Journey of Quilting

Quilting Without Obligation

I finished this quilt top last weekend. I had great intentions to baste it and quilt it this week but life happened...
I need to write this... for me. If you happen to agree, that's great! If you don't, well that's great too!

Quilting is a fabulous hobby. It is one that can be all consuming too. If you let it. Blog-land is a wonderful place for quilters because there is so much inspiration, encouragement, camaraderie, and talent. But there is also a flip-side and it's not so pretty or inspiring. Jealousy, competitiveness, one-upmanship, and even the occasional case of a copycat among quilters make for some interesting drama {and hurt feelings too}.

I am a wife, a mother, a friend, an employee, and a trusted advisor first. I would love to unveil a new finished quilt or pattern every other day but that's not possible for me. And that's OK for me because I have other obligations first.

My favorite blogs are still those that have a handmade feel to them. They aren't covered in sponsors but rather they have pictures of "here's what I'm working on". They are friendly, honest, helpful and interactive beyond their sponsored giveaways. And please know, I'm not knocking the bloggers that are big and have sponsors because that really is awesome to be recognized commercially.

So for me, I quilt because I love it, not because I'm in a race to finish. Because really, what fun is it to race through a project just to have a "finish"? I love to quilt because I'm making something with my hands for someone else that will be used and cherished. I also love to quilt because there are just so many beautiful fabrics out there to work with! It can be easy to get frustrated and discouraged if you can't keep up with the pros but maybe it will help to remember why you quilt in the first place...

So, why do you love to quilt?