Are you prepared for the magic answer? How do you become happy with your quilt - especially the finished product?
I'm going to whisper it -
 |
| Amber with her first #happyquilt |
you don't!
What?! She can't be serious.
This is not a joke - hear me out!
The process and the outcome depend on your outlook - those both rely on YOU! The creative and pattern following can be mundane and monotonous but they don't have to be.
Do you see your final quilt only seeing the errors? mistakes? but not the overall beauty that it truly is?
It is the crux of being human and a creative one at that!
How can this be changed ----> focus on your WHY! Why are you creating? Who is it for? Where will the product be going?
How can I do this when I'm making for myself? Give yourself some grace. Creativity is not rigid; it is fluid. The problem solving involved in the process is essential. Celebrate your victories, your creations, that no one else has done or you were able to replicate via a pattern!
Are you making for another? Dive deep into the purpose and focus on the outcome not the tiny pieces to get there! Is everything I make perfect? Not even close! I'd probably like myself less if that was the case, as it would take so much time to be perfect.
Stand back -
view your creation with pride
smile at your creative beautiful gift given to the world!
Take a look at these pictures below. Fully of half done and even upside down blocks! Seriously not sure how they flipped - just knew I couldn't "undo" it.
My quilts are full of "character" as I call it. I can live with it and smile and remember that is all happens for a reason. I love happy mistakes. Mom on the other hand, cannot. She would redo and take it apart and put it together again before letting it be a little "off" or incorrect. Sometimes life is all about balance.
It will keep you up at night (mom!) or it won't (me)! but the outcome is still truly the same.
Back to the "why" of my quilt. I have a strong personal faith and really wanted to tie it into this memory quilt. I asked all the women in my family who I got fabric from, "What one quality describes a Christian woman?"
These are qualities I want to embody. I quilted them with metallic thread on the top and bottom of the quilt. I prayed over those words - quilting in the generations of advice filled with the choosing of just one word. The combination of those women and the potential of the words they chose really resonated with me.
If millennials are all about MEANING then I guess I embody that as well.
Here are a few more closeups of the words. First time freemotion, metallic thread (tough to work with), planning out and quilting of words is tricky.....didn't stop me!
The why kept me focused and moving forward. I knew what I wanted and it would happen!
This quilt was for me and I keep is so close. Its got multiple stains right now from being used (mom can attest!-actually don't look at the photos too close or you might be able to as well) Keeping that end in mind and giving yourself some grace whether it be time, allowed to make mistakes, allow yourself to grow. I'm excited to watch what happens!
We would love to see your #happyquilts ! Tag @sewwithsparkles and use the #happyquilt hashtag
No comments