At a loss of what to work on? Stumped on a step or do you just feel uninspired to create?
Here are some ways I have regained my sewjo:
Work Smaller
Quick finishes are key. They make you feel so accomplished with the bare minimum time commitment. This should take you an afternoon or a "Saturday" morning start with an afternoon finish. Project ideas: keychains, simple bags, organizer tote, placemats
Work Simpler
Not every quilt needs thousands of pieces! It took me awhile to think of a quilt that was less pieces than my typical log cabin, but there is no sacrifice in beauty of the make. Think bigger pieces and more negative space. Playing with colour and taking a more improv approach to my quilting has really inspired me to create. More creative thinking involved yes, but less repetitive (sometimes boring) piecing.
Dabble in other creative mediums
Do you have another creative hobby or interest? It can be so inspiring to play with colour in a new medium and spark ideas for your craft. I have gone back to knitting to make garments for myself and have found it to be inspiring to my quilting as I am seeing different colour combinations and love seeing indie dyed yarns at my local yarn shops. This is the best colour inspiration for my next ideas. Usually this shows me a new perspective on colours I typically don't gear towards.
Get Inspired!
Attend Lectures; guilds host lectures that you can pay a small fee as a guest. Local quilt shops host lectures of local or out of town quilters who are promoting their new fabric lines or patterns. This is great to meet fellow quilters and designers, it can spark that sewjo you have been looking for.
Gallery visits; galleries host all types of art mediums. It is so lovely to walk around and look at art. Galleries host different exhibits and will change up what they are displaying throughout the year.
Studio tour with a friend; seeing someone else's studio can even spark the creative flow. I love seeing what other people are working on and being able to ask them about their process.
Workshops; learn a new skill! Or take it back to the basics. Having a new skill under your belt is beneficial to gain confidence in yourself.
Refresh Your Space/Tools
I love reorganizing my fabrics and seeing the options I have with the fabrics that I keep in the studio. Organizing my works in progress is great to see my previous progress. I am guilty for finding an almost complete project that took a hour to finish up. Once I finish organizing or cleaning my studio I try to get at least one more step done one a WIP that is in my closet. I have even just sat with those quick finish WIPs to get a project out of my studio.
Take a Break
A break of creative making, you might be experiencing burnout if you have pushed too hard trying to make your made up deadlines. Take a social media break! Scrolling can be great inspiration, but it can also make us think that we are not enough. Please remember there is always space for you. Keep in mind a lot of folks on social media are promoting their fabrics and patterns, as a hobby quilter do not feel the need to keep up with the trends of the month. Trends change faster than your taste. Create for yourself and your taste, forget the rest.