Elsie Campbell sure makes great quilts. She also said, "There's no law that we have to finish what we start."
With that being said, I have to confess. I am a starter and I have a hard time finishing. I use to think it was called procrastination or laziness or just something to make fun of, but I have so many ideas in my head and I want to get them started because I am afraid I will forget them. Some are too hard to finish or some need a piece of fabric I don't have or some I just get tired of them. And then there is the finishing of a creation that I don't like: borders, backings, labels, sleeves and alot of quilting.
What to do, It's a dilemma.
But then I thought of my word of the year: FREEDOM
Freedom to start projects and not finish them, Freedom to finish them in my own time, Freedom to start of a new project and put it away to "simmer". THERE-I have newly found freedom.
This brings me to give advice to new quilters. Accuracy is important and so is 1/4 inch seams, practice, practice, practice free motion quilting, Learn new ways of doing the same thing and find the one that you like best. A mistake is just that, a mistake that you can rip out and do again or leave it as it is because no one will know but you. You will learn from it and do better next time. Trust in yourself, you are the artist.
Just some of my unfinished projects:
What W
With that being said, I have to confess. I am a starter and I have a hard time finishing. I use to think it was called procrastination or laziness or just something to make fun of, but I have so many ideas in my head and I want to get them started because I am afraid I will forget them. Some are too hard to finish or some need a piece of fabric I don't have or some I just get tired of them. And then there is the finishing of a creation that I don't like: borders, backings, labels, sleeves and alot of quilting.
What to do, It's a dilemma.
But then I thought of my word of the year: FREEDOM
Freedom to start projects and not finish them, Freedom to finish them in my own time, Freedom to start of a new project and put it away to "simmer". THERE-I have newly found freedom.
This brings me to give advice to new quilters. Accuracy is important and so is 1/4 inch seams, practice, practice, practice free motion quilting, Learn new ways of doing the same thing and find the one that you like best. A mistake is just that, a mistake that you can rip out and do again or leave it as it is because no one will know but you. You will learn from it and do better next time. Trust in yourself, you are the artist.
Just some of my unfinished projects:
A very nice gentleman came into the fabric shop I was visiting in and asked to see the manager. He asked if anyone would be interested in quilting some unfinished quilts he found in the cottage he just bought. They were in the attic in a very old trunk. The manager said bring them in I will look at them. Three black garbage bags later, numerous quilts were laid out. They were all in different stages of finishing. Some pieced, some just cut, and some ready for quilting. In all he had 15 full size quilts, 20 partial quilts and many pieces. In this trunk there was also included the paper pattern and all of her notes to herself. I was truly amazed of all this woman accomplished and wondered how could her family just leave these in a trunk in a attic and walk away. Was all her work for nothing? Did her family get sick of all her quilts, did they have too many? But here it was 60 years later, (I dated them by the fabric) and another family found them and cherished them enough to want to have them finished and put on their beds. Lesson to be learned: You never know where you artwork will end up and who will love it. Just put it out there, Keep creating!
What W
