Motivation Please.

Buy some new fabric? ;) Get a new book?

I'm trying to find time to finish this Katrina quilt. I can't sew when the kids are awake because I have to tend to them and I can't sew when they're asleep because I may wake them...

-- Anita --

This seems to affect us all at some stage, I guess life just gets in the way for a time or tastes change for a little while. But for me (so far) I've always been pulled back into my patchwork and quilting and mostly with a real desire to "get on with it". I'm pretty sure this will happen eventually for you too. Hopefully something you read or click on to through this newgroup will set you on the way again. Best cheers, Sally in Tasmania

Just think of the blinding flash of inspiration that is lurking, waiting to burst forth! Don't think of this as Quilter's Block (no pun intended) - it's just a sabbatical!

Anyway - what's wrong with fabric fondling for a while? I get some of my best ideas from FF.

If you need to get inspired Right Now - browse through the amazing webshots pages from the NG. That should get the creative juices flowing. (BTW - mundane sewing will NOT help. Trust me, I know!)

As a last resort, plan a week of full-on activity. As soon as you do you will be overcome by the NEED to quilt!

I draw/design! I go to my box file called 'possible sources of inspiration' and shuffle through that. I will always see something that says 'Oi - you meant to do something about me ages ago'! So, I'll take it to the graph paper and play. I might never make any of the things (but, then again, I might!), but I've had fun - no expense involved - and the mood has lifted. Anyway - there's no crime in just not feeling 'craft' from time to time. Why should you think it is bad? It will pass. Put your favourite UFO on top of the pile. If you get just a hint of a sewing feeling, finish it. Then you might be away. . In message , ~KK in BC~ writes

Usually, that's just about when a friend or colleague tells me they are pregnant. There's nothing like having a deadline! And a baby quilt is a nice size to try something new; gratification isn't instant, but it is a lot faster than doing a King-sized DWR, for example. But, back to the deadline thing... I think that's why I like to do swaps so much. Even if I don't have a lot of time, I can work on these when I have time, send the stuff off to the hostess on time...and get back a whole lot of blocks to play with. In between swaps, I've been chipping away at my UFO pile. With the success in machine quilting swirlies on the latest baby quilt, I know I can finish a UFO that is more than half-quilted!

-- Jo in Scotland

Go to a free block website. Pick a block. Any block. Make it. Make a bigger one, make a smaller one. It's fun.

I get out the Black Hole Scrap Basket and start making little star blocks, one at a time. Or other blocks, they don't have to be stars, whatever the scraps will fit into. These blocks have no immediate purpose, they don't have to "go" together, they have no deadline. And they don't need inspiration. They let me feel the day wasn't wasted quilt-wise. And they pile up to the point where I can eventually make a top with them. Also good for hug blocks. Roberta in D, Queen of the Scrap Heap

"~KK in BC~" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:aQrWe.250858$tt5.85485@edtnps90...

What kind of little stars do you make? Variable Stars? Friendship stars? Enquiring minds want to know! I love star fabrics, star blocks, basically star-anything. And my scrap basket overfloweth.

-- Jo in Scotland

Cleaning the bathrooms. It's amazing how many things I would rather sew than do that. :-)

marcella

Kind of depends on the scraps available. If I have 4 HSTs, for example, they can go into a Friendship Star. If I have HSTs made from all the triangles trimmed when joining a set of binding strips, that's generally enough for a

4X4 Variable Star. These blocks mostly turn out 6.5", so the HSTs are either 2.5" for a 9-patch, or 2" for a 4X4. If there's a large-ish square in the basket, I can cut a 3.5" square for the center of the Variable Star, or even make a square in a square for the center. But sometimes I make Ohio Stars, another 9-patch variation. I also have quite a collection of 4.5" blocks, because sometimes the HSTs are only 1.5". The thing when making these is not to rush, avoid mass-produced chain piecing, just enjoy each little block all for itself. And then make another one if you feel inclined. It's the Zen of scraps. Roberta in D, Queen of the Scrap Heap

"Johanna Gibson" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

I haven't been doing this long enough to get into a slump yet. But I intersperse sewing blocks with hand work. I like Redwork and wool appliqué and stuff.

Sometimes, on rare occasions that I am depressed, I don't even go in my sewing room. I feel like I have lost the ability to enjoy anything. But that usually passes in a few days. And then I can't wait to get back in there.

Maybe your LQS is offering a class on something you might be interested in?

Cindy> Christmas is coming. Does that help at all?

Sometimes I'll sit in front of my stash and start planning my next project. Telling myself I don't have to do anything, I rootle through my stash and pick out fabrics for my next project and think about what goes with what and what I want to do with it. Before too long, I want to get started.

Hi, I've been thinking ablout your question since last night. Often my inspiration comes from getting out and seeing pretty things. I go shopping, HOme Goods, Marshalls, whatever. I look on line for pretty geometrical motifs, I go to the beach. I guess it is almost like I soak in pretty/beautiful things. I was stuck for color combos a couple weeks ago. I went to the beach and saw a wonderful variety of color combinations in the rocks and water. I took note of them and am working on something with them.

I hope this helps

Mary Ann

Catch 22.... Six of one, half dozen of the other... and other catchy phrases that don't help one along LOL

I would love to buy more fabric but alas, my space is not large enough for that at this moment. I did however buy a whackload of storage thingy's that will come in handy for the sort and store if I ever get my butt into that mode.

~KK in BC~ who should really sort and store and then she would have more room for more fabrics!

Well I knew this was THE best place to get my butt in gear with ideas and such from you WONDERful folks that hang a hat and thimble here !!!

~KK in BC~

Oh how I picture shop/think in webshots albums! I am in awe and amazed at some of the things I see and I do get the "I can do that" feeling often..... too often, hence the UFO pile up LOL

~KK in BC~

now how am I going to choose ONE favourite UFO? lol That in itself is a monumental task!

~KK in BC~

Babies and deadlines....... food for thought! ~KK in BC~

but........but............what if I cant stop blocking???

~KK in BC~ imagining herself drowning in blocks and having to holler for the kids to dig her out!