Thursday, July 11, 2013

Some days I just sit

some days I sits and thinks, some days I just sits
I heard that  (caption) phrase somewhere and it stuck with me the way useless facts stick but important info fades away. You know what I mean?

Anyway, yesterday I had one of those days where you mostly just veg out. I finished my novel (Death in the Floating City) and I'm sad to say goodbye to it. I did some Gauguin research for the next STAT quilt. I put away the dishes. I sat.

The to-do list is long, and the Hoffman challenge is there looming. I just have to figure out how to do a digital entry so I can enter Bikini Body in PNQE this year. I must move through the studio in the valleys between mountains of fabric/ tools/books/threads. The to-do list is long... and I sat.

The saving grace was working on my niece's quilt started in the workshop this week. It's good to have something to sew on that isn't earmarked to be judged. Just sewing and designing for fun. When you are in the doldrums, where ever they are, it is good to sew. Medicinal sewing. This is a picture of it in progress:

I have to go for a walkwithpoodle, and I have to put away the clothes
but I want to do some medicinal sewing on the seed packet.
It will have words across the top that say sunflower seeds too and
I think I might need to go hunt and gather some brown checked
fabric for the binding.


 make something fun today
LeeAnna

7 comments:

mzjohansen said...

I come to your blog from the QA list.
You are not alone! I cannot be show or contest driven. I need time to let my mind wander, and I have other things that I enjoy doing - sometimes for days or weeks.
I refuse to allow guilt or pressure to influence my quilting time. If something that I make works for a posted theme for a show that's wonderful, but if not I don't worry.
Relax and enjoy whatever you do, even if it's just walkthepoodle!

Martha Ginn said...

Rayna Gillman calls that therapy sewing--just randomly joining strips of fabric. Good to get away from that insane impulse to make seams and points and joints perfect and just enjoy the play of riotous colors! I just finished a quilt like this--and think I'll do another.
Martha Ginn

Unknown said...

My sewing room is my sanctuary. I sew what I want, when I want. I've never been driven to compete, just to improve what I already do. The freedom is intoxicating!

LA Paylor said...

Love that attitude Marie. Thanks so much for letting me know I'm not the only one!
LeeAnna

LA Paylor said...

Martha, thanks for looking, and commenting. I see it as medicinal which is the cousin to therapy sewing. Seems like the times I say it will just be for me, I then wish I'd been more careful so I could enter it somewhere but really I do sew just for me even if I enter it later.

Glad you commented!
LeeAnna

LA Paylor said...

It would be freeing. Thanks so much for telling me I'm not alone.
LeeAnna

Bev said...

love this post -- your photos of the your dog are great -- I totally understand the "walkwithpoodle" as I have the "walkwithlab" at my house

sewing is something that just seems like an extension of who I am -- been doing it for almost 60 years, and while I am competitive (I just sent off my Hoffman piece), I make my quilts for a lot of different reasons (usable gifts, just because, etc)

and when I'm not making quilts, I make bead embroidered jewelry -- still involves a needle and thread

just want you to know you are not alone -- everyone needs a day to just SIT!