I have discovered a huge problem in my (relatively) new found addiction to quilting... what is a patchwork/quilting addict supposed to do with all the quilts she (or he) ends up making?
It's been a little over a year since I re-discovered my passion for patchwork and quilting and am already running out of excuses for making quilts...
When I started I only made things at my Grans house when I visited her in the holidays. As I had limited time to make things, accumulating completed (and uncompleted, but that's a topic for another post entirely) projects wasn't an issue.
In the last year I have made three full sized quilts, two baby quilts, two quilted advent calendars and a wall hanging, as well as work being under way for another two quilts (my genome one and the denim picnic blanket that's been sat on the back of a chair for far too long waiting for a back).
There are so many ideas for quilts running through my brain, and even some fabric waiting to be used, but how can I justify making more without 'reasons' to make them?
The excuse I've used for making the genome quilt is that I don't really like the one I made for my bed so it will replace that, which is fair enough, but what then? What other excuses or reasons can I come up with to carry on? Or infact, do I really need one?
I really enjoy the process of making quilts. I enjoy the designing, the fabric selection, the cutting, the piecing, the quilting, and even sewing down the binding. There are no steps in the progress that I (so far) dread doing or don't enjoy. Some parts I find more enjoyable than others, and the different stages give me enjoyment in different ways. I like exercising my creativity when choosing the design of my quilt, selecting fabrics and choosing a quilting design. I find cutting, and (some kinds of) piecing, very relaxing and therapeutic. I enjoy the quilting as it is (currently) the task that is the biggest challenge for me and is therefore a skill I want to practice and hopefully someday master.
Yet despite all of this and the simple fact that it's a pastime that I enjoy I have this nagging voice at the back of my head that keeps asking me "but where is this quilt you're planning going to go???"
So, to those of you out there reading this who quilt; what's your take on this issue? How many is too many? What do you do with the quilts you finish?
I tend to give them away or sell them!
ReplyDeleteI'm having the same problem because on top of my own quilts, I inherited several from my mother (a long-time quilter) after she passed away. I think some books need to be published on "What to Do with Quilts When You've Made Them!" I've seen a couple of magazine articles on decorating with quilts, but I'm missing a key decorator's gene so I need a lot of help with that. Meanwhile, I try to do the seasonal swap-out, or make more little bitty quilts that can hang in random spaces.
ReplyDeleteAll of the toys I've made have been gifts for people, maybe you could plan ahead and give quilted gifts.
ReplyDeleteAll the quilts I've made so far have been gifts, but now I'm running out of friends with new babies to give them to. It's very inconsiderate of them - they need to start having more to keep up with my rate of quilting!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I have this debate too and don't really know what I'll do when I run out of people to give them to. Fingers crossed, someone will come up with an idea, before I end up buried under 3 feet of quilts :)
We have quilts on most of our walls, couches, beds, chairs, etc. I love it (although my husband's patience is starting to wear a little thin).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've given loads away, sold some and store quite a few neatly folded on shelves to admire (and rotate through the house every so often).
Enjoy them ... no matter what you end up doing with them.
Andi :-)