How do you know when it is time to let go?
Every project starts with the idea and the excitement to start something new.
Gathering the tools, you’ll need. Researching and fuelling the inspiration you have. Starting the process, completing the first steps. Seeing the first progress followed by fulfilment.
You proceed, everything seems to go fine, even good. Any obstacles will be overcome.
If only we could conserve that initial enthusiasm in a jar for later!
Weeks ago, I started a silk quilting project.
I cut apart five silk shirts, that I had collected in second hand shops over the past year. To then fit them back together into squares by applying what we call “quilting” technique. Those squares should eventually be put together into two big squares. Which then would form a dress.
A long summer dress to run around in birch forests, river benches or sand dunes.
But even though that sounds tempting and very romantic to me, it wasn’t the reason to start the project.
At the time I was looking for a meditative repetitive occupation, where I could let my hands work while my thoughts could wander around wherever they want to.
An occupation that would be so ridiculously long, that I would have to focus only on the process and not on the result.
This is how my choice fell on quilting. Which does take forever, especially if you are a total beginner as I am.
There I went, listening to Audiobooks, Music and my Thoughts, repeating the same pattern over and over again, in an endless loop.
Cutting.
Assembling.
Pinning.
Sewing.
Ironing.
And sewing again.
The first ten times of repeating the pattern were just to get into the movements. The next fifty times for getting into a flow. Eighty times and I am completely immersed. After the hundredths time I am getting slower. I begin to wonder why I cut fabric into squares, just to sew them back together in a slightly different way. I keep going until boredom paired with impatience starts to creep into my thoughts and changes the vibe. Getting frustrated or neglecting the project, followed by feeling guilty and picking it back up. Short moments where I get the flow back.
My initial calmness was gone.
My need changed.
The more I was sewing, the longer I was imagining myself wearing this dress. Setting up scenes and places where I would take photos of it.
I wanted to walk through the forest, maybe take photos, wander around. Why am I stuck in front of my sewing machine?
It was ridiculous to hurry myself. It is impossible to finish a project that takes a thousand hours in three days. For that was how much I had left before moving my atelier back on the road. (more about that later…🙃)
Because I had already set up another project, that would take me a thousand hours, consuming all my thoughts and time.
How could I complete two such occupations at the same time?
At that stage the question wasn’t whether to abandon the silk-quilting project or not.
It was about focusing on one thing instead of many. And for that I had to wave goodbye to the silk-dress-dream.
I still finished a few silk squares, more than I ever though I would.
And I still ran through the birch forest. Shy green sprouts covering the crowns of the trees, a blooming forest. Rust red fern, reminding of last year’s autumn.
Waving goodbye to a train that was long gone. With a beautiful silk square, flowing in the wind as if it was always meant to do so.
Thank you all for stopping by and see you around soon, have a wonderful week!
(All photos and words are mine, taken and written by me)
Quilting was an interesting idea to create a fabric and I understand the motivation to create a repetitive process, and also that things change. I have two large silk shirts that I thrifted last year, I am thinking of using Boro to create something else.
But what of this other thing ... the atelier on the road 😍
I was thinking about Boro as well or even wanted to add it to the quilting!! Beautiful technique!
Haha the atelier on the road, yes, yes I still have to see how this one works out😊 ...if I could I would probably literally toe an atelier on wheels😅
I feel sad to see you wave good-bye to this silk dress. I read your other post when it first went up and was waiting to see where you'd go with this. Did you pack it up and put it away for maybe later or is it a complete good-bye?
I'm curious as to what the other project you mention is that will also take so many hours.
You've reminded me of many unfinished things (due to the many hours and competing projects) I have let go of like this. I can't wave good-bye right away, it takes time, sometimes years, because I tell myself maybe I'll get to it, finish it. Sometimes that happens, but most of the time not.
I am going to pick it up later for sure! But I left my sewing machine for a while, so I was just a bit too much in a rush to finish it now...
But yes it is always hard to leave things to the side, when you where super excited about them at the beginning! I guess thats what happens when you have too many ideas?
(the box of maybes is probably never going to be empty)
It's better not to rush finishing.
Yes, that's exactly what happens...things get left to the side. It's just part of the way it goes and yes, the box of maybes is never going to be empty, as you say, 😂. I know mine never is.
Maybe you should be able to exchange boxes of maybes, I imagine it would be more exciting to finish someone else's maybes than your own ones...:)
Oh wow, that'd be sooo much fun, that kind of exhcange. Totally great idea to finish someone else's maybes. I'd try that out.
We should try one day, when I am back with my sewing machine and all the maybes...?!:)
Hahaha, I'd love that, even just the thought is fun. Yes...all the maybes...😂. I'm working on wool leggings (old sweaters), so those are being taken from maybe to reality.
Never enough projects! 😂
Just don't burn out, or you would be big forest trouble. :p
(patiently waiting for the end)
might wait for a long time 😬🙃
...but the projects are never ending!!
...waiting is mine second name, lol. 😂
Great job friend, you always share detailed articles, thank you so much.
Thank you, for stopping by:)
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