Thread: Can't finish my quilts

I’ve been sitting here thinking about my inability to finish my quilts. My excuse used to be that I had a sewing machine that was very temperamental when it came to quilting, so tops would be put aside because I couldn’t face the battle. Now I have a new machine that quilts beautifully and I’ve quilted several of my projects – but then they’ve been put aside again rather than bound and finished. On Leah Day’s Quilt Along this week, the subject is finishing a quilt, using a little wholecloth quilt that we’ve just made – and I’m conscious of a real reluctance to do it, though the quilt has come out far better than I could ever have hoped, and I’m thrilled with it.

So why this reluctance to see the finished results of all my hard work on this and other quilts? I’m puzzled, though I think it may lie somewhere in the past – for over 40 years I firmly believed I was useless at anything creative. I was told as much by teachers and others, and was in the shadow of a very creatively talented sister. I was only rescued from that by a dear friend who, 8 years ago, patiently taught me to quilt, having a lot more confidence in me than I had in myself. You’d think that would make me eager to finish my work – every completed project proves the critics wrong and underlines my creative abilities. But there’s still this deep reluctance to get on and do it.

Can anyone else relate to this? Has anyone dealt with similar issues? Any thoughts?

If you post pictures of your near finished quilts, I am sure you will get a ton of compliments and then will feel ready to finish them. Instead of thinking about finishing them, think about the fun of binding them. Some people hate binding but I absolutely love doing the binding. It is one of my favorite steps. It is relaxing, not taxing and can be done in front of the television. Try to have fun with it.

Originally Posted by jcrow

I wish I were like you. I dislike binding. I have quilts that are 5 years old that need binding. And I have a binding machine and a roller to roll up the finished binding and I still haven't used them.

I don't actually mind binding, once I've got it sewn onto the quilt (hate trying to get the 2 ends together!)- I enjoy the hand sewing. It's just getting myself to do it...

Originally Posted by hopetoquilt

If you post pictures of your near finished quilts, I am sure you will get a ton of compliments and then will feel ready to finish them. Instead of thinking about finishing them, think about the fun of binding them. Some people hate binding but I absolutely love doing the binding. It is one of my favorite steps. It is relaxing, not taxing and can be done in front of the television. Try to have fun with it.

So true. I also don't mind it at all. It is so close to being done, that it isn't stressful. The quilting part for me, however....is a different story.

Perhaps you are suffering from clinical depression. The inability to finish anything is one the signs and symptoms of depression. I have suffered from depression for many years and have been on anti-depressants for years. Perhaps it's time to see your doctor.