So now I'm back..nothing scheduled for the afternoon. Good thing. My arms are achy and feel heavy....I'm not sure I can run the quilting machine with any dexterity at the moment! I thought I'd give it a few hours rest and then quilt this evening.
So here I am thinking that some putzing around the quilting room is in order. For one thing, I have not found a good way to store pantograph patterns where I didn't have to go SEARCHING for the one I want. Right now I'm using stackable shoe organizer cubicles. But I still have to pull them out and find the one I want...tho there are two units stacked here, I suppose I could use one more.....it would organize better. So....trying to remember where I got these! TARGET?! Maybe I'll go to target today and see what they've got, but then maybe it was home depot?
I'd love to know how other machine quilters store their pantograph rolls. Really...I need HELP in this department!
I continue the desire to want to make scraps usable, downsize, streamline, produce scrappy quilts without great expense and have fun with it. I want more time to finish my own projects instead of piling up the unquilted tops, but I'm having a hard time figuring out just HOW to do it! There are so many things I want to participate in. Like the 365 block challenge on the heartstrings quilt project list. Big bin of strings here...plenty of desire, but my time has had to be spent elsewhere remaking quilts for lectures and workshops.
I know you are all shaking your heads at me thinking "When is she going to realize that something has to give!?" I think I am at that point. If the workshops/trunkshows keep filling in, (I'm doing some booking into 2009!) that is going to leave less time for quilting other people's quilts. Facts is facts! And I hate to do that because I love to quilt other people's quilts. I feel like I'll be letting people down if I don't quilt their quilts..but SOMETHING is going to have to give. October is my 12th year anniversary of being a longarm quilter. TWELVE years! That is a huge milestone. I'm not going to stop quilting for others, I'm just going to have to spread it out a bit so I don't spread myself too thin.
Maybe I should just forget about going to Target for the shoe organizer thingies...and just take a NAP!
Bonnie
6 comments:
Hi Bonnie,
I am often awed in how much you take on and even more how much you accomplish- It is sometimes hard to figure out what we should give up in order not to be overwhelmed or over burdened. Listen to your inner self and you will find the things that are the most important you.What things in quilting give you pleasure or the most satisfaction? Perhaps there are things you wish that you had said no to but felt you couldn't or don't really enjoy. From a personal perspective, I know how hard it is to say no but you are right in saying there is a point where as one person you can not add anymore to one's plate. You will find the right balance in time.
You give so much to quilters everywhere - take care of yourself and celebrate the many gifts you give to others.
Regards from a Western Canadian quilter,
Anna
How about cutting back on the massage clients? I am not sure if that is even plausible, but just something to think about.
Good luck, it is hard to say no.
I'll be interested to see what you come up with for your pantographs. Mine are all in a big bin and I have to go through every one when I'm looking for a specific pattern.
I guess you'll just have to decide how much you enjoy doing the trunk shows and classes. You obviously needed a change the last couple years - you went to massage school and are working at that part-time but I imagine the trunk shows and classes are really fun too. Maybe once you get the quilts made that you need to do them things will slow down a bit for you.
It always seems like something has to suffer. For me, unfortunately this year it's been my walking/hiking. I miss being outside more AND my weight has climbed again too. Last year, my quilting time suffered because of my training for the 3 Day walk and the move to MN. I would like to find the right balance too!
Bonnie, your arms must be in fantastic shape!!
Your theory on cleaning something physically to help clear the emotional clutter is SO true... don't forget to breathe!
This is a really old post about storing pantographs so I don't know if you've come up with something new. But I recently saw a post somewhere else where they store their pantos in page protectors. I've made the conversion and LOVE it. I accordian fold the panto and slip it into the page protector and put those in a binder. I can sort by 'style' and flip through to find what I like. I am working with a shortarm machine, so my pantos are not very wide and fit in a standard page protector. Not sure if they have page protectors and binders for wider pantos.
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