I like your bag, by the way. Will you make one for me?? (Just kidding.)

Unless you rely in your tote sewing for an income, I would complete the orders you've taken to date and then do not take any other orders. It may not be forever, but tell folks that right now you are focusing on your quilting. Remember the line "Just Say No?" You can do it!

I am making the first quilt I really don't want to do. It is a kind of a French braid and it's for people who are really important to me who won a family drawing of a quilt I made. Grapevine told me they didn't like the style of the quilt they won (they are a conservative couple) and, since they are family, I asked for it back, talked to them about what they would like. I don't "do" piecing which requires 90 blocks of one style. I'm more into meditating on the person for whom the quilt is for and going from there. I can't believe how much I dislike making this braid quilt which has at least a hundred strips and half that in blocks all the same. When I go into my quilting room I force myself to work an hour or so on that quilt... the same thing time after time!!! Need I say I'll never do that again. The warm fuzzy feeling I have, even when making a "charity" quilt, is not there. Only my love for them keeps me going.

I feel like most of you in that being obligated to work on a project takes away the joy and the freedom in a hobby. And I for one have spent a life time working on someone elses schedule and now that I'm retired,I'm living on my schedule.
I do some sewing for charities, but its as I get it done--no set amount within a certain amount of time.

It seems like I'm the one that gets myself into projects that I want to do at the start then for one reason or another get bummed out over and don't get finished. I can't figure out why I can't get back to some of them. I guess it's the lure of the new project that beckons.

I used to do commission quilts, too, but they just felt like work & so I quit. Life's too short!

You mean it's only in the summer at your house? It's like that year-round around here! DH knew that when he married me so he doesn't complain. Besides, he's as bad as I am!

You are a wise woman, Bella! I need to learn to keep my mouth shut re gifts. But when I find out (about my DD getting engaged, for example) I'm so amped that I blurt out "Great! I'll make you a quilt!!". And I want to... at that moment. But then it starts hanging over my head & I start to dread it.

LOL Rebecca that is so me! I blurt out I'll make you a quilt, a bag, a wallhanging and then I think you and your big mouth! My intentions are good but my motivation lags.

I made a Bow Tuck bag and took it to work and someone asked what I would charge to make them one so I figured up cost and added some for my time and told her. Well then she walked in the next week with fabric and batting and said, "Now it won't cost me anything right?" I told her there is still my time. She told me no hurry just do it when I had free time. UGH! I knocked some off the price and told her if that wasn't ok I would tell her where to get a pattern. To my dismay she agreed. The fabric was...um...not my taste or quality. It was all I could do to force myself to work on that bag. Honestly they don't take long to put together but...this seemed like forever! Made longer by constant text messages about it's progress! She loved it and paid what I asked but NEVER AGAIN! Several other people asked if I could make them one but I suddenly became too busy with other projects. LOL

So I feel your pain and it wasn't even a quilt!

Ooooh this made steam come out of my ears when I read it - the NERVE of some people! You were much nicer than I would have been. I don't think I would have made the *@!$*# bag at all. My "free" time isn't free.