Okay ladies (and men!) I sought out a forum today as I am experiencing a "quilting block". I am a stay at home mom now after working FOREVER and have all the time I need to quilt but, find myself napping instead with my chihuahua.

So, do all of you have any tips or ideas on how you dig up those creative juices and keep those projects rolling off the machine?

Please share, I'm in a quilting rut!

How long has it been since you quit your outside-of-the-home job? You may just need to rest awhile and catch your breath before you're ready to tackle a quilt. When I was a teaching I learned early on that it usually took me one to two weeks in June to just sit and rock and relax before I was ready to take on any summer activities. I literally was exhausted. Plus, if you're raising kids yet that'll wear you out for sure. Take some time for you and go ahead and take a nap with that chihuahua. It's okay!

I also found that I had quilter's block this winter. I'm still not quite sure how I got out of my rut. I finally picked up a project that'd been on my 'to do' list for about three years and that's all it took. Weird! I think sometimes our bodies just say, "Rest! Now!" and you shall! :wink:

AND THEN go shopping!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

If you have a stash and have been off for a while check out the newest magazines or go to the library and see what quilting books are in. Thats where I get my inspiration. Or if you want to get out, the walls are closing in go to a fabric store. The owner of a local quilt shop told me that she had a customer who would come in just to "recharge " her batteries.

What works for me is looking at other peoples quilts. I dont't mean the top prize winners either. I need the simple versions or I get discouraged because Mine don't look like that. Looking at antique quilts helps me , lots of quilt guilds, post quilts people made in lessons. Go look at some efforts of children , next look at some pattern books, and lastly look at fabric, and if you get out, stroke it.
You have young children, add some hand prints on each quilt. I hope some of this helps, good luck :D

One lady replied when asked what she did with so much fabric, said you buy it, put it in the closet. Every now and then, you take it out, stroke it and try to decide what quilt to make, then smile, and put it back in the closet again :lol:

I always sit back and let my stash "talk" to me for a while, skim through a few of my quilting books for inspiration and fresh ideas, and watch quilting programs on TV as well re-watching my old recorded quilting programs. It's amazing how a review can reveal things forgotten or missed.

There's nothing wrong with napping! Like Yvonne said, sometimes that's what your body needs. I too get inspired looking at other people's quilts - online, at quilt shows, where ever!! Also, I am lucky enuf to belong to a guild that not only has an incredible show & tell at every month's meeting, but we also have workshops almost every month too. Many of them are put on by members and are very low cost - nothing like learning a new technique to get you going!
Here's a sample from a workshop called "Making Faces" by Ann Turley - isn't it a hoot & a kick-start?!!? I thought I had a pic of mine, "Wistful Wanda", but it must be on my home computer.
In any case, just relax & stop TRYING maybe....hey! Maybe you could make a chihuahua quilt - you have that model there! Good Luck!
sue

all fabulous ideas. here are some more ways that work for me.

look at your list of upcoming birthdays and other gift-giving occassions (like graduation day, which is not far off). i'll bet doing that has scared more than one quilter into action. LOL
visit one of the many sites devoted to quilting for charity
walk through the mall looking for babies in strollers. (not for creepy reasons. LOL among other things, babies make me think "quilt".)

the point being to look for reasons to produce quilts, which will get you thinking of quilts to produce, which will lead you the a fabric shop or your stash, which will remind you how good it feels to quilt, and so on.

I worked in nursing homes for 12 years as a CNA. ALL old people get cold easy and when the AC is blowing on them it aggrevates their arthritus. I'm making lap quilts for them. I don't work there anymore but I still go and visit once in awhile. They are all like my grandma's and grandpa's and I miss them. It's a thankless job but I so enjoyed doing it. I have osteoarthritus now and can't lift people like I used too.

Thank you everyone for your tips and advice. I am going to put some of your advice to work. I want to quilt so badly but, just can't seem to make myself sit down at my machine. Instead, I spend time looking through all the UFO's I do have, going through my patterns and petting my fabric. My hubby says I spend more time pondering over my projects and dreaming of them than I do making them. :mrgreen: Hopefully I'll spark something in me by getting out tomorrow. Thanks again! Jeanye

by the way, zyxquilts, that making faces is a hoot! I would love to do something like that at a workshop. Looks like tons of fun. You really have to put on your creative cap for those type of projects. I love it!

Debbie, bless you for your heart of gold.

I find doing something for someone else inspires me more than just doing it for myself.
My heart is not pure gold cuz some of those old people can really get on your nerves.

I too like doing quilts for others, family and friends, etc. My biggest disappointment comes form people who say its too nice to use or words like that. I am not creating heirlooms, my work is not that great, but I enjoy what I do and would like for people who receive them to enjoy using them, not leave them in the closet or on a shelf because they don't want it to get dirty.

I finally got busy! Look what I did and now I'm on a roll.....onto the next UFO!

I like that!! The applique medallion turns a plaino into a wowser. Good job. :mrgreen: This is me, green with envy.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: Nope that's me green with envy :!: You're standing next to me :lol:

I get inspiration from MAGAZINES MAGAZINES MAGAZINES! and books. I look at all the issues several times. Then, I put them up for a while when I get new ones. When I get them out a few months later, it's all almost like new again. The projects that I really liked still jump out at me, and I know I'll have to make it. (someday, I'm just getting started).
When I'm shopping for fabrics, the fabrics themselves talk to me. They say where they'd look good at or for whom. The only problem is there are so many of them talking, I never get to listen to just one! :D

I know, they all talk so loud, I want to take them all home just to make them hush :!:

Nah, I don't think they'd hush. ;) If you closed 'em up in a plastic container, I think you'd just hear mumbling when you walk by. When you open it, it would sound like a crowd cheering..."pick me, no me, me! ".... LOL

wow, I can so relate to that!!

I went to the quilt shop on Saturday with very limited funds so that I wouldn't buy much.

Came home and told my hubby that there were several fabrics there calling my name so, what did I do?

Went back on Sunday and spent $100!!!!

Maybe if I change my name........????

Y'all are too cool!

Yes, you got a lot of good replies.

Have you thought of taking vitamins to perk you up? Its good to relax, but maybe you need some nutritional perks?

Anyway, a great quilt takes time and patience. Whenever I feel "rushed" to make another quilt, I tell myself that Rome wasn't built in a day. Michelangelo didn't hurry to paint the Sistine Chapel.

I'm no Michelangelo, but I don't want to look back at my quilts and wonder why I didn't take my time? And I make more mistakes when I am trying to hurry.

When the time is right, you'll know exactly what pattern and what fabrics to use, and you'll really enjoy yourself making it!

I made my first quilt for my new grandson (1st grandchild). When his parents received it, they said it was too nice to put in the crib to soil. No proble. I put a sleeve on it so they could hang it on the wall.

When I'm stuck - usually because I have too many ideas and can't decide where to begin, I make a tiny quilt for AAQI (Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative). It is small, quick, a good cause, can be just the thing that jump starts the bigger projects.