There are times when an avid crafter loses their mojo - knitting, crocheting, painting, papercrafting, or even quilting. I lost my quilting mojo a couple of years ago and have struggled to get it back. I think a lot of it has to do with a Big Project I committed to do a couple of years ago. I was so enthusiastic to start it and jumped right in with both feet - then the doubts rushed in and things came to a screeching, mind-numbing stop! I've allowed Da Big Thing to dominate my brain with guilt and even a bit of dread. I hated the way it was coming together in the beginning and not only stopped, but ripped it all out and put it in Time Out. I talked to a friend and got some pointers....had a small idea of a plan and let it stew for a while. A couple of weeks ago, I started laying it all out according to that small idea. It fell totally into place like a charm! I spent yesterday sewing most of the parts together and have a bit more to do to get it all evened out before I put the borders on and then send it to the quilter. I'm not going to show it to you until it's totally done and I've at least sent a picture to the owner...but it's going to be magnificent! And I think on top of that euphoria, my quilting mojo might be coming back!
I know you've all heard me talk about the annual Row by Row Experience. It's going on again this summer. The theme is Sew Musical. I had decided that rather than obssess about all the rows, this year I would make a specific plan and stick to it. I did that - up to a point. First, I decided to make a guitar quilt. I chose a bunch of blocks from several different states that featured guitars. Some of them I wanted the kits, and some of them I could use my own stash fabrics but needed the pattern. So, as usual, I enlisted the help of the numerous family and friends. It's one of the perks of being a military family - you make tons of friends and they eventually settle all over the country and even in some foreign countries. I'm feelin' pretty good about this and THEN someone mentions that several of the shops throughout the U.S. have focused on the Beatles for their rows and I did some research and now I'm looking to make a Beatles quilt as well as the guitar one. I''ve gotten a couple of the Beatles rows so far and hope to pick up 3 more....will see if I manage to get them.
In the meantime, I was talking to my former teaching partner, Jan, who is on an extended road trip with her husband thru Alaska. They will be gone about 4 months, just driving and camping all over that wonderful state. She's been 'infected' by the Row by Row phenomenon and is making Bill stop at all the quilt shops whenever they come to a town that has one. She's been picking up patterns and kits and sending them to me - my Alaska quilt (and hers as well) is going to be amazing! 2 years ago, Jan picked up a row kit for me from one of the shops in El Cajon and it's been marinating in a bin for that long....I got a hankering to make it up and it's done. Makes me a bit homesick for San Diego.
The Coronado Bay Bridge from the Coronado side, looking at downtown San Diego....If I didn't have to work still, I'd be on a trip to San Diego this fall....retirement can't come too soon for me. And, No, I don't know when that will be.
Seems like an appropriate goal!
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