Quilt Therapy

Making order from chaos is quite therapeutic. Cutting also helps.

Last night I needed to quilt. With all the needless drama I needed a distraction. As I stared at the Jelly Roll of Sandy Gervais’s Mix & Mingle from Moda that has been begging to be used now for a year and a half, I decided it was time to delve into those strips and start working on the blocks for the Fall Quilt. I couldn’t tell you how long I simply looked at those rows upon rows of colorful fabrics before I finally had the courage to get out the ruler and rotary scissors and start making my cuts for the courthouse steps blocks, but I do know if felt amazing after letting go of my fears and cutting.

To keep the blocks in order, I figured I’d simply sew each one individually rather than chain stitching. While I know this process takes longer, it also meant that I’d have a finished block and feel that sense of accomplishment sooner rather than later. It worked. After the first one I wanted more, and so after making a fantastic pot of chicken and dumplings for dinner, I began work on another and then another after that. I probably could’ve gotten more pumped out, but I was also pressing as I was going to keep everything in line. Pressing also made it so the fabrics were flat as I was sewing and so I didn’t even need to pin. If you know my record for sewing straight lines that is a pretty awesome accomplishment.

I’m not sure what tonight may hold, whether or not I’ll continue my quilt therapy session. But I do know it was helpful.