You feel the need to begin a quilt but there's just nothing going.....you know, you have the blahs, or the unh-unh's. What do you do? What kicks your transmission out of grandma and into overdrive?

Go cut some scraps into squares or whatever

If I have to clean I always seem to find a reason to quilt. Right now I just finished my bedrunner and should clean, but I think I will start quilting a couple of quilts for my grandsons (for Christmas)

A cup of coffer or a glass of tea, a good snack and being left alone so I can do my thing.

I make something smaller like a gift bag or placemat or mug rug and that seems to start the creative juices flowing. Then I just sit and look through the lovely patterns I have and something usually jumps out and says create me (smile).

What is a mug rug? Is that like a coaster? Never heard that term sounds interesting.

I make some of my very easy, very quick crib quilts for charity. At least get them ready in various stages.
1. layer and pin baste
then ready to
2. machine quilt
then ready to
3. appy binding
then ready to
4. sit and watch tv while I hand sew the binding

These quilts are 36"x45" or there a about
one piece of wildly printed or baby prints or sports print
on top. Machine quilted about every 4.5". I fold the top fabric in half length wize, then again and then again to give me a sewing line Machine quilt. Square up. Cut 4 strips of binding width of fabric, fold and apply, etc etc etc.
And I DO hand stitch the binding because it gives me something to do during the mindless commercials and also gives me satisfaction of using my hands. Yes, I could sew it totally by machine but.....gang....I don't want to.

I rip off 36" of fabric - so have 36"x width of fabric
Then rip about 38" of backing
Cut batting about 38"x45"
After quilting I trim to whatever size it ends up.

Sometimes our bodies and are minds just need to shut down for a little. It's time will come. Don't worry. Suddenly you will see something and be inspired or you will find a reason to have to make a quilt. Let your mind rest for a while. Do a bag instead of a quilt. Try a new technique. Don't stress yourself. Pick up a book with historical quilts. Go through your stash and find something you never got around to making. A new quilts time will come. It happens to all of us. Sometimes things outside of our quilting affect our quilting.

Hey, as a resident Grandma, I resent that remark. LOL! I haven't hit reached that point yet. As a relatively new quilter, I've got a long list of quilts I want to do, all with deadlines.

I have so many WIPs and such a long bucket list, this has never happened to me!

Scan Pinterest for inspiration.

RST

I go shopping for new fabric. That always puts me in a have to sew now mood.

I find some fabric that has been in my stash forever, and make real quickie cat blankets for the shelter. The size they need the most are a little bigger than a placemat. This is how I learned to sew on minky, and several other difficult fabrics. Plus the kitties received some cool blankets.

What kicks your transmission out of grandma and into overdrive?[/quote]
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What a surprise.. Haven't heard that "out of grandma" since we lived up in the mountains and the truck drivers who pulled all those monstrous logs over the 2 lane roads used it to describe hauling that load up an incline, slowly, with the engine screaming with the massive weight being drug behind it.

Slow..that's me when I don't want to quilt, I don't want to read, I don't want to do anything except see all the lovely quilts other people have made.

We've always called it *granny gear* :lol:

Since I do a lot of handwork, I usually have a good idea of what the next quilt will be. If I'm really stuck, I take a walk. That usually clears my head.

Janet

When I get those feelings the only way to drag me back to quilting is to sew something... anything, even if its just a small pincushion or a ten-minute tablerunner. Then I go shopping for fabric. Usually I will find a pattern or fabric to get me kick started again.

I've needed a good kick for over a month now myself!!!

usually looking at other quilts, ex. like on this board. These people inspire me. I am always saving pictures to look back on.

I feel that way...3 unfinished projects...one small one just needs a binding, one Queen needs border and binding and the other....two more blocks and will need to put them all together...I keep saying next weekend...I just hate to make a mess....and I have to pack everything away when we have company like we are having today. Someday I will have my own sewing room.

I look at other peoples beautiful work on here or blogs and that always inspires me to want to make something of my own that I can admire and be proud of. Except that too often I end up spending more time browsing than working on mine.

Look'in at pics here or flipping through a quilt book and SUGAR, brownies, a cookie or ice cream gets my blood pumping and ready to sew!!

I (re)read/skim all my quilting books and magazines, or I look through my stash-- until I get inspired.

grab the UFO tote and get busy....OR sort scrap bins....OR shop online for MORE fabric...hehehehe

Hey, I'm a grandma and I totally understand 'grandma gear.' I've been doing laundry, hanging it out, and working in the garden all day. My gear right now is extremely slow. I should be upstairs sewing blocks together, but can't make myself climb the stairs. I was excited to get the blocks pieced, but now finishing is hard. And it is for graduation next week.

Join a Quilt Block Swap. Once you have committed to doing something for another person, you're stimulating the Motherly Caring portion of your heart and brain. You find out what their desire is, and you seek to please that one stranger, that one time, with one QuiltBlock. This is the technique that works for me. Try it, you will see if it works for you, too.

Try a trip to the closest place to buy fabric...LQS, Hancocks, JoAnn's, thrift shop...wherever. The point isn't to spend money (you don't even have to buy anything) but just go touch it, look at the color combinations and let your mind go....

What works also for me is to grab a pad of graph paper and some markers and try to design a never-before-seen block. It's a LOT harder than you think, and usually impossible, but fun to try.

Looking through my fabrics and quilt patterns.

Tammy go up to the top and click on search, type in mug rug and there will be a whole list of them..then click on the ones that say pictures to the left and you will see lots of different and fabulous ones!! crafty_linda_b

Whenever I get blocked on a project, whatever it is, I do something which uses just the other side of my brain until the side I need clears up. For visual things: do accounting at work, crossword puzzles, weed the veggies, clean out the fridge etc.

I just come here for inspiration and it always puts me in the quilting mode :thumbup:

alone. that would be such a good thing. i really need to be alone for awhile.

If I can just get myself into my sewing room, I can usually get motivated by looking through my UFOs, or my "bundles" of fabric that have been matched up for future quilts. If all else fails, I'll open a drawer of strips or squares and start sewing scrappy log cabins or 4-patches!

Sorry, everyone, I didn't mean to worry you. I don't exactly have quilter's block (as in writer's block), I just like knowing how other quilters think and behave. Makes me feel "normal." You know, I really think I'm a little quirky and different. It may have something to do with my alphabets....ADHD, OCD, CRAZY. (I say I have all the alphabets in most form.) Anyway, thanks for the great ideas. Sometimes I do need to get out of granny gear. And by the way, I'm a grandma to seven, ages 3 months to 12 years. (And I'm only 51!)

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What a surprise.. Haven't heard that "out of grandma" since we lived up in the mountains and the truck drivers who pulled all those monstrous logs over the 2 lane roads used it to describe hauling that load up an incline, slowly, with the engine screaming with the massive weight being drug behind it.

Slow..that's me when I don't want to quilt, I don't want to read, I don't want to do anything except see all the lovely quilts other people have made.[/quote]

Yup! Granny low! Seems like I am there alot. And this site is Soooooo interesting!

I sit down, put my feet up and read a book. OK so its usually a "quilt" book. Sometimes you just need a break, I've gone through many "dry spells" but then something sparks and I'm off and running on a new project.

Thoughts of cleaning house!

I usually do something to my hair. A cut usually does it for me but I have gotten perms, color , etc. And then find a project and fabric I truly love and get started.

Make some 4 patches or work with strips and just sew....may get you a charity top or in the mood to do something else.

I usually start to clean my sewing room. I HATE to clean my sewing room so that usually inspires me to start on something new. However, I don't allow myself to start it until I finish cleaning my sewing room. By that time I'm so anxious to start I can't hardly stand it!