Check out my user name - dabbler312; dabbler came from dabbling in too many different interests.

yes, there are times I leave my quilting to do crocheting or read or some other things that need to be done.

I manage to read at least three or four novels a week. I spend several hours a day on the computer and make at least 20 Linus quilts a month. I recently got involved with a project to make little dresses for the children in Haiti etc. Another excuse to purchase fabric and notions etc. It finally gave me a place to use my new Acuquilt cutting machine. I usually make my own quilt binding so I always have leftovers. The binding comes in handy for the little dresses. I don't work outside the home since I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease 11 years ago. I am leagally disabled so believe it or not this is a slower pace for me. I have a local woman who comes in every three weeks and does my heavy cleaning. Aside from meal prep, shopping and laundry I do little house work outside of bedmaking etc. It is just my husband and I now and one cat. I quilt with a group of ladies at our local senior center on monday mornings and belong to two formal quilt guilds one day group and one night group and a small Bee that meets everyother wednesday morning. We sit around and do handwork for a couple of hours and then go to lunch. My only other outlet is singing in the church choir.

Over the years I have had supplies and actively did sewing, quilting, counted cross stitch, folk art painting, watercolors, oil painting, stained glass, knitting and calligraphy. When scrapbooking and stamping came along, I just HAD to draw a line in the sand and say "NO MORE" !! I've pared my supplies down considerably, and mostly focus on quilting, but if I had more time ( or better time management skills!).....I'd probably still have my hand in these things!

I read an article about Kaffe Fassett and his home. His has a room for painting, a room for sewing and quilting, a room for knitting and he spoke about getting tired of one project and moving to another for awhile. His house is an explosion of color and crafts! I stopped worrying about it after that--I just wish I could dedicate several rooms to my projects.

I went to a new LQS Saturday and they mentioned that Kaffe Fassett was goin to be in Kerrville on Columbus Day weekend. Our family reunion is going to be there at the same time! I was too late to sign up for a class but got a ticket to a lecture! I already ordered his new book (I hope to get it autographed) and a kit from his new book. My birthday is in October-Happy Birthday to me!!!

Isn't it a shame when we don't read like we used too! I used to read, read, read. Now, I read on this board, then go to work, maybe get in a few minutes to quilt.[/quote]

I couldn't go to sleep at night if I didn't read. If only a paragraph. Must admit I don't read as much as I use to but still manage at least a book a month.

I am also a member of the club of too many interests. I quilt, sew clothes, knit, crochet, needlepoint, counted-cross stitch, weave, crewel and normal embroidery. Since my shoulder surgery I have been limited to my endeavors. Right now am in the process of knitting and crocheting items for my great- nephew that is due in December. I am also knitting 2 sweaters and crocheting a stuffed robot toy for my great-nephew that was born in July for his first Christmas. Am doing all this between my physical therapy and my housework. Jeanniebelle

I took a tooth brush rug class and haven't touched my sewing machine in a month I love the rug thing. I have my dinning room torn apart pulled carpet out and padding and found tar paper under it covering my wood floors worked on that until I pulled a muscle in my side pulling out one of the hundreds of staples they used to hold the padding down had to take a break on that. Have to finish taking down the wall border in my den, plus need to start a baby quilt and I just ordered 13 face cord of wood that I will have to stack... So I have alot to do besides crocheting, knitting, embroidery. With all that things get set aside.

hard to find a balance between quilting and my other arts as they all have seen to fell to the wayside for now and need to try and find a way to get a balance

I, too, have wanted to weave since the early 1970's, I took a class last fall on the shop's jack loom, & found a counter-balance loom near me for $500. It now sits in my sewing room because I can't find out how to string up the treadling. The loom is a Llistina and no one "out there" seems to know anything about them.
If anyone knows anything I would be so grateful for any information.
I think ceative people have curiosity about all things once that "window" has been opened. Lucky us!

I think that creative people are always open to multiple interests, and our biggest chalenge in life is editing~ :-D

We don't turn down offers of Jack looms. I also am learning to weave and my 14 yr old is into making rag rugs. We bought her a 4 harness floor loom 5ftx5ft. Talking big. It is in the living room next to my hand quilting floor frame. Arts and crafts are very important to us and it is something we want to pass on to our children.

Since I will turn 80 tomorrow, there is no way I can live long enough to do all the things I want to do. That includes my UFO's and "Want to try" projects. I keep telling myself not to get into dyeing fabrics!

Since I will turn 80 tomorrow, there is no way I can live long enough to do all the things I want to do. That includes my UFO's and "Want to try" projects. I keep telling myself not to get into dyeing fabrics!

I think those of us who have many interests are the lucky ones. I know people who have no interests and spend their retirement just sitting in front of the TV not knowing what they would like to do. My days are full of quilting and quilting friends, but I also garden, read, knit, crochet, and am currently trying to teach myself Brazillian Embroidery. My days are ALWAYS too short for everything I want to do and I am thankful for that.

I sympathize. I have too many interests and there is so much I want to do...lol. Enjoy the loom. Enjoy your life and have fun!

I keep my life simple -Sewing (quilts -cloths or for my home) and Eating---- Hey a girls gotta have a hobby. Our family motto is ""Some eat to live -We live to eat"" :D :D

I think we are all ADD.

I crochet, needlepoint, if I see something in a craft show that I may like, I look it over and go home and create it without a pattern. I do flower arranging. Make curtains, baby diaper holders without patterns as well. I love creating things, quilting is tops

Oh, thank you all, ladies, for making me feel normal! I'm 69 years old and over the weekend attended an Alpaca Open House! I have 3 sewing machines . . . have tried quilting, doll-clothes construction, knitting, over the years. NOW, I fell in love with the silky alpaca hair and am wanting to put in use the old spinning wheel my husband had purchased for me and refurbished so many years ago. At the time, I thought I didn't want to go back in time as far as women's lib was concerned. However, now I am anxious to give it a go! Have a great day, all!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

MY DH has no hobbies and he thinks that I should have only one-but I bead, read, quilt, garden. If I do just one I get bored and then I get into trouble.
I need the outlets that designing beads and quilting gives me. I love my fur babies but you can only sit so long and pet them. I do need to start walking or something to shake the fat out of my tush-but then I think I really could be reading or quilting or beading instead of wasting time walking-which I hate.

I have to many interest but they all take me away from home except quilting.I just finished costuming a play and tonight I am auditioning for a part in another.This weekend we are going crabbing and camping, next weekend I will be kayaking.I love to read and have 70 something books stacked on the stairs to read.I belong to paperbackswap.com so I am always getting in new books and sending out book and I work full time.So I do understand it can be hard to find time to quilt.

I have given up scrapbooking because I can't give it the time it requires. I would rather sew any day!!! :thumbup:

I just love all the answers from this topic. I too have many things I'm doing and I try to add more to the long list of things I'm already doing and I've decided...no more...I've got to call a halt to more stuff. I am 65 years old and I need to finish what I've started. It's a good thing.

Jack of all trades, master of non come to mind when I think of myself. I love to read, quilt, cross stitch, crochet, paper crafting, and rubber stamps just to name a few of things I dabble in and have ton of money invested in. A friend at work is teaching me how to knit while I try to teach her to crochet. (I always think whichever you learned first is easier for you as we each prefer the needle craft we are use to).

I really feel a need to create stuff, even if my way of creating varies from time to time. My hands need to be busy! Do I sometimes feel guilty about the money I spend? Yes. Do I enjoy doing what I spent the money on? That's a yes too. Life's too short. If I should die, someone will find my treasures at a GoodWill and hopefully enjoy them as much as I did.

I know I do ! Love the process and planning, as much as the making !! I get bored with just one project. Love to paint, stencil, needlepunch, crochet, hunt antiques (cheaply), repurpose furniture and junk, garden, kayak and fishing with DH, beach combing, remodeled our house etc ...
NO wonder I don't get as many quilts made as I used to, plus that thing called work gets in the way ! :roll:

I love doing crafty things, and always have something going. Perhaps too many! Am working on finishing some UFO's, like: LA quilting projects, making pin cushions, counted cross stitch, beading items, table runners, half-done quilts, embroidery items, etc. I want to get them done so I may enjoy the finished items--and start more! :)
I'd like to someday refurbish some vintage sewing machines and cabinets, etc. ;)

I'm soooo guilty of this. I knit, crochet, spin and weave + quilt/sew. I can fill pages on here of things I've tried over the years.

I've reached a point now in my life, close to retirement, that I've consciously pared down things to allow me more quilting time (funds). It was hard but worth it!

Good luck, it isn't easy to turn down goodies like that loom!

Ha Ha, I had a big rug loom over some 20 years ago.... It took a good chunk of the living room. One day my 8 yr old DD and I were stringing it. The loom had a counter - when the counter fell off, that 'bout' was wound on to the loom. We got all done and it looked odd but I tried it out. The weaving looked like fried baloney. We could not figure out why. Well, DS who was 2 was watching to make sure the counter didn't fall off. He was pushing it back on. Sure was a mess. I had a lot of neck and shoulder problems from all the beating down on that loom so I sold it.

You can use your loom to hang socks . I did that for a while when I had too many socks without partners. :lol:

I call myself an ADD crafter/fiber artist. Everytime I see something interesting I add it to my list of wannados.


I have a collection of looms and finally moved them to the pole barn. We're down-sizing so I'll have to find them new homes.

I have cut back over the years. Now it's quilting, sewing craft, clothing, altered books, crochet, drawing, some writing and love reading, mysteries. Couple years ago I gave my son (who bakes) my cookie cutter collection, almost 400 cutters, all different. I still find myself looking for different cutters at yard sales.

Yup! I, too, have way too many hobbies and interests!
Busy hands are happy hands!! :)

I am with the rest of you...cross stitching, taught basket weaving for several years, knitting, crocheting,,,,with a stash for each interest. Now quilting again---did it 25 years ago. If only those kids would stop getting in the way..lol (wouldn't change it for a zillion bucks.)
No wonder there is no room in my basement.

I just wish I had the time and money to learn everything my brain could hold. I'm a writer, a sewer, a knit/crocheter, an embroiderer, a wannabe drawer and painter, a cross stitcher, would love to do wood working, and the list goes on and on and on. I love the touch of almost any book and the pictures inside and have as long as I can remember. My second main love is making the dolls to give awy to sick children and things to do for cancer victims, etc. That and my writing. (It is my first earthlt love) Maybe I will post a writing on the general chat, if no one minds. I wrote it because of a trip we took yesterday. I do love writing. I keep promising to do more with short stories I've done, but keep running out of time...and so it goes.

Happy happy happy happy birthday and MANY more. 3 Cheers to you and yours and a bucket full of hugs.

Keep doing everything you do

It was so interesting to see this thread today. I had an epiphany this past weekend on why I was so frustrated lately. Everywhere I looked there was an unfinished project or a project I wanted to do or a magazine or book with even more. I decided to concentrate on just 4 things: quilting, embroidery, crocheting, and needle punch (though it is in the "iffy" list). I have started going through yarns, books, magazines, tools, etc., and making a pile of things that do not fit in those categories. I know people who do all the other stuff and will be gifting them with it as I clean out and see them. I have just started and already I feel so much better and more focused. I am starting to see free space and hopefully will be able to rearrange what is left so that I can actually see it and use it instead of having everything so stuffed. It is being very freeing!

Love weaving, have a 42" loom in my living room... no room for a long arm... I also love playing dulcimer, guitar... sewing, spinning...and of course quilting. I tend to do things in cycles except for my music which I try and play everyday. I'm not great at balancing out all the stuff I love to do and of course working cuts into my playtime but it pays the bills and I do enjoy what I do!

I get into something, buy all the books and materials and supplies anyone would ever need and then get bored whem I learn to do whatever well. I have wasted more money than I could ever say doing this--In the last couple of years I have amassed a great collection of polymer clay items and beading items. Luckily I have a friend that wants to learn these things so she usually gets it all when I get bored. I wish I could just spend the $ for one project when I get interested instead of thinking I have to have everything.

So glad to know that I keep very good company.