Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Creative Impulse

Lately, I've been working full-tilt on a number of quilts. I have a lot of friends expecting babies soon, so I have four baby quilt tops made, and a fifth to be done as well. I've also been working piecemeal on a few other full-size quilts. 

I've noticed something interesting when I'm quilting. I can be tired, cranky, and even have a headache... and when I start being creative, all of that goes away. I am actually energized by doing it! I get in a sort of Zen state, especially when I'm hand-quilting. It opens up my mind to new possibilities, and I get a deep satisfaction from having created something beautiful.

I'm not much of an artist. I played violin for 10 years, but no longer play (though I do miss playing in a group, it's an amazing experience). I took fine-art photographs for a while (and would like to get back into it). When I decided to try quilting, I found something I could do well and thoroughly enjoyed--an outlet for my creative voice. 

Many people feel a deep-seated urge to create. How do you express this? How do you feel when you are creating? What do you like to create?

2 comments:

Hope Evey said...

I find I feel better about knitting or crocheting than sewing. I don't know why that it. I enjoy them all, but sewing is more likely to feel like a chore I do to get the end result. Which seems weird to me.

Coach Laura said...

I find that sewing is a tad confusing. I can follow a pattern, when I'm in a class and have someone correcting me. Quilting is a little looser. Once you know the forms and technique, you can focus on the artistry of it, and the Zen nature of certain aspects!