Let's not get sidetracked

I find it so hard to stay on track with what I am doing. Whenever I am doing something I want to have it completed now and become impatient and start to lose interest. One project can often inspire you for something else that you just have to start straight away and before you know it you are drowning in many many works in progress and no inspiration to finish them.

I am trying to work on getting some of my recycled clothing down - I want to make a large quilt with some of the shirts (cut intou four inch squares). And of course while doing this I hit on an idea to use the pockets (large squares containing the pockets cut about 6 inches) on a wall hanging and use the pockets to put small treasures into etc.

I am trying not to get too side tracked onto new projects and stick to what I am trying to achieve and that is to get the list of unfinished projects down by actually finishing a few things. Some of course require more work than others and if I didn't procrastinate and got down to it then a few more would be finished or closer to being finished. At the end of the day all I want to do is start a new prject - it is the sewing that I enjoy - it is soothing and relaxing. And of course I keep getting new ideas.

At Christmas I have started to try and work on a small project (8 x 8) easy to start and easy to finish - sort of. It is a bit of a play with what we did in the Dottie Moore class. The project is not so much important in itself but the creativity that it brings to me. To come up with a small sketch or drawing and then to execute that in fabric. I started my first one as a sketch of a woman in a flowing garment - Because of the small jumble of fabrics for her garment I didn't want to use any fusible web and used my glue stick instead. I am pleased with what I accomplished - there were one or two compromises made but I am happy with them. I now have to decide what to do about quilting it or attaching it to the backing rather than just the glue. Could I peel it off the backing and perhaps put it onto some fusible web and then iron it back - it would put off having to decide about stitching.

My second effort was a palm free. I had seen the idea a couple of years ago and was very taken with it. So pencil in hand I drew a sectioned palm tree on a scrap of paper. It was a bit untidy but a good start so I fished out some webbing and my scrap dyed fabrics and set to work. The background is very dark so I needed bright colours for the tree, an orange/red trunk and light bright green fronds. The fiddly part is cutting all the shapes out and laying it out. At the end of it I was very impressed with what I had done.

This is something I should try to do more often - I will try to do the drawings myself even if I have a picture in front of me that I want to try to emulate - I rather like a folk art theme. Something creative every so often like this would keep me going and sooner or later will lead to something bigger. I don't think I will keep them for a larger project but let each one stand by itself. I might find one that I particularly like and want to do a series on a theme or use them as a gift for someone.

The ultimate goal is to keep the creative energy going and challenge myself to get other larger projects nearer completion so that I can get onto my next small picture.

The small inspirational project needs a name - you know - "I must do XYZ before I can get onto my next ??? (small inspirational project). Something fun and catchy. Something for me to think about while I procrastinate. As usual the name will come to me at an odd moment.