(photo google images)Ron was my husband's younger cousin. They were quite close. He was only 45 when he died. His kids are the same ages as ours. I wanted to make a quilt for his wife Jo-Marie.
At first I was just terrified of touching the shirts in case I somehow ruined them. Around that time Bonnie Hunter published her book 'Scraps and Shirttails' so I got a copy and read through that. My husband wanted to select the pattern though and he chose the 'Turning Twenty Again' that he had seen me use before.
I got a good start at a retreat in April '09 and more progress at the next retreat in Aug '09. I kept at it with a little prompting from my husband. I seemed to have a mental block about it. I worked through all the problems with the fabrics and finally got the top together. My husband said I could pay to have it quilted (not usually in our budget) and a friend who has a quilting business did it for me. It took a little while for me to bind it but I finally put in the last stitch. The label will go on in the next few days - we are pondering what to put on the label - the basics plus a little more info about Ron.
In finishing this quilt I feel a little weight off my shoulders. I had to really push through some creativity barriers as well as a few psychological. I recently read on Jacquie's blog (Tallgrass Prairie Studio) about a book called 'The War of Art'. It's a book about breaking through the barriers to our creativity. You can read Jacquie's blog post here. My local book store couldn't get the book for me (imagine that) but I easily sourced it online. It's been ordered and hopefully I should get it in the next week or so. I’m thinking that this book will help me to gain control of my quilting life – to help me finish those UFO’s (let’s not kid ourselves by calling them anything else) and gain control of my stash - to break the life-long habit of procrastination…
.
Do you have barriers to your creativity?
Do you procrastinate?
What do you do to break through?
6 comments:
You know, I am a kind of just go for it girl. My dear friend lost her mother and she asked me if I would make a quilt for her out of her mother's cloths; of course I said yes. They were all double knit! So I just started to cut squares and was able to make 4 twin quilts from the clothes!
What you made is wonderful and something she will cherish forever. Great job.
That is a beautiful picture, Shari. I do understand the block on doing something like that - I think it might have something to do with the importance of the quilt. I have that when I'm doing a commission [I don't do many!] - I'm terrified to cut into someone else's fabric. Of course, you had the added stress of this being tied to the loss of a loved one. I think you were not just making a quilt, but working through grief, and everyone else's grief too. You knew what the quilt would mean to them.
The key, for me, in breaking through barriers is to just "show up". I usually wait for inspiration before I make a move, and I can wait forever. If I just show up to the cutting table, and start, inspiration is sure to follow. There have been times when I've regretted what I've done though - that's why I procrastinate when it's somebody else's fabric.
Well, I believe some people are starters, some like to gather things like fabirc, some are hoarders, some are thinkers and like to dream and think about projects...not just quilting projects....some of us are finishers. Whatever we are, I believe it is how our brain works....nothing wrong or crazy about being a starter...if you like to start projects. Start all you want...send them on to someone else and stop worrying about them. You enjoyed the part of the journey that makes you happy. If you are a gather, gather and be happy. If you are a finisher, you will finish things and feel satified.
However, the worrying about starting is a different. You can ask yourself. "What is the worst thing that could happen?" Then see if you can live with the worst case senario. If you can, then proceed.... Don't worry so much....(getting down off the soap box now!)
Shari, it was a very special quilt to make..I can understand your concern to start on it, and have it just right..I think you did a great job, it must have been hard and sad at times to work on it and think of who the shirts belonged to...
I admire you for doing that, the family now have something of Ron to treasure forever..
In the end it came from within your heart..
Julia ♥
I believe I tend to be a procrastinator so I am always fighting it. I force myself to start and from there things just take off and I usually enjoy the rest of the journey.
Ron's quilt turned out beautifully and I am sure Jo-Marie will treasure it.
I can imagine that it was quite an emotional journey for you. So sad to lose someone you love-especially at such a young age.
Post a Comment