A Whole Lot of Nothing!
I hope that you and yours had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with lots of food, fun and laughter - making new memories! We had a wonderful day!
I don't like to shop so I stayed home most of the week end. Did venture out on Friday afternoon to Joann's to take advantage of the sale on quilting notions.
Last night I went to stay with one of the little men in my life, Eli (he's three) while his mom, dad and big brother, Seth went to a concert. He's a real kick so we had a great time together! :-)
I spent today with my newest stitchery project - The Night Before Christmas by Cinderberry Stitches. Two stitched panels done/two to go! Hoping to have it done by the end of the week so I can use it with the other Christmas decorations.
I've been thinking quite a bit about my lack of desire to sew the past few months. I've decided that there are many contributing factors.
1. The stash is overwhelming and paralyzing.
2. I've been chastised and criticized for blogging.
3. Then last week I was criticized for having so many flimsies (aka quilt tops) and quilts.
I need to figure out how to handle the STASH but I can't do that until I figure out how to get past 2 and 3. Right? Well, I need to dust off the heart I wear on my sleeve (I get my feelings hurt very easily) and just continue doing what I enjoy without worrying about what others say or think. So, wish me luck with all of this - LOL!
Yes, yes I promised a surprise! 71 comments were left on my "Rant" post and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the encouragement, support, words of kindness etc. I'm going to toss all of you (oh, ok, your names - LOL) into a drawing for a few surprise giftees. So sometime tomorrow or Tuesday I'll post the winning name(s). Yes, I do plan to draw more than one name. :-)
In Friendship
41 comments:
I wish you the best of luck. Your new stitchings are adorable!
Darlene, I'm so pleased that you're not going to allow the narrow mindedness of others to stop you from what you love to do. Love your new stitcheries.
Do not mind stupid comments about your stash. We are having this hobby because we love it. So what if we have a lot of fabrics (I love every single piece of them) so what if we have a lot of patterns (I love looking at all of them) so what if we have a lot of quilts (I have so many up on my shelf which I never use, but I loved making them). People that are commenting like that are just jealous. So keep on quilting!!!!
Good morning Darlene.
It looks to me like the not so pleasant people of this word is on high gear these days, throwing hurt and unpleasant comments around........
I am so sorry you are getting a share of those comments too.
We are in this for the fun, right, and we will not let anyone take the fun out of it ! :-)
Enjoy your flimsies and your fabric collection.
You own them, you decide how you will live and what you will do with them - that is all there is to it really :-)
Lovely stitcheries !
Hugs, Hanne
Hi Darlene!
First of all -- belated Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Second of all -- I LOVE those stitcheries you're doing!!
Third of all -- you tell those bullies that you have a friend who has connections with the "mob" -- the quilting mob , that is. (we'll tie them up with ugly fabric and kidnap them , then deprive them of chocolate until they apologize!)
Ok, I'm renaming your post "A whole lot of something"! You have done some stitching to show, and you have done a lot of thinking - hopefully it will make your life easier, and ours as well!
First of I love your little stitcheries! Great job, and best of luck finishing the other two panels so you have a cute Xmas haniging!
Secondly: I think it is because we love this craft/art so much, that we get hurt when someone just don't understand. Please don't let them get to you!
Thirdly: a way of conquering an overwhelming stash... It is not your stash anymore; it is a very local quilt shop where you can pick and choose from beautiful cut pieces of fabric, and buy at very low cost (have a piggy bank for a cash registry).
Take care, and best of luck to you! Hugs from me
Keep your chin up. We make quilts because that's what we love doing! Did Picasso paint only one picture? Did the Rolling Stones make just enough songs for one record? NO- they kept on doing what they loved. And remember we keep a lot of people employed- the quilting industry is HUGE! If we were to just make a couple of quilts each th art of quilting would die!
Your stitcheries are wonderful, I have the same pattern, and hope to get it started this week! Hugs :)
Okay, spill the beans, I'm a tad behind, as you probably already know. What do you mean by "chastised and criticized for blogging"? sigh.... Oh Darlene.... As for me, I'm tired, I'm behind, I'm exhausted from my Thanksgiving celebrations and the beat goes on ..... yawn! Well, I just thought I'd let you know that I'm still alive! By Wed I think I should be back to my old self. I do need to blog but too much stuff to do for school. It's been crazy the past few weeks with school and entertaining 22 people in my home for the holiday! By Sat morning I had my house back! It was a great time but a bit too much excitment for my need! Have a great day!
Love the new stitchery - Christmas pieces are such fun *s*
Darlene, You are a sweetie-pie and I wish that whoever is bugging you would just stop. Don't let them get you down! Big hugs.
What a cute stitchery and thanks for pointing me in the direction of that pattern ..... can't wait to see yours progresses. (((HUGS))) and be kind to yourself.
Most of the time folks say mean things when they are jealous of you or your talent.
Make your priority list and take it one step (project) at a time or 3+ LOL
Those who don't quilt don't understand it.
Smile and don't let them get you down.
I have also been criticized for blogging, but blogging fills a need in our lives, and it doesn't hurt any anyone, but it ADDS to our lives. If the 'criticizer' is not a blogger, then the 'criticizer' has no idea what it's appeal is. So there! 8-)
It's such a pleasure to see another person's quilts. Like true artists, we are all happy to help and admire each other's WORK. Just LOOKING at them is enough for me.
I consider myself blessed that you are willing to share your talents with me via the iternet. Please continue to share...those of us that want to learn will continue to read your awesome blog!
Mary Jo in Iowa
Your new Christmas stitchery will be a nice addition to the season. It's adorable!
As long as you are doing what you love and are passionate about it, that's all that is important. Keep doing what makes you happy. That's what I love about visiting your blog.
I'd be super proud of all those flimsies if I were you. So keep up the good work and share with us.
Oh what cute stitchery!
Those stitcheries are wonderful! I have also have had people saying negative things about my blogging, but when I was sick and got such wonderful comments and support from everyone there was my answer.
My blogging friends are amazing. Now the stash problem - ugh, I'm with you and I just keep buying more. You are in good company.
Be strong! I agree with everyone else who has commented. You are not responsible for everyone else and their issues, you are only responsible for yourself and what keeps you sane and happy! Keep on quilting!
Your embroidery is looking so beautiful and fun! Ignore the negative stuff and press on -- you're doing a great job of entertaining all of us!!! ;-)
Knowing what's bothering you is half the battle. Have fun and don't worry about what you "should" be doing! :) You don't even have to have fun if you don't want to! LOL
Your new stitching project is lovely!!! I would love to make that as it is just my style! I have lots of 'floppies' also!!
You go, girl! People need to start minding their own business, instead of sticking their nosy noses in yours! I feel sorry for people who don't understand the great love and passion we have for what to them is just a "hobby". We know it's so much more than that, don't we? You have a wonderful gift in creating beautiful quilts, and what's wrong with that?
When people see my stash - and it's not very doggone many who are allowed in my "space" - they are in awe of all the fabric I have. I have never had anyone say that I have too much, or that I should do something 'good' with them. I love each and every piece of fabric in my stash, and I don't care what anybody has to say about it! Well, except the hubby if he thinks I've spent too much moolah! LOL!
As for the blogging, do your criticizers know what wonderful and true friends you have online? Probably not! From what I can see, you have a huge group of friends who support and care about you, and that definitely includes me!! Hang in there, my friend - it will get better.
Your stitcheries are lovely, by the way!
Well, Darlene, I have to tell you that my two best quilting friends here in Texas have expressed their lack of understanding of my blogging too. I decided not to talk to them about blogging anymore...that way they can't have anything negative to say about it!
Now your unfinished tops are none of anyone's business. What do they expect from someone who spends a lot of time doing what we do? If we didn't have unfinished tops to show we would have been wasting our time, right?
I'm glad you are so positive about these situations. Honestly, I think you should quit hanging out with these naysayers and stick with those of us who are kindred spirits!
Your Christmas stitcheries are so cute! A quilting teacher once told our guild that a stash was as necessary to a quilter as paint to an artist. You need a palette from which to choose. Hope there are no more negative comments.
I do hear you about the stash being paralyzing. I feel that way as well - I sometimes just stand in front of my big Ikea cupboard of fabric and wonder what the heck I should do - and then I collect a mountain of magazines and patterns and in the end I don't do anything at all. So I feel the same way at times about my quilting.
So, sometimes I am more of a fabric collector then a quilter - but then the mood hits again and I become a quilter again :))
I hope you don't get discouraged by non-quilters that haven't a clue about how it feels to make a new quilt and cut and iron the fabric and create. And those who criticize your blogging - I hope you ignore them as best you can as well.
My stash isn't so much paralyzing as it is the number of projects in piles I have lying around. Now that can cause some paralysis! (guess I should get to sewing)
As for the other two -- I always look forward to your blog posts and as I said before -- the woman who said that probably collects Hummels!
Love the stitchings! Cheer up, you will get past it eventually. I know what you need to do, make a quilt for your heart! :>)
I haven't been by for a while, so naturally I had to go and read the "rant". I was stunned and saddened that anyone would be that judgmental to make you feel sad over doing what you love and are passionate about. My best guess is that she is insecure and feeling guilty over her jealousy toward your quiltmaking abilities. Let it roll off, like water, it's not worth a second thought.
Darlene, I also used to be crushed by nasties. But when I took a hard look at who those nasties were, I quickly realized they were just simply jealous. So don't give them another thought! Poopsnot on their heads!!!!
Your stitchery is wonderful!!
(Hugs)
The new stitcheries are lovely!
Our hobby (quilting) keeps us off the street and mostly out of trouble! I enjoy it too. One person wlked thru my house once and commented "Are you into quilts or something????"
You BET!
And here I thought you were taking a pause to give me a chance to catch up.
Your stitcheries are delightful
Your new stitcheries are adorable. And I agree with May Britt - ignore the stupid comments. We are artists. We just use fabric instead of paint or pencils.
Hey I started that too!! But your already ahead of me!!! LOL!!! Keep on stitchin!!! I wanna see yours all finished!!
We do not owe explanations to other for our lives :O)... I believe that is why we each get one of our own! So we can each live and enjoy them as we see fit :O)... You go girl...sew, blog do what makes your life yours!
Yoo Hoo Darlene - where did you go? Missing your posts but hoping you are having some fun!
Darlene YOU HOOOOO where are you? Hope this finds you well. Post soon, we're missing you!
Lovely wip! You're making me drool again.
I stayed home Thanksgiving weekend, too, I hate to shop in crowds!
I have a couple of people I hate to show my newest quilts to, when they aren't for anyone specifically I also get the blank stare...or a "well I'll take it!" along with other comments that can be bothersome.
We do what we do because we love it, it brings us peace, and it's cheaper than therapy!
Enjoy!
I have so enjoyed reading all these comments and agree with every one of them. Only a true quilter could understand the love we have of what we do. Hurray for quilting and big stashes and piles of magazines that threaten to topple over etc ! And bu***r anyone that critises !LOL
Come on, my dear friend ! We all NEED a post from you, we MISS you !
My left fingers are blocked on "Quilting Daze" in my favourite list, and I keep checking, and checking.... I bet I'm not the only one, for sure !
BIG, BIG ((HUGS)) & smiles to you !
NADINE
Hi Darlene - yes, once again I'm reading backwards and trying to catch up. I've not yet read your rant, but am horrified to read this post. I can't imagine who could possibly have criticized you for blogging - someone with no brains in their head, obviously. Blogging is so rewarding in so many ways. It's just the modern way of keeping a journal - something women have been doing from the dawn of time. Not only are there all the great reasons for journaling - blogging is also a marvelous way to reach out and connect with like-minded women all over the worlds. Just thumb your nose at those people and tell them you are sorry they don't have such a wonderful thing in their lives.
As to your stash - do these same people criticize others who collect other things? Stamps, dolls, pottery, figurines, or anything else? Or the sports crazed fanatics that have caused our whole value system to be so screwed up that professional athletes earn hundreds of times more money that the teachers who shape the future leaders of our country? Your stash is (1) not fattening (2) not harmful (3) beautiful to look at and touch (4) fills you with joy and (5) too numerous other things for me to mention. Pay them absolutely no mind - what you do is your own business and absolutely no one else's.
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