Margie

If you love doing it...keep on doing it. I never feel what I do is near as nice as the things I see on the board...I keep hoping to get better...but meanwhile charities benefit...it also keeps me off the streets and out of bars.ROFL

malindaann

Hi -- I just recently found this group and can't wait to share my projects with all my new friends from this forum. Please keep sharing and keep quilting and crafting. It's such a great creativity outlet. My mom hit the same wall a few years back when all the grandkids outgrew homemade gifts and her kids all make our own treasures now. She joined a few volunteer groups -- one from church makes prayer shawls of all types and another makes baby items for preemies and stillborns. She now feels she has a purpose to her hobbies.

jpthequilter

If you like to embroider. take 5 squares of fabric and embroider something on each one of them. either all the same color or not.... sew them to 4 squares of the color of the embroidery thread or not....This will give you the center of a wall hanging top. Add two or more colors of borders repeating the colors you have used or not. Finish the wall hanging (or table topper) with batting or backing. Add binding, or turn the backing to the front edge and sew. Sew a sleeve across the back of the upper edge.
And enjoy!
A quilt using few colors will be harmonious. Yellow and gold
....orange and red orange....blue and white...red and white
shades of green and/or turqoise and/or purple, add fuschia to this one for pop!
....peach, pink and yellow....on and on!
These are so very quick to make, depending on the complexity of the embrodiery.

Mona Marie

I am rather a stay at home myself. I am self taught. I make quilts for charity. As I am not sure who would like them. they are easy to do. I also do table runners to give away also.

wildyard

All my stuff is a little off too, but then so am I, so it works out real well for me. :D hugs and smilessssssss..

GramaLaura

Hi Margaret.......you are never alone! We are all here with you! If large projects are overwhelming make lap quilts or join me at Mug Rugs. Everyone in my family will recieve a large mug rug with a pretty mug for Christmas this year. Will buy my mugs on line and start stitchin'! Keep talking to us Margaret.....we are listening! Smile dear :-D

bjcombs2022

Wow! Include me too! If you are happy doing what you're doing, don't question it, just enjoy!

FranCFries

Margaret61, our greatgrandmothers (grandmothers, mothers, aunts), didn't always have people (friends, family, etc.), living close to them. Most were self taught (reading, cooking, sewing, QUILTING just to name a few things), this is why quilting today is so personal to each of us. We share on the Message Board, because we are among friends without going out. We are all on the board because we have our own personal love of the fabric, machines, patterns and most of all being able to creat something that makes US happy. As a whole we do not always find a lot of happy in our lives. But this is one way we can make our own happy, with out needing to deal with all of the outside bull. Keep doing what makes you happy (not for purrrrrrfect - sorry my cat Gracie had to get her paws in this), but for YOU. And remember you always have FRIENDS (with out us just poping in or wanting something), at your finger tips. Keep smiling. FranCFries

grammysharon

For 20 years I had no one to share the love of quilting with but I continued to make and give away quilts, pillows etc. to family and some friends. Most of them really appreciated them. Two years ago I met some wonderful friends @ church that were quilters and now travel to quilt shops and quilt shows regularly with them. Keep looking, take some classes but don't give up your passion for creating beautiful quilts. :thumbup:

BARES

Your post really touched me. First let me say that I am sorry for the recent loss of your beloved son. In the last 3 years I have lost 8 members of my family and 5 close friends. I "heard" something in your post that I really related to. You sound like you are questioning many things, perhaps without really realizing it. I could say more, but I could also be way off base. I know that for me, getting older (57) seeing family dying and the loss of my sisters eyesight last year, her husband losing a leg just below his hip two weeks ago and almost dying myself last month, I have been reeling. The illness of your son and his loss took a toll and you are coming out of the fog now. Perhaps I am just projecting my own feelings, and I apologize it this is what I am doing. I just related so much to what you said.

So, please don't give up. The only way to have less mistakes in your work is to practice your craft. Quilt to make you happy, make jewelry or Christmas ornaments to make you happy. Give them as gifts to those (perhaps a nursing home or hospice to honor your family) who may not be able to do theirs. Perhaps someone will be going thru what you did and won't have time or energy to have decorations for Christmas this coming year and you can be that source of sanity and continuinty. I don't go out much either and sometimes I feel like what I make is not good enough, but somehow I am always reminded that there are people who would love to have even a small token.

Today I saw a homeless man. I saw him a couple of months ago and it was raining. He was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He was pushing a dog in a shopping cart and trying to keep the dog covered with a blanket to keep the dog warm and dry. Today, the man had on a coat or perhaps it was a robe. The dog still had the blanket and was being pushed in the cart. Only today, I saw that the dog (medium sized) only had about 6 inch stubs for his hind legs. There are always those that would appreciate the things that we only sometimes take for granted.

Please don't stop creating and making beauty because even if your quilts or crafts are not perfect, it is creating you and making you beautiful.