Long term projects

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Tonight's creative endeavor.

In addition to my planned fictional series, there's English paper piecing. Some designs are an eager stitch while others are the kind of thrill I dive into a few times a month, like sewing together these simple Lavender Quilt blocks, then tucking them into a tote. I need to fashion over a hundred of these four-inch triangles surrounded by half-hexagons; each one takes about three and a half lengths of thread, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes of sewing per block. Usually I'm entranced by the Cornflower Quilt blocks, which are much larger and take a few evenings, but they are some awesome shinies (which I know is technically not a noun and shouldn't be made plural, oh well) and currently I have one started and three more basted, whew! The Lavender Quilt will linger far past Cornflower; I don't know why certain EPP projects are more languid than others, but some just are SLOW GOING.

Maybe I like having a project that allows for a very subdued pace. It's like I can always come back to it; the tote lives near the sofa where I stitch just about every night, as though it was here before we arrived, waiting for me to remove the lid and breathe my dreams and heart into it. Sometimes I feel that way about the writing, in that I'll eek out a chapter, but wonder why I bothered, as the prose feels clunky and disorganization. The next morning I'll read it over and ponder if revision fairies invaded my computer, transforming mediocre scenes into decent work. Or maybe I lower my expectations? LOL!

Not every English paper piecing project (EPPP) piques my interest though, a few having fallen through the cracks; will I complete my Lucy Boston honeycomb quilt? What about all those one-inch hexie flowers I stitched a few years ago, neatly stacked in a small tote and dwelling under my large work table. Those require a few (ore several) afternoons of machine applique, and truthfully so do the Lucy Boston blocks, as I'm not going to baste, then sew all the necessary joining blocks. And let's not even mention EPP kits I've chosen but have yet to employ, oh my goodness. I NEVER AGAIN NEED TO BUY PAPER SHAPES, let me announce firmly. I have more than I'll ever use, just like I have heaps of DMC embroidery floss and yeah, plenty of fabric. Much like I have more novel plots than I could ever write, not enough time or energy for all the crafting thrills and spills.

If any of the grandkids need a hobby that has to do with needles, thread, etc, I can totally hook them up! However work done with one's hands requires a tenacious love for slow completions and much patience. Recently my eldest daughter crocheted a large afghan for friends, so yeah, some of these pastimes are being handed down. They might not be gripped as tightly as I cling to my methods of a maker's joy, but it was awesome to hear from her about yarn and so forth. Perhaps the EPP kits will be gifted to future generations, or maybe once I finish the Cornflower quilt I'll set my sights on another marvelous design that struck a chord previously. And maybe one of these days I'll finish the Lucy Boston blocks then cut some large squares in solid hues, then center the blocks on the squares and turn all those hand stitches into a viable quilt top. 

Basted papers to complete this block are in my traveling hexie box. I really need to bring those pieces to where this block waits.

Maybe, one of these days. Long term projects require the right mood from the maker and the perfect moment from the muse. Kind of like planets aligning and novels reaching The End. 

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