The wedding quilt is finished. It has only taken 6 years, but it is finished. Can you tell I have trouble sticking with just one project? I know I can do monogamy, but I find the crafty kind so very hard.

When I picked up the quilt again in February I made a commitment to finish it before I tackle anything else. It turned out to be a gruelling two months. Beautiful fabrics were singing their siren songs to me – something along the lines of “Leave that quilt alone. Come and stitch with me instead. You know I love you more. I promise I won’t make you pin me, stipple me, bind me.” It was hard, but this time I resisted.


In my moments of justification, I think of my usual strategy as long term multitasking. When the muses leave me and my project, I simply switch to another. The inner justification telling me that I will return when that particular inspiration strikes again. I still manage to act surprised when I look around my sewing space and see so many unfinished projects.

I have friends who sew like me, with many projects in the works. While we are only ever working on projects we want to work on, the pile of unfinished works does not ever appear to diminish. Projects grind to a halt when we get to steps we don’t like or if gradually we have had enough of the fabrics we’ve chosen.

At the same time, I know others who feel quite out of control if they are working on more than one project. They diligently work on each quilt, start to finish, before starting another one. Perhaps they can see they are at the top of the slippery slope of becoming like everyone else.

I’d love to make a resolution to change. Resolutions rarely stick so instead I will just acknowledge that there are other ways to get things done. It is immensely satisfying to see something finished. I will just need to remind myself this next time those beautiful fabrics start calling my name.