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The Struggle with Creativity and Quilting

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Re-reading my post from a couple days ago A Return to Central Oregon and my statement:

“Central Oregon is where I got to be in my first quilt show – the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in 2007; and it is where my transition from traditional quilting to experimenting with art/improvisational quilt began.”

made me think about how much my art quilting journey has stalled over the past 7 years. Back in 2019, when I had my first solo show it looks like a very promising journey. Now at times it feels like that journey has ended.

I was able to create my Langston Hughes, Pioneer Poet quilt for a Women of Color Quilting Network (WCQN) show in 2021; and my upcycled denim and home decor fabric quilt What Direction Do I Go? in 2023 (which was rejected from a show I entered).

But that’s been it except for some playing with home decor and clothing scraps a little recently:

It feels like the improvisational and creative magic is gone in relation to “art” quilting.

I remember a time when I wasn’t interested in using quilt patterns, I just wanted to create original pieces.

Currently I primarily crave working from patterns and having direction. However even with using patterns I am not making as many quilts or other sewn projects (like when I was making a lot of bags and other non quilt projects).

I’ve been thinking about this and I just know it has to do with grief and how creativity, quilting and the fabric involved as so much a part of my prior life.

I definitely miss being around the amazing and inspirational art quilting community of Central Oregon.

I definitely miss my life long partner/best friend who was also a quilter (Remembering Terry the Quilting Husband (TTQH)) and all the fun fabric shopping related adventures we used to have. Terry loved dog themed fabric and every time I look at the amazing collection of dog themed fabric in my stash my heart hurts.

Every time I look at my fabric stash I struggle as so much of it is connected to old wonderful memories (and I realize how lucky I am to have had those experiences). Although I’ve paired down my fabric stash, getting rid of fabric that triggers memories is not a solution for me.

Joining local art quilting groups has not been a solution for me either.

I am working on figuring it out and seeing if I can find the passion I once had again. A couple years I even considering completely giving up quilting and just keeping my other crafts. But I know I still have a quilting and perhaps an “art quilting” journey still inside of me.

Thanks for reading my musings, sometimes it just helps to write about these things.

The featured image on this post is from a screen shot of the book Creative Struggle by Gavin Aung Than

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Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

14 thoughts on “The Struggle with Creativity and Quilting”

  2. The Langston Hughes quilt is one of my favorite pieces. Why was your denim quilt reject? (I would like to have a word with the committee chair).
    Give yourself grace, my friend. You will find your way back but it has to happen organically. Have you thought of doing a tribute quilt to Terry using all of those sentimental fabrics?

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    1. Thanks so much and I am not sure why the denim quilt was rejected but it was not what they were looking for in that quilt show. I did finish up Terry’s last quilt that he had in progress before he passed and that nearly killed me emotionally. I gifted it to his eldest brother. I think I am going to make some fun things like drawstring bags and tote bags out of the the dog fabric as well as some potholders etc. I think making functional things with them will be healing. 🙂

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  3. Not claiming to be any kind of expert and my creativity comes and goes in waves. 10 years ago I would never have looked at a kit but with covid and a bad work situation I needed to get out of, my stress levels went through the roof and kits kept me connected to quilting and to making things with my hands (which seems psychologically important for humans for some reason). For me creativity is about having something to say – about the world, about what you’re feeling – and the means to express it. It hasn’t stopped because you stopped quilting. Your creativity is in your blog, in your house, in your garden. But… If you really want to get back into art quilting again, perhaps set your self some challenges with some constraints. For example a series of A4 pieces, with the promise that no one has to see them but you. Or set a theme like using quilting to explore grief or politics or a flower you like.

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  4. Something to consider as you work through your creative struggle, is that the world has changed a lot, and not for the better, duing the same period you lost Terry. You’ve endured a profound loss of your partner, your home, your community, and a place that you loved. Covid came for a visit, the orange guy was reelected, and the world is at war. All of these things weigh us down, distracting from the creative process.

    I think working from a pattern or a quilt is freeing, in that you get to work with your hands, see the parts become a whole, and relax into the process.

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I appreciate your thoughts!