Happy Quilting

The other day my husband brought me a sock with a hole in it and asked me to darn it. My reaction? “I don’t darn socks! Throw it away and buy some new ones. It’s just a sock, for crying out loud.” But you gotta understand, my husband has a reputation for being a penny pincher. Some would say “thrifty”. Others would say “CHEAP”.

 My point is that some things just aren’t worth repairing or trying to salvage. Have you ever botched up a quilt or a quilt block so badly, you found yourself using your stitch ripper more than your sewing machine? And you kept thinking, “I’ll get this right yet!” I’ve been there.

 But I’ve also been to the point where I just quietly wad up my mess and throw it away. The guilt feelings I have last just a few minutes, and them I’m happily free to move forward and start over. Out of sight, out of mind. Let it go. Goofs happen. Move on.

 So give yourself permission to make mistakes now and then with your sewing. It’s not the end of the world and we’ve all been there. Along the way, remember to be kind to yourself and find enjoyment in what you’re doing. If you’re at a point of disappointment, frustration and despair, the fun is gone and you need to find a new path.

 It’s kinda like socks with holes. They’re just not worth the bother of darning. That was what our mothers and grandmothers did, but I’m guessing not too many of you, and maybe NONE of you, would get out the darning egg and go to town. (What’s a darning egg? Who even has one?)

 So Happy Quilting. And I truly mean, keep your quilting time a happy time. If the happiness goes away, it’s time to turn a corner, let the bad stuff disappear, and do what brings you joy.Just a side note. My husband later showed me his mended sock. He actually put it around a wooden ball from a game, and in his own style made that hole disappear. Like I said, he’s thrifty. Also pretty “darn” resourceful.

 Happy Quilting . . . and I mean it.
Kathy Neary, President 

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