Stuck in a (quilting) rut?

 Hello there, 

I think it happens to all of us at some point....the hobby that we love, adore, have so much fun with, all of a sudden doesn't bring us the joy and satisfaction it used to. Whereas before you might have woken up looking forward to starting a brand new day and a brand new quilty project, these days you just wander in and out of your space, pick up a project here or there, only to put it away again. Sound familiar? You are not alone! I bet many of us have felt the same way at some point or another. Why does it happen? It could be for so many reasons...maybe you are dealing with stress in another part of your life, or maybe your job/parents/kids are needing more attention these days, or maybe it is as simple as your current project is not longer inspiring you. What is a quilter to do? 

I'm going to share some strategies that have worked for me, and may work for you as well. And please, if you have some great tips for getting out of a rut, drop your comment below so we can all learn from each other!

Tip number 1: Change up your routine. 

I tried this recently and it has been interesting. My normal day looks something like this: Get up and do all the morning routine things...breakfast, shower, walk dogs, etc. Then I do whatever chores need to get done that day, be it laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning, yardwork, or any combination of these things. Then in the afternoon I would go into my room to work on a quilt. But lately I  found that I would just kind of wander in and out and pick up a project, only to put it away again. You see, sometimes, by the time I make it into my room, it it late afternoon and it's almost teatime ( yes, that is a thing at our house!), or I start thinking about dinner, or I feel like I need a NAP! Not the best time at all to be starting a fun new project! So for the past week I have flip-flopped my routine. Now I go into my sewing room  in the morning when I feel refreshed and full of energy ( and the light is so beautiful at that time of day!) and enjoy making for a few hours. Now chores are getting done in the afternoon, and you know, folding laundry or cleaning the bathroom works just fine when I am not feeling hugely energetic ;).

Tip number 2: Change your sewing space.

This may seem strange, but sometimes changing your sewing space to a new spot might be just the renewal you need. And changing it up can mean anything, from moving from a dedicated sewing room to the dining room table or a covered porch for a few weeks, or, if you are lucky enough to have an entire room, flip-flopping your furniture and maybe giving your room a little face-lift....add a rug, hang some new art, paint a fun quote on your wall...you can do as much or as little as you want. A few months back I flip-flopped my entire room. Not only was it fun to come up with a new lay-out, I also cleaned up in the process and found some forgotten goodies! 

And that brings me to 

Tip number 3: Clean up your sewing space.

I believe when my sewing space is a mess, it inhibits my creativity! First of all I can't find anything and secondly I have no space to lay anything out. So while my room does get messy while I'm working on a particular project, I will clean up in between so I can start fresh. 

Image source

Tip number 4: Try a new- to- you method.

When you are stuck in a rut, maybe now is a good time to try out something different. Maybe you have never tried big stitch quilting. How about paper-piecing? Or how about adding some embroidery to your quilt blocks? There are so many fun methods out there, and maybe you need to try one to get out of your rut. And this new project does not need to be anything big...just a little sampling will do! 

Tip number 5: Treat yourself.

Maybe, just maybe, you need to treat yourself to something new! How about a jelly roll? Or a fun new ruler that will allow you to make some cool blocks? There are so many fun new patterns out there too, so maybe you would like one of those? Or, my personal favorite, a new book or magazine? Again, it does not have to be expensive, but even if it is, that is OKAY, you deserve it! ( yes, send those angry husbands my direction, I can handle them ;) )

And my final tip for the day:

Tip number 6: Join a sewalong.

Sewing along with others can be so inspiring, especially when everyone is sharing photos of their progress. Before long you will be sewing right along to keep up, AND you will be having fun doing it!

And there you have it, my tips for getting out of a quilting rut. I do hope that some of these ideas might help you and bring you some inspiration! There are of course lots of other ideas, and if you have one you would like to add, please do so in the comments! I would love to hear your ideas and suggestions!

Until next time~happy creating!

Monique