Struggling With Motivation to Quilt
 

Quilting usually relaxes me. I had all these pla ns for this summer to make both of my daughters quilts, make Christmas gifts, and life changed. My daughter and her 4 year old and 16 month old sons moved in with us because she is getting divorced. I'm thrilled to have them here because they lived in MD and I saw them only a few times a year. However, I'm babysitting the kids to help her out. By the time I have some time to myself I just feel like sitting and reading! I want to quilt but just am not motivated.

I've found that sewing in general comes in waves for me. Sometimes I'll sew for 6 months straight, every day. Then I'll stop and not sew again for a couple of years. You've got a lot on your plate right now and if all you want to do is read, then you deserve to take time to yourself to read. As for those quilts you'd planned to make for Christmas, you can always make them for next Christmas. Take care of yourself.

I agree. Listen to yourself. Self is telling you to sit down and relax with that book. Those little kids take a lot out of you, adorable as they are. The quilting will come back - it always does! - and then your reading will suffer.


Your daughter is lucky to have you for a support.

When you have a big change like that it can set back all your plains. Just give it time and enjoy your grand kids. You will soon want to get back to your quilting.

If you haven't read any of Marie Bostwick's books I would like to recommend her Cobbled Court Series. It has a little of a quilting theme along with relationship themes set in a town where each book focuses on different characters but they all intersect in the stories. She is a very good writer and quilting is not the focus of the stories, but adds an interesting side line without overpowering the story. That way you relax with a good book and maybe at some point it will act as an encourager to try something small. (maybe a bed runner instead of a full sized quilt or small simple quilts for the kids). Your quilting mojo will return when things calm down a little. Right now your treading emotional water trying to adjust to the life changes. Hang in there, prayers for all of you!

Maybe this is Gods way of telling you those grands need more interaction with you than you would provide if you were quilting. You might just need some little things to do while you're enjoying those grands. They grow so fast and you finally have them close to you again. (That will change again soon enough). I'm sure when the wave peaks again, you'll be glad you took the time to help them through this difficult time. You have a 4 yr old going through a rough time (away from Daddy) and kindergarten is right around the corner for him... Enjoy!

i bet you are exhausted! plus, no matter how much your love your daughter and your grandchildren, it is a HUGE adjustment to having three new family members living with you! cut yourself some slack, and don't worry about the quilting. it will come back <g>

There are times in life when we must simply rest... This sounds like one of those times in your life. Quilting will always come back into your life, but your are emotionally exhausted from the stress in your life right now. Please treat yourself well and simply rest until you are stronger.

Thank you all so much for the words. It has been a huge adjustment. Things will get worse. My SIL beat the tar out of the four year old and there is a lot of emotional effects from that. I've suspected he has been hurting him for two years but never left marks. I'm a retired teacher and you learn behaviors kids develop when abused and he as had those. The pieces just weren't falling into place. He has a criminal trial in October and the best thing that could happen is for him to be sent to prison for several years. I know I am the most stable, positive person in their lives right now.