It's because we love so much what we do. I'm the same way. sometimes I go to work with my husband 3 or 4hundred miles away, so I pack a lot of stuff in grocery bags etc. all around other things, I sure don't want to be without something to work on. Or read and definitely my Computer. I can sit, but my hands won't.

Yes! That's it. I get depressed. I can't rest. Thanks for relating.

I have felt like that before, but last year my DH let me take my sewing machine & I made us a Christmas wall hanging. This year, I've decided to bring a log cabin star kit & a Snowman wall hanging! Very cool stuff! :-) Of course when home, I'm always planning the next project while I'm working on the present one. My quilting calms my soul & like all of you, I have to stay busy & productive. I'm so glad you brought this topic up!! I thought I was just weird!

I thought I am the way you all describe because I'm new to quilting. I add hundreds of free block and patterns to my favorites; download and print paper piecing blocks, read all the blogs, etc. I've made a dozen beginner quilts and a couple of sampler quilts; not satisfied with those, but not confident enough to get more advanced blocks/patterns. I'm wasting lots of time "preparing" for something, but not accomplishing anything. But... can't stop! Help!

I always have to have something to be working on when I sit in my living room and watch tv. Right now I am doing a counted cross stitch of two roses. I just finished a needlepoint pillow. I confess I haven't been in the mood to quilt in a couple of months. But I do have a few quilts planned in my head for when the mood "hits" me.

When I'm home, I allways have plenty of UFO's, WIP's, etc. to keep me busy. Since I don't do any kind of handsewing, I allways make sure my knitting bag is full, (and in the car) for when we travel, so that keeps me going until I can get back to the sewing room:)

In the opposite way, I feel lost because I have too many projects going. LOL

My Grandmother taught me this saying and it has proven true: AN IDOL MIND IS THE DEVILS WORKSHOP !!!!! If you can't sleep try praying for all the people that you know. I could always use another prayer. thanks and hugs

Oma, my mind isn't idle when I cant sleep, it's just filled with things that aren't really that important in the scope of things, like quilting projects. You're right, it's much better to pray then. Good advice. I'll try to remember to do that and add you to my list!

What about taking some English Paper piecing with you. They go together so quickly and it's a great portable project. Think in terms of making them not maybe into a long term project like a Grandmother's Flower Garden but to be used on purses or appliqued on a whole cloth randomly or who knows what creation you can come up with....table runner? bed runner? You can purchase the paper forms in shapes from 1/4" up to 6" from www.paperpieces.com