Perusing the possibilities

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The beginnings of a Myrtle block from Jodi Godfrey's Seedlings Quilt book.

Probably two months ago I cut fabrics for an EPP block, the prints from Karen Nyberg's gorgeous Earth Views collection. Those cuts and their coordinating paper pieces sat in a sandwich bag, along with a nearly finished bobbin of thread for basting, all tucked away in my hexie box, what I call my portable sewing makeshift Tupperware. I'd forgotten all about them until recently, then made that my focus when we went traveling last weekend. Upon reflection however, I need to alter the initial design, outer colours too similar to the blue squares seen above.

Similarly I'm having a little trouble deciding what to write next, which isn't an altogether bad situation. But too many choices, and a current WIP to revise, kept me from going back to sleep at 3.49 AM today. Okay.... I will note that by getting up early I enjoyed seeing some bright stars that really are planets in the not too cloudy sky, while everyone in my household slumbers peacefully. We have guests this week, longtime friends that are making their way home, stopping by our house for a few lovely days of renewing bonds that are kept taut via emails, etc. After they leave, however, I need to figure out what I'm gonna write (and sew) next....

Part of my trouble is what I'd REALLY like to explore is yet another long-ish notion, and I am slightly apprehensive about committing that much time and energy into something so encompassing. I don't have those sorts of qualms when considering  a paper-pieced quilt, probably because a quilt can live in a tote, casually set aside from my day-to-day. I have a few EPP projects safely snoozing in plastic containers not at all preying on my mind. Novels are far different, even if they too are stored away in a hard drive; once I start writing a book, I don't stop until it is done.

And lately, as in the last nine years, writing long stories has been my milieu. Which means pondering a lengthy investment not merely in the writing time, but the intrigue upon which such a saga demands. One idea has been pestering me for over a decade, but if I haven't felt compelled to write that story by now, will I ever get to it? Another plot beckons, and again it poked me hard this morning while I gazed at those amazing stars, wondering if Saturn was among them. I'm no astronomer, but what a thrill to view larger than usual stars, aware they are so bright because they are planets! We aren't alone in this galaxy, in that Earth is but one of several globes, why I found Karen Nyberg's fabrics so special, although I really need to cut more squares to finish up that block.

But choosing appropriate prints is far easier than picking one novel idea, or maybe I need to just cool my authorial jets and let that book come to me. The Hawk emerged from a dream, digging itself under my skin to the point I had to sit at the computer and.... And the next five years of my life was dedicated to that collection of fabulous folks, but five years is A LONG TIME. However, where I am now in my life, five years is like living at light speed, so.... So maybe what I really need to do is cut those fabrics, rearrange that block, finish what I'm currently faffing with (AHEM....), then think about the next writing shiny. Despite how much I like having an agenda (or three), it's probably best to let my subconscious guide the story endeavors. And if I'm led toward a behemoth of an idea, that's better than not writing at all.

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