Have You Hit a Quilting Slump?
08-01-2010, 01:14 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Western New York
Posts: 885
Sometimes the inability to get started, even when you know you love something, is a sign of depression, which by the way is nothing to be negative about since it's all about brain chemicals, but is also something to not ignore. God bless you.
08-01-2010, 01:45 PM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 3,699
Hi Marcia,
I am also in a slump. I got together today with two quilting friends. One was upset about a personal problem and we talked to her and had lunch early. She left to go home and I just did not feel like sewing so I left too. She is usually a very happy person lately to see her so down was terrible. Anyway, lately I like to talk about quilting, look at books and magazines and dream about quilts I want to make, keeping my ideas in a sketch book. Maybe we are all just ruminating for a while and getting our creative batteries charged. I bought a desk to put my sewing machine on, but now it has fabric on it! And I have not room for an ironing board and cutting table upstairs. So if I want to leave my machine out all the time, I'll have to go downstairs to cut and iron. I am still thinking abouth this though. I will find a way. And I think and hope you will too. Sometimes we just need a break. I guess even Muses take vactions too!
I am also in a slump. I got together today with two quilting friends. One was upset about a personal problem and we talked to her and had lunch early. She left to go home and I just did not feel like sewing so I left too. She is usually a very happy person lately to see her so down was terrible. Anyway, lately I like to talk about quilting, look at books and magazines and dream about quilts I want to make, keeping my ideas in a sketch book. Maybe we are all just ruminating for a while and getting our creative batteries charged. I bought a desk to put my sewing machine on, but now it has fabric on it! And I have not room for an ironing board and cutting table upstairs. So if I want to leave my machine out all the time, I'll have to go downstairs to cut and iron. I am still thinking abouth this though. I will find a way. And I think and hope you will too. Sometimes we just need a break. I guess even Muses take vactions too!
08-01-2010, 02:16 PM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 448
Maybe as so many things start traditionally in the fall (school, church doings, etc) it might be a good time to start again with quilting. Enjoy the lazy hazy days of summer for another month and recharge and see if you feel like you should be starting something after Labor Day.
08-01-2010, 02:21 PM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: MA
Posts: 1,507
If teaching quilting to kids catches your attention, there are schools, Sunday school, 4-H, scouts and girls clubs who could all use some fun activity. Kids just seem to naturally be creative and have fun. Maybe they can spark something fun in you too!
08-01-2010, 03:13 PM
#26
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: South Texas
Posts: 278
Marcia,
I would first off start with a good physical. Go to your Dr. and tell him how you are feeling. There can be tons of reasons why you are feeling this way. Clinical depression is the first one to come to mind. But there can be other physical reasons. Trust me I have been there.
About 5 years ago, I thought I was literally going crazy. My family even though I was Bi-polar. Well, it turned out I had Graves Diease. This is where your thyroid gland over produces thyroid hormones and let me tell you it is not a pretty picture. One of the main things I noticed was not being able to concentrate or focus on things. My poor sewing room sat for a couple of years. Just didn't have the desire to do nothing. After proper diagnoses and surgical treatment, I am finally feeling like my old self.
So yes, this could be just a "Phase". I would highly recommend that you first start out with a clean bill of health. Then go from there. I encourage everyone to listen to your body. If you don't think something isn't right, have it checked out. No one knows us better than ourselves :)
Jackie
I would first off start with a good physical. Go to your Dr. and tell him how you are feeling. There can be tons of reasons why you are feeling this way. Clinical depression is the first one to come to mind. But there can be other physical reasons. Trust me I have been there.
About 5 years ago, I thought I was literally going crazy. My family even though I was Bi-polar. Well, it turned out I had Graves Diease. This is where your thyroid gland over produces thyroid hormones and let me tell you it is not a pretty picture. One of the main things I noticed was not being able to concentrate or focus on things. My poor sewing room sat for a couple of years. Just didn't have the desire to do nothing. After proper diagnoses and surgical treatment, I am finally feeling like my old self.
So yes, this could be just a "Phase". I would highly recommend that you first start out with a clean bill of health. Then go from there. I encourage everyone to listen to your body. If you don't think something isn't right, have it checked out. No one knows us better than ourselves :)
Jackie
08-01-2010, 04:00 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: MN
Posts: 448
After reading this reply and have to agree whole heartedly. Especially if you feel off or not yourself but not sure why.
Originally Posted by jackkip
Marcia,
I would first off start with a good physical. Go to your Dr. and tell him how you are feeling. There can be tons of reasons why you are feeling this way. Clinical depression is the first one to come to mind. But there can be other physical reasons. Trust me I have been there.
About 5 years ago, I thought I was literally going crazy. My family even though I was Bi-polar. Well, it turned out I had Graves Diease. This is where your thyroid gland over produces thyroid hormones and let me tell you it is not a pretty picture. One of the main things I noticed was not being able to concentrate or focus on things. My poor sewing room sat for a couple of years. Just didn't have the desire to do nothing. After proper diagnoses and surgical treatment, I am finally feeling like my old self.
So yes, this could be just a "Phase". I would highly recommend that you first start out with a clean bill of health. Then go from there. I encourage everyone to listen to your body. If you don't think something isn't right, have it checked out. No one knows us better than ourselves :)
Jackie
I would first off start with a good physical. Go to your Dr. and tell him how you are feeling. There can be tons of reasons why you are feeling this way. Clinical depression is the first one to come to mind. But there can be other physical reasons. Trust me I have been there.
About 5 years ago, I thought I was literally going crazy. My family even though I was Bi-polar. Well, it turned out I had Graves Diease. This is where your thyroid gland over produces thyroid hormones and let me tell you it is not a pretty picture. One of the main things I noticed was not being able to concentrate or focus on things. My poor sewing room sat for a couple of years. Just didn't have the desire to do nothing. After proper diagnoses and surgical treatment, I am finally feeling like my old self.
So yes, this could be just a "Phase". I would highly recommend that you first start out with a clean bill of health. Then go from there. I encourage everyone to listen to your body. If you don't think something isn't right, have it checked out. No one knows us better than ourselves :)
Jackie
08-02-2010, 05:32 AM
#28
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: elgin, il
Posts: 38
Good morning marciacp,
I understand completely what you are saying. Sometimes we have too much fabric staring us in the face. Then it just seems overwhelming.
Have you thought about contacting a nursing home, childrens hospital, or a womans shelter that you could visit? You could teach a small class and help someone out. It also might be a great way for you to meet some new friends. Sounds as though you have a great talent to share with others. Something like that may be extremely rewarding for you. Best of luck to you.
I understand completely what you are saying. Sometimes we have too much fabric staring us in the face. Then it just seems overwhelming.
Have you thought about contacting a nursing home, childrens hospital, or a womans shelter that you could visit? You could teach a small class and help someone out. It also might be a great way for you to meet some new friends. Sounds as though you have a great talent to share with others. Something like that may be extremely rewarding for you. Best of luck to you.
08-02-2010, 07:33 AM
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Crowley, TX
Posts: 306
Originally Posted by applique
If teaching quilting to kids catches your attention, there are schools, Sunday school, 4-H, scouts and girls clubs who could all use some fun activity. Kids just seem to naturally be creative and have fun. Maybe they can spark something fun in you too!
and have two grown ones of my own, but I'm just not geared
towards teaching kids for some reason. I love beginning adult quilters, though, because they are like a blank canvas and you get to enjoy their enthusiasm as they put something together for the first time. I like to teach other classes also, but once again, in order to teach a class you have to do a sample and lots of preparation. Somehow I have to get over my slump of wanting to sew in order to do that.
I think many people's suggestion about depression is a real possibility. Here I am bearing it all out for people I don't even know, but since several have suggested it, I'm just saying I
agree that could be the culprit. My personality is not one usually given over to depression. I am very upbeat, laugh a lot and love people, but I know something is wrong that is hindering me, so it could very well be depression. I had honestly considered that myself, even before I wrote in.
Marcia
08-02-2010, 02:42 PM
#30
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: elgin, il
Posts: 38
Hello Marcia,
Hopefully things will look up for you and you will want to quilt again. The prices of fabrics these days could also put us into a slump. I am quite sure there are many well wishers on this site. Most quilters that I meet are pretty caring people. At least you know you have friends on this site that will give you honest advice. Perhaps if you continue to feel down, you should check with your Dr.
Hopefully things will look up for you and you will want to quilt again. The prices of fabrics these days could also put us into a slump. I am quite sure there are many well wishers on this site. Most quilters that I meet are pretty caring people. At least you know you have friends on this site that will give you honest advice. Perhaps if you continue to feel down, you should check with your Dr.
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