Lately I've been feeling very uninspired. If I'm being honest, it might be a bit of burnout. From big projects like my Domestika course to my book to taking my small business full time, I've been going full steam a head. I've been working more than I did when I had my day job and have packed my calendar into the new year (yes, I'm that crazy lady who has plans through next June).
But in the last few weeks it's felt like too much. I'm realizing that I need to also find time for balance and rest. Physical and mental rest. Time to work on projects that don't have a deadline or a specific goal. Projects that allow me to just be creative and play.
So in this last week, I pushed some things off my calendar and spent two and a half days sewing. I wasn't finding joy in my current embroidery project but still wanted to play with fabric and thread. My sewing machine had been gathering dust in a corner and I figured now was as good a time as any to pull it out and just have fun.
I started by picking out a handful of fabrics and cut them into random shapes. (quilting friends, don't come for me. I hate measuring) Then I sewed my fabrics together, crazy quilt style. And for two days, that's all I did. I sewed block after block of crazy quilt rectangles. By the end of those two days I felt rejuvenated and relaxed.
And of course, because I'm me, I then turned those crazy quilt rectangles into new needle books. Even though my quilt squares became a product, I didn't start with that in mind and I think that's what allowed me the freedom to explore and play.
So if you're feeling like you're in a creative rut, I encourage you to make time to work on a project that's just for fun. Enjoy the process. In the end it might turn into something or not. What matters is the time spent exploring and not the end result.
And if you want to check out my needle books, you can shop them here.
Happy stitching! -Melissa
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