I just read this on Burdastyle.com in an interview with Susan Wasinger:
Every crafter encounters a sort of writer’s block – or crafting block, if you will – how do you continue to get inspired and work through those blocks?
For me this is when my head gets in the way of my hands. If I have spent too long imagining or envisioning something and have gotten all invested in it turning out some specific way. Sometimes, that rigid idea makes me hesitant to put my fingers to fabric, as though the reality will break the spell I have woven in my head. It is almost an apprehension. I find that making the first cut with the scissors can sometimes break that impasse, as can taking that first stitch. Especially if you hold those first stitches lightly, and imagine you can take them out if you don’t like where they are going. Starting off with a sense of play and adventure seems to get around those blocks. Get your hands involved early, even before your head has a chance to decide exactly what it wants. That seems to help release the tension that gets in the way of us diving in and swimming in a sea of creative juices.
I have to say that this really resonated with me. I often (always) get stuck procrastinating even starting a project (this blog, for instance) because I don't want to mess up and I only want to do it once. Can you say anal retentive perfectionist?? What should be fun, ends up being a major stressor. When the projects pile up, it becomes debilitating. It just goes to show that my new motto "less thinking, more screaming", coined on our last ski trip (thank you Amanda), once again wins out. Does anyone else have trouble psyching themselves out? What do you do to overcome it?
New topic: Is anyone else out there pissed because Old Navy discontinued their line of underwear? The hipsters were/are quite possibly perfect. Future project: copy panties using sports mesh I got from my mother in law. It's been on the books for a while, but I've got so many other projects on the go, it's fallen by the wayside.
That's all for now.
UPDATE: Just found underwear on the Gap website. Since Old Navy and Gap are sister companies. I can only conclude that Gap's underwear is the same as Old Navy's. Whew!
ReplyDeleteI often procrastinate about starting a project or returning to it after stopping. I completely agree about not wanting to mess up what I have imagined. Once I get going again I am happy to be sewing. Another thing that makes me procrastinate is to know that I will have to do something else soon. For example, if I have to make dinner in 30 minutes or so, I won't start because I don't like to be interrupted
ReplyDeleteI've got a bathing suit that is about 20% started that I got into with tonnes of enthusiasm and just stopped. Mostly because I'm unfamiliar with the mediums (elastic, swim knit etc.). I'll get it done eventually though!
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