Ever since March, I’ve felt like my brain isn’t working all that well. Something about the COVID-19 lockdown and the life changes that have gone with it has made it very hard for me to do things I would normally find only mildly challenging.
Continue reading Pandemic Project: Beaded Butterfly
Sometimes running with inspiration has magical results. Each step of the process is a natural extension of the last, and the vision of the end product keeps you on the right path, just doing the next thing, until suddenly, the project’s done. Sometimes doing what seems natural, however, can be a mistake, especially if that next thing is done without thought.
Continue reading Good Design Takes Thought: A Quilting Story
We need to be careful who sees our work when it’s still in process. I’ve learned this from writing and from quilting. My quilting experience is particularly surprising, because I discovered that early praise can be as harmful as early scorn.
Continue reading Unfinished Quilt: How Praise Froze My Project
In the world of the internet, it can be hard to understand the value of making things yourself. There is so much competition out there, so many people better at what you are doing than you are. A meme or video goes viral, and suddenly everyone you know is talking about baby Yoda. In such a world, it’s easy to feel very small and that your efforts aren’t worth much. Those focused on fame tell us that if you don’t have at least 100,000 followers, you’re wasting your time.
Continue reading Quilt Show Lesson: Every Work of Art Has Its Fans
I’ve made dozens of quilts in the last 25 years, so when I decided to make a baby quilt last spring, I figured it would be a cinch. Silly me. I forgot that being out of practice would mean a lower skill level than I remembered having.
Continue reading Without Regular Practice, Skills Fade