Comments:

At August 2, 2015 at 9:54 AM , Blogger katyquilt said...

Same here for a few years now... It seems to be coming back, but slowly... I think I have forgotten all the little tricks and basic measurements and stuff to automatically do the things I used to do!

 
At August 2, 2015 at 11:06 AM , Blogger RoseyP said...

Pat, I have hit several dry spells which really surprised me in over fifty years of making quilts. Sometimes, getting back into making a simple quilt is enough to get the old spark going. But it's like loosing a good friend when there is not a quilt to work on in our sewing room, isn't it.
Rosey aka Sandy Small Proudfoot...

 
At August 2, 2015 at 11:22 PM , Blogger Laura in IA said...

Pat, I thought I had no ideas until I read Rosey's post. Having to clear up your sewing space for other uses (guests, often) had stalled out my production. This summer I decided to clean and reorganize my space. The going through of the accumulations, rediscovering what I was thrilled to work on at one time has helped me. I have not got everything reorganized but have been inspired to move forward. I know it's not glamorous, but it worked for me. And yes Katy I have to use my reference books more for the math formulas, but that's what I bought them for in the first place.

 
At August 3, 2015 at 11:02 AM , Blogger RoseyP said...

There are some months that I do not quilt. I don't even think about it other than to read quilt mags. Those times just happen. The longest was nearly six months after John's death. I do not quilt as much in the summer as in the winter being a gardener. Even though I'm not quilting then, nature inspires me. Books and magazines inspire me. I've not made a quilt from a pattern or a book using the same colors and style. Patterns are good starting points. Something will trigger more ideas and my quilt changes. The quilt tells me where to go. Most quilts start with a photo, a sketch or colors from a magazine ad. The design changes and grows along the way. Am always thinking, 'what if' another color were added or changed. Or the blocks were rectangular instead of square. Or set on point... Sometimes I just play. An oriental chrysanthemum print on gray led me to design a rectangular block that was too complex to make into a quilt. That is OK. It will become a table runner. Often plans to make a bed quilt become a wall quilt or throw. Or a small quilt keeps growing into a bed quilt. Memories start me making story quilts. Have many of the kids and grandkids when they were younger. Some are grief quilts, made after a person passes. The process helps me. The quilt goes to a loved one who is grieving. Almost anything can inspire me. Quilting is my therapy. (Sandy, you need a good quiet time to quilt after today's adventures.)
MaryJo

 
At August 3, 2015 at 11:10 AM , Blogger RoseyP said...

When this forum began, it was a public forum and putting out my given name onto a public forum concerned me as it does many other folks who post out on these things. Now that it has become a private forum, I'm more at ease with my name going out....Rosey is a nickname, as I've explained here before, I feel more like a Rosey than I do my given name of Sandra or Sandy. Somehow, I always felt this was not my REAL name and in fact it wasn't. I am an adopted child from birth to my parents who raised me, thank heavens too for that....I was very fortunate to have wonderful, caring and supportive parents (not without our the ups and downs families have, ours didn't escape a serious issue). In my mid-fifties, because mine was a private adoption, I finally, because of my auto-immune disorder, was able to find half of my birth origins and lo and behold, Sandra is my adoptive given name. Rosey is a shortened form of my birth, last name. So, when I went onto the internet postings, it seemed to tie both ends of my life together in honouring the Rosey part of my name....all that said, I do answer to Sandy as well. My work goes out under Sandra Small Proudfoot. I'll post a copy of the quilt that travelled last year with the Mancuso World Quilt Exhibit, a privilege to be included.
Rosey

 
At August 3, 2015 at 11:11 AM , Blogger RoseyP said...

And I agree with laura, when I hit critical mass in here in my studio, I can't become inspired to do a blessed thing. Good point, Laura....maybe Pat, getting organized is the first step to getting inspired again,
Rosey

 
At August 4, 2015 at 1:40 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

I agree that cleaning up my sewing room and getting organized is something I need to do for sure. I have several projects started, even have the fabric with the cut out material, zipper, button whatever all in a stack (I hope). I do not at this point have a single surface that is empty! Probably should not admit that. I have a new handbag started for my daughter. Need to finish it first, like this week. But today I worked in a garden downtown and right now I am sweaty, dirty and tired. Not good for sewing. I love the feed back you all are providing in answer to my questions. Really great positive info. Thank you all, most appreciated!!

 
At August 8, 2015 at 9:14 PM , Blogger Sara in Florida said...

First, I never stay up all night doing anything! When the grandsons were here I got up about 12:30 because I was not sleeping and thought I was keeping DH awake. Boys were streaming the Karate Kid 1, so I joined them until 2:30 when it was all over and we went to bed.
I would say go to your grocery, or book store and thumb through the quilt magazines. Since they are $10.00 or more, only buy one if any, and take it home and really look at it. Study it. If you have been doing large quilts, do something like a wall hanging, or a baby quilt. Mix it up. Since so many quilters like to garden, do something in flowers, etc.
Sara in Fa.

 

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