Creativity and Clutter

My sewing space is a mess right now, as it often is when I'm working on several projects at once. The mess drives me nuts and puts me into a kind of  creative rut where nothing gets done. My excuse is that the space is too small, but I know that's really not an excuse. It used to be fine. 

Full disclosure:  the pictures you see here are NOT ones of all the clutter. That would be stupid. Here's one of my uncluttered sewing table from a year ago. Clean and organized. Haha, I can't even show you what it looks like today.

Clutter can be a huge visual distraction and makes it difficult for me to create. It becomes worse when I try to ignore it. Some of you who've been following me for years know that I always seem to struggle with this. Over and over. On the one hand, I would really like to be able to create in a messy space but it gets too overwhelming. I know that a clean desk or sewing area definitely helps me be more productive. I don't know why it's so hard to remember this, LOL. When I organize my fabrics and clean the surfaces before I begin a new project, everything always flows a little better. 

Clutter  =  non-productivity for me

I need to get back to where I can actually lay out some blocks on a table . . . .

I've been trying to finish up my Dear Jane corner blocks (one and 1/2 left to go) but the book, patterns, applique supplies and fabrics have been sitting out on my cutting table for a couple of weeks now, cluttering everything up.  I got stuck on one of those blocks and became really frustrated. The applique looked sloppy and I was afraid I might have to do it over. If I kept it as is I knew it would always bother me. The room was so messy I didn't even want to go in there and deal with that and then face the applique problem. I'm also working on two other quilts and there's fabric strewn over every surface (and maybe the floor too?? I'm not telling.)

One day last week, however, I bit the bullet and spent less than an hour doing a light cleanup and some organizing. I tackled the cutting table first. Boy, did that help clear my head! I immediately felt like a dark cloud had lifted. The rest of the room needs a lot more work but that hour actually helped a lot. Taking the next step will be a little easier now. Best of all, I was able to go back and finish the DJ block to my satisfaction. AND I found the scissors I'd been looking for for months. Being able to know where everything is makes it easier, that's for sure. 

Look -  I can actually see the table again!

So here's a question for you - How do you create? 

Does being creative = being messy? 
 

For some quilters, the mess is necessary for the creative flow. It's as if disturbing the flow stops the inspiration. I get that. For me, though, there has to be SOME kind of order or nothing gets done. There are many ways to organize and each one of us has to find a method that works I guess. If anyone asks, I'm going to say - experiment and see if cleaning up your space even a tiny bit (15 minutes?) pulls you out of a quilting rut if you're in one. I know it helped me. I've now decided that I will try to spend at least 15 minutes once a week to see if I can make more of a dent in that room. Breaking it down into smaller steps the way I make my quilts -  pick fabrics one day, cut pieces the next, make a few blocks the next, etc. until it falls together. It's much too overwhelming if I try to do everything at once. My cutting table is now clean and some of the assorted fabrics and supplies put away. The sewing table is next. Full of junk, patterns and projects started and half finished. Oh well, can't do everything . . . but at least I can try to make a bigger dent next week. 

I bought some pretty baskets at Target to store fabrics. Now that I got some of that folding and organizing out of the way, I can breathe a little easier and feel like I can be creative again. Best of all, I finished that pesky Dear Jane corner block that was giving me so much anguish . . . . One more to go. Oh my gosh, so many TINY pieces! But I'll bite the bullet again and get that one out of the way so I can start sewing them to the triangles and rest of the blocks.  

I really love the lighter pink block in the center. The applique on that one was easy and went very well. It was the applique on the block on the left that made me crazy with so many wonky star points. It finally occurred to me that I could paper piece the star on top and now I think it looks much better. Whew. I'll admit, I do get a little perfectionistic working on this quilt. Maybe why it's taken me so long . . . .

After my head cleared from getting that block out of the way and then organizing some fabrics, I found this older blue fabric and decided to use it to make a new little needle case since I keep misplacing my applique needles. This one will be just for my applique needles, if I can remember to put them away after I finish sewing. 

This is a smaller version (with one pocket) of my needle case or "huswife" from my older book Remembering Adelia. It sews up pretty quickly and I think the ribbon closure really gives it a sweet look.  If you don't have that book (out of print now) you can sometimes find it used on amazon.com or purchase an e-book from my publisher, Martingale. Or, if anyone is just interested in a pattern for this specific one, send me an e-mail and let me know. Maybe I'll make up a new pattern. Have a good weekend!