Sep 30

Sep 30 Learning to Finish Forgotten WIP's

Organized Procrastination

As with most things I decide to do this blog was an attempt to try, I mean really try, to have something I could maintain on a routine basis. However, if you’ve followed the past few posts you may have noticed how sporadic they are. I don’t post every week mainly because of two things; the first is I don’t know enough to be able to produce that much work and the second is I have high functioning anxiety which makes me super productive and organized while also being unbelievably reluctant to either start or finish a project. Procrastination is strong with me!

You may be asking yourself, ‘what has this got to do with a sewing blog?’

The answer is that I have the same trouble with my quilting or sewing projects.

Getting Things Finished

When it comes to sewing and quilting I have great intentions and I love the feeling of knowing I am about to start a great project that will give me joy as well as insight into a new technique. If I know what I’m doing and I’ve been good at making sure I am organized and prepared then I usually find I am able to complete a project from start to finish without losing steam. If, however, I try to do something on my own I lose my steam very quickly and I have slowly learned that I am not really someone who can ‘wing it’ when it comes to creating quilts or sewing creations. I’ve learnt to find a way to getting things finished - for real!

Creating a Pattern or Plan is the Key

I am a sucker for starting something without really thinking it through but with quilting I have learnt the importance of having a well thought out plan or pattern to work from because then I don't have to think about the steps required. It might sound silly and stupidly obvious, but for me it’s the difference between having a finished quilt or a pile of half-sewn pieces of fabric hiding in storage boxes.

With Halloween approaching, I decided to try making a themed panel and without much thought, I pulled out some templates I had used for a previous quilt and began making odd’s and ends but it wasn’t long before my will to create fizzled out. Although I had a rough idea of what I wanted to make, I really didn’t know how I was going to do it and I soon found myself grinding to a halt.

Usually at this stage the pieces made would be placed into a container and forgotten but this time I was determined to try and break that cycle so I sat myself down and began to draw. I began to think about what the colour scheme should be along with the design and the size and before long I realized I had a pattern from which I could work. I was then able to order the right fabrics and continue with the project until it was finished and I had a unique piece designed and ready to be displayed.

I called the piece ‘Little Witch’s Washing Line’ and as I looked at it I realized it was more than just a quilted panel; it was a testament to my being able to apply proper planning and organization to a self-made project and I felt a strange sense of accomplishment!

With that lesson learned I then set about doing something I had initially been afraid to do, mainly because I didn’t think I could – I created my very first foundation paper piecing pattern! It took me about an hour to figure out all the measurements required but the fact I managed to do it and make it work was thrilling! Of course my mind instantly went to ‘I could sell patterns!’ but then I checked myself by adding a little reminder that there was a high possibility I would loose interest if I placed myself into that kind of a position. I seem to work better at my own pace rather than a set schedule when it comes to my hobby.

The net result of this serious application of planning has meant that I now have several finished quilt tops that had previously come to a complete stop due to not having a visual path to an end. It means that I now know that I have to have that tool if I want to stop making half-made projects and have more completed projects. I can flirt with the idea of being sporadic as long as I get real and make an actual plan of attack after the initial storm of creativity!