I have been procrastinating a lot lately. There are several potentially really beautiful projects I have started, and then left off working on. What is my problem? I think it is that I have so many unquilted tops sitting around my house that it seems a shame to start another one. There is quite a pile accumulating. How will I ever afford to have them all quilted? At this moment I have a quilt in hock at my favorite quilters, that I can't afford to pay for.
I feel like a cat that should have been spayed. I keep giving birth to these quilt tops I can't take care of.
My thought process has been that I need to work on smaller projects, like table toppers, wall hangings and baby quilts, that I can machine quilt myself. I did that this past weekend, and managed to complete two table runners. Respectable looking even.
I have turned to layer cakes and jelly rolls in order to save the money I would have normally spent on an entire bundle of fabric. That has turned out to be a false economy for sure. Instead of buying the one fabric bundle that I truly LOVE and can't live with out, I will buy three layer cakes of fabric groups that I have varying levels of passion for. Bundle of Love= $100; Three Layer Cakes= $115. See what I mean?
The project I started last Friday you see pictured above. It is a Schnibbles pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company called Four Corners. Fun easy little block. The problem is, I used a layer cake called Portugal that I cannot even believe that I bought, just because I had it laying around and felt I needed to use up. Do I love it? Absolutely not. Does it go with anything in my house? Not at all. Do I feel any amount of love for this fabric collection? Sorry, no.
My time would have been much better used if I had picked up one of the projects I already have going and have posted on lately. Flowers for Clara, Moor is Moor, my purple batik. They are all there, staring at me reproachfully, wondering why they have been abandoned for these quick weekend flings.
You heard it here first----From now on I am only going to work on projects that excite me. Projects I will see through to the finish. Using fabrics that mean something to me. I have been promiscuous in my fabric buying friends, and I am turning over a new leaf.
So what will I do with the layer cakes and jelly rolls I have sitting around that I know I will never use? I am going to have a little give away! Comment on this post and there will be three winners this Friday. One winner will receive a layer cake, one will receive a jelly roll, and one will receive two charm packs.
Sorry you don't love that fabric collection. I have less choice at my LQS and opted for that one in charms. At the time, it seemed like a happier "spring" fabric in brighter colours but like you can't find anywhere it fits in my house. I second your idea of only working on that which inspires and excites us!
Posted by: Colleen | March 17, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Good morning. I am new to quilting and haven't set up a blog but have been reading yours for about a year now. I enjoy your beautiful work and your life stories! We are so much alike in so many ways. Thank you for writing often and making my day!
Cheryl
Posted by: Cheryl | March 17, 2009 at 07:50 AM
Do I count? I need jelly rolls for your classes you are teaching?
^_^
Posted by: sara | March 17, 2009 at 07:54 AM
Stop buying fabric that you don't LOVE. Try to trade projects that you don't want to finish or start. Someone out there will want them and might be able to send you some fabric that you love.Some of the other blog ladies are trading services and fabric ...you might have a finished project that one likes and she might be able to quilt your quilt. Just ask and someone will be able to give you what you really love in fabrics ... Bonnie in Tx. baw78413@yahoo.com
Posted by: Bonnie | March 17, 2009 at 07:58 AM
Oh my goodness, with layer cakes, jelly rolls and charm packs up for grabs, I certainly want to TRY to win!! Of course I never do, but here I am, at it again!! I just love those things. The only thing is, now I will have to buy more yardage if I want to really DO something with them!!! LOL!!!!
Posted by: Peddlecar Quilts | March 17, 2009 at 08:06 AM
Oh I love the quilt you're showing! I love the collection and can't wait to make it into something for myself. But you are right - I don't like brown's or black and whites and I can hardly stand to sew those because I don't like them. It IS hard to remember that you are paying so much more a yard for jelly rolls and charm packs. We do pay for that convenience, don't we?
Posted by: Debi | March 17, 2009 at 08:09 AM
Life is too short - only buy what you love and work on quilts that make you happy. That's what I'm trying to do, too. Our batik challenge quilt was the most fun I've had in a while. Great idea to send things you're not super excited about to a new home. You don't need to include me in your drawing. I already have too much fabric (Lily says....)
Posted by: Lisa D. | March 17, 2009 at 08:19 AM
Maybe you could trade some of your quilt tops for fabric that you love or longarm quilting. I did a trade with Heather (quiltinlikecrazy) where she had finished a top that I was going to copy and I had a jelly cake that she really liked. Worked out great for both of us.
Please include me in your giveaway.....I just love the precuts.
Thank you,
Cathy
Posted by: Cathy | March 17, 2009 at 08:25 AM
I'm walking in your shoes. I don't know how many bundles I've passed up in favor of the "cheaper" jelly rolls and layer cakes. Sigh. Live and learn.
BTW, I love that quilt you're showing on this post. My happy colors!
Posted by: Kathleen | March 17, 2009 at 08:28 AM
Cathy's idea of trading for quilting is a good one! And there's always eBay.
But I still want to win. :o)
Posted by: Maria Stahl | March 17, 2009 at 08:32 AM
That is *too* funny!! I'm the same way. A number of years ago a gal gave me a tote of leftover fabric. I've pulled out I don't know how many pieces that I really don't like and worked with them and hated every minute, but then can't bear to use the ones I love. It's a sickness, I tell you. BTW - I love the fabric in your quilt! And I'd love to be entered in your drawing!! :)
Posted by: Tricia T | March 17, 2009 at 08:33 AM
I'm sorry you're not feeling the love, but I love that you're turning a negative around to a positive by hosting such a great giveaway! One person's trash is another's treasure, I suppose. Lemons to lemonade and all that. I'm a big fan of precuts and would love to be entered into your drawing. Thanks so much for the generous giveaway!
Posted by: John | March 17, 2009 at 08:37 AM
I think the top is very pretty! But I do understand not feeling the love. Have you thought of quilting some of your own tops? I'm sure you have. Maybe you could give it another go.
Posted by: MichelleB | March 17, 2009 at 08:41 AM
Hi Nicole,
I LOVE Portugal! Email me, maybe we can cut a deal and I could buy the top from you and you can use the $ for something you love.
I am also on a cut back on spending plan so I buy only collections I love. I splurged and bought fat quarter bundles of 2 collections and I felt kind of disappointed in them. But I will use them anyway. Need lots of fabrics for Opening Day!
Anyway, please enter me in the drawing.
Posted by: Karen | March 17, 2009 at 08:42 AM
Check with a local quilt store or hospital and they will know organizations that are donating quilts - you can donate your top and they will finish it, and it will go to a great cause. Take heart - you can quilt big quilts on a regular sewing machine. I do it all the time. A little more labor, but a lot of money saved.
Posted by: Diane | March 17, 2009 at 08:43 AM
I'm so sorry that you're not feeling the love - perhaps you can sell/trade the tops/projects you don't love for something that you will? And thank you for the very generous giveaway!
Kris
Posted by: Kris Bair | March 17, 2009 at 08:44 AM
Hey Nicole! It's always a bummer to lose your quilting mojo, but no worries - you'll get it back soon, I have no doubt! I have a similar problem. I buy pre-cuts that I'm lukewarm about when I see them on super-sale. I just can't pass up a good deal. Right now, I'm trying to turn out a few quilt tops to use up what I have on hand. But I surely don't mind to replenish the supplies! Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!
Posted by: Megan | March 17, 2009 at 08:51 AM
Well, I was going to commment and encourage you about your dillema, but the giveaway is so exciting. What if you do what I think is called an envelope, or is it the pillowcase method? You could then add a hanging sleeve and hang some of them on the wall. What size/type machine do you have? Do you think it could possibly quilt anything bigger than what you have done already? I realize that quilting lines in a straight diagonal are not as interesting as what you have been paying for, but they are easy to do yourself. All you need it some thread and your machine. I have the bottom of the line Singer, and could probably get a queen size quilt in there if I didn't do anything fancy. My feedogs will not lower, and although I have done some small scale free motion quilting in the past, I'm not really sure how I did it! :D The straight line quilting is much simpler. It's not as fancy, but you would feel better since you would have a finished quilt, that you quilted yourself! Just for the record though, I think that quilt in the picture above is beautiful, and would lend itself well to simple quilting lines. But, that's just my opinion. I think you are a wonderful quilter, and can't wait to see more of your work.
Oh, if you could enter me in the giveaway, that would be wonderful!
Posted by: Rachel | March 17, 2009 at 08:56 AM
As a woman who works both outside and inside the home,there is never enough time to quilt...happily, I can and do enjoy quilting and a touch of humor through your blog! Your quilts--even when you do not like the fabric--are lovely and inspiring. Saving on pre-cuts can be an illusion...a bit like buying a bag of mini chocolate bars to avoid calories...you don't avoid any calories if you eat the entire bag of mini bars!
Posted by: Gina | March 17, 2009 at 09:01 AM
I think I'd be more excited to win a jelly roll or charm packs - not sure what I'd do with a cake layer. :)
Stuff that I don't love? Are perfect backings!
Posted by: Leah S | March 17, 2009 at 09:06 AM
oh, i feel your pain ... let me make it all better for you ... i'll take the weight of those mean old precuts off your shoulders!
Posted by: dianne | March 17, 2009 at 09:15 AM
I know exactly what you mean - when I'm not feeling the love, the project gets shunted aside. Too many things I really want to make and too little time to quilt! About two years ago, I sorted out all my WIPS and tossed the ones that I didn't like enough to finish. It was a load off my mind and I felt relief, not guilt! And I've used eBay to sell fabric that turned out to not be right for me.
Posted by: Cathy McMann | March 17, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Sorry you're not feeling so great about your projects. I don't have alot of extra money for fabric right now, so I pretty much have to love something to buy it. good luck with your projects. I always enjoy looking at your beautiful work.
Posted by: Sara | March 17, 2009 at 09:22 AM
I know how you feel. During the past year I've had to cut back alot and only bought fabric that was on clearance. I don't feel like I missed out on anything that I normally would HAVE to have. When I finally do finish a quilt then I'll buy the backing, instead of guessing ahead of time how much I might need and wasting money on too much. I'm not enjoying the economy at all, but I've learned that I can cut back and it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would.
I love the top you made with Portugal. It's disappointing to spend time on something that you don't like so much in the end. I've started so many things that for some reason I thought would be done in a couple of weekends, but they have ended up in the same place as many others. I don't know why I think one project will be quicker than the previously unfinished "quick" project!
Posted by: Tonya | March 17, 2009 at 09:23 AM
I know how you feel. I have a few UFO's laying around staring at me like those eyes in the geico commercials lolol, wondering when I'm going to take the time to finish them.
Posted by: Jamie | March 17, 2009 at 09:27 AM