Inspiration Needed

[Heather]

Hello all,

I am stymied. I need inspiration. I have several projects still unfinished and a plethora of ones that are still in the planning, but I don't want to do anything. Nothing calls to me. Nothing makes me want to pick up a needle. Nothing iinspires' me.

Any suggestions for getting my 'groove' back.

Thanks,
Heather

[worksofhands]

I know how this feels like. I am sure there are other serious matters happening around you other than lack of inspiration. Looking back now, I believe my experience was more of a rest. Before the stitching pauses, I usually had intensive stitching hours which I really enjoyed. I guess my eyes, my fingers and my brain needed a break too.

when I was studying music, my piano teacher told me one of the greatest lesson I have learned in music: The rests are as important as the notes.
Imagine how tired our ears would be if a song doesn´t have pauses nor an end, or a coda. The rests in music contributes to the beauty of the song.

The negative spaces around the object is part of the beauty of an artwork.

Enjoy your break while it lasts. :)
Vincent

[Liz in Kansas]

That is such good advice! I find I can get caught up in worrying about the next project (or lack of) and forget that the rest is important as well. Thank you for the reminder. You said it quite well!

[Judy B]

I remember the same music lesson!

And yes, it is true in the rest of our lives. A rest, or at very least a change, from any activity brings new enthusiasm when we get back to that activity.

Sometimes all we need is a coffee break, sometimes a year off! Sometimes all we need is a change to a different project, sometimes we need to put down the needle and go gardening, read a book, or play with the kids.

[Elizabeth Braun]

I like this musical reasoning, Vince! Very nice.=)

[Barbara Lockwood]

Eat chocolate!!!!

Read a quilt magazine.

When I get stuck in a rut I drag out one of my many UFOs...which I did this morning. Rainy skies made me gloomy, but I determined to finish that baby quilt for charity I started 2 yrs ago - AND I DID ! !!!!! Yay! Next project - a deadline of tomorrow for an exchange...finished it too! Still gloomy out, but I'm leaving the computer soon to start a new project - got inspired at a quilt show this weekend - 800 quilts on display at PIQF here in California.

[Elizabeth Cameron]

I find it's often 'guilt' that chokes my inspiration. What I do is work out what is the most important and then work on each for a day, progress may be slow, but at least 5/7 projects are making some progress! Usually this leads to new ideas.

[Elizabeth Braun]

So Heather, did you get back into it and, if so, how's it going?

I sometimes wonder if I only stitch, (or nearly only stitch) so as to have something to keep the blog readers coming back! Not a good reason for making the effort. I guess I'm just very tired and needing a break from all manner of things at the mo, but I don't feel much like stitching these days, so I guess I'll finish the 2 things I've got on the go at the mo and then do something else for a little while. I expect the passion will come back when it's good and ready and I feel more like paper based art and even renting a viola and starting to play again more than I do stitching.

Sigh!

[Peggy Kimble]

I don't know if it would help  -  try TAST  -  Take a Stitch on Tuesday  -  Look into Pin Tangle  -  Sharon gives the name of a stitch every Tuesday  -  gets fingers into use, even if only a line of the stitch given  -  from there sometimes ideas come and it is as small or a bit bigger as your mind and fingers work  -  many pictures of the same stitch on Stitchin Fingers  -  some samplers and some remarkable  -  no pressure to do anything  -  may get your fingers and mind in gear and then onwards.  If not, a little enjoyment to look forward to every Tuesday that may take you out of the doldrums  -  worth a try  -  something to share if nothing else.  This week - wheatear  -  can make a few little rabbits  !!!!!!

[Nicola Thomson]

Ditto!! After a hectic 6 months getting ready for my exhibition I am wallowing around a bit too  BUT have given myself the task of idea doodling in my work book.......playing with colours etc and, after 3 days, have several good possibilities.

I personally am very disciplined and only ever have 2 projects on the go  - one to do in the study(where its freezing now) and one to do in the evening in the warm watching ( listening??) to the tv.

The half finished ones..well choose one by one and finish them or put them away in a drawer so you cant see them!! It is very easy to gt overwhelmed and so befuddled that we cant focus.

Hope this helps

[Elaine Wilding]

Hi Heather. I too am in one of those places right now also.  I do alot of different things and always have any number of things I could be doing.  So for now I am just going to go outside and draw. Sometimes drawing relaxes me and then the next day a will be excited about the thing I drew and will be  ready to pick up that needle and thread. I also look at old stitch mag. to find some inspiration. And looking at others work on here helps also. 

[Barbara/Hopscotch]

I agree entirely,  you will benefit in the long run. 

Barbara

[Nicola Thomson]

I find doing something physical gets the endorphins going and I can think create, sweep the path, vacuum the house(I can see your eyes rolling  lol) or weed the garden.