Often someone will mention they’ve lost their quilting mojo of they lack motivation and ask how I stay motivated. Believe it or not, I hesitate to offer advice on much of anything but I will share a few ideas that keep me motivated.
Probably the most important of all quilting advice I’ve ever received was when I got my first quilting machine.
Yep, that’s it! The advice I was given should probably have been: Run, Judy, Run! but, the advise was to set a realistic amount of time each day I could spend with the machine. And then no matter what happened every day, within reason, I would spend that set amount of time with the machine. Most everyone who has tried this, including myself, has found that just getting started is the hard part. Once you get started, you’ll probably find that you don’t want to stop. Believe it or not, there are days when I have to make myself get started quilting but once I start, I never want to stop.
Another incident that has kept me fired up through the years happened at an estate sale back in 1997. In Louisiana, I never attended estate sales where the belongings of someone who had died or was downsizing was all spread out like a garage sale and everything was sold. I realized that finished quilts, no matter how poorly constructed or how fancy, or how worn always sold right off the bat. Tops that weren’t finished, either the piecing wasn’t complete or the top wasn’t quilted, just sat around and usually went with another box of sewing paraphernalia for $1. Not what I wanted for my tops!
And, I’ve mentioned it here before. I love my stash! You love your stash! When you and I are gone, Chad and your kids are going to see it as clutter! Well, your kids may not but Chad definitely will . . just get it out of the house! I’ve been to too many estate sales where fabric was sold for 10¢ per yard or bundle. Not my fabric! I’m using every square inch of it . . or that’s my goal anyway.
Those three things keep me motivated.
If you’re feeling a lack of motivation, here’s my advice:
- Is your sewing room tidy and organized? This is one of those instances where I’ll have to say do as I say, not as I do!
Really though, if your sewing room is a mess, sometimes it’s just hard to face the disorder so if you think that might be your problem, pick a day . . pick an evening . . pick something this week and clean up enough that your sewing room is a fun place to be.
- Think about how much time you can spend sewing each day or even each Saturday. Figure out what works for you. Don’t overestimate your time because you may feel like a failure when you can’t meet that goal. Hey . . I heard there’s a real good book out if you have an hour a day in which to sew!
- Look at your unfinished quilts. If they’re buried, don’t waste time digging them all . . just mentally visualize them. Do you want them sold for 25¢ when you’re gone? No? Then get busy and get them finished! Even if you can’t quilt them, you can donate them to groups who will quilt them and find good homes. QOV is one such group if your quilt fits their parameters.
- Fondle your stash! Yumm! Good, huh? Do you want that sold for 10¢ a yard when you’re gone? No? Then get busy and use it!
Feeling motivated? I thought so!
