Stitching notes

This month, Jeni tackles creative burnout, and how to boost your quilting mojo!

STITCHING NOTES How to tackle creative burnout and boost your quilting mojo!. Columnist Jeni Baker shares her tips…

We all work in different ways, with varying degrees of productivity. If quilting is tied to your livelihood like it is for me, or you are working to a deadline, then being productive can be crucial. This is going to sound a little backwards, but I have found that having multiple projects going at once can actually help my productivity. Let me explain…

If I am working on a long-term, timeconsuming project, the likelihood that I’m going to experience burnout is pretty high. Even if I’m excited about the project, and eager for the finish, working on one single project can quickly become boring. One of the ways I like to combat this is to work on multiple projects at the same time.

DISTRACT YOUR MIND

The trick is to choose the other projects with care. If my important long-term project is all paper-piecing, I am not going to choose projects with paper-piecing for my other projects. I want the other projects I choose to act as a break from my main project. This means that it is ideal for them to be completely different.

For me, this means that they are generally unrelated to quilting. I might choose a bag or garment project, or even something unrelated to sewing. I always have a list of new recipes to bake, and a long queue of knitting projects.

Working on something completely different is also a good way to escape a creative rut. When you get stuck working on a project or a problem, one of the best things you can do is to think about something else instead. It allows your mind time to think about the original problem in the background.

This is why good ideas strike while you’re doing regular everyday tasks like taking a shower or doing the dishes. Your mind gets distracted and has a chance to refresh. Next time you are stuck, find a familiar project or technique to take your mind off the issue and see what happens.

MIX THINGS UP

I also like to have a mixture of long-term and short-term projects going on at the same time. When you’re working on long-term projects, it can be difficult to feel like you are making progress. Having a few smaller projects to work on at the same time allows you to feel that sense of accomplishment and helps to motivate you to keep working. This is the biggest reason why I like to work this way.

If I really feel like I need a confidence boost, I will choose projects from my works-in-progress pile. That way, not only am I getting a good feeling from completing something, that feeling is doubled by the fact that I am finishing a project that has lingered.

If working on multiple sewing projects at the same time does not strike your fancy, I encourage you to try a new craft. Not every craft is going to be your cup of tea, but you never know! I have personally tried many different crafts including scrapbooking, bookmaking, jewelry, pottery, painting and knitting. Knitting is the only one that has stuck with me long-term and I absolutely love it!

Small doses of creativity and little successes will help keep you motivated with a big project. Jeni likes embroidery, fabric dyeing, making caramels and quick sewing projects.

Stuck on a long-term quilting project? Try a totally different craft, such as knitting, to give you a break. The distraction might just give you the creative boost you need.