I’m the king of putting things off.

I buy kits, but I don’t make them. I buy fabric, but I don’t cut it. I buy rulers I don’t use and notions I don’t open. A few years ago I bought a brand-new, top-of-the-line longarm and have yet to use it (well, other than for a bookcase, that is). I mean, why quilt today when there is always tomorrow? Oh yeah, I’m an “I’ll do it tomorrow” person if ever there was one. Then, tomorrow comes and goes and — you guessed it — no quilting.

So what is it that makes quilters like me buy stuff we’ll never use, patterns we’ll never sew and gadgets that will never see the light of day until “tomorrow?” I’ve always thought it must be some kind of an illness and, like my craving for sugar, I got it bad and that ain’t good. Well, I used to think that, but all that has changed because I officially forgive myself.

I mean, honestly, what is wrong with wanting more? Nothing, I tell you! Not one little darn thing! It’s just human nature. Look around you. It’s in the very DNA of every human being out there.

Say you live in an apartment. Next, you’ll want a bigger apartment. Then you’ll want a small house with a picket fence. Soon, you’ll want a larger house with a bigger backyard. Next step, McMansion!

Rarely, if ever, does any new office worker want to stay in an entry level position. Everybody wants to be the boss. Hell, even the boss wants to be the CEO! It’s in our cells, baby. More. More. More.

Take it from me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with visiting your local quilt shop every single day if you crave a hit of our fabric-andnotions crack-equivalent. Feel blessed that you found fat quarters before you found heroin, or you’d be in some gutter somewhere instead of carrying bolts of fantabulous fabric to the cutting table.

If you want more, buy more. And don’t be ashamed. It’s just what we quilters do. And you know what? No matter the hobby, job or position in life, everybody wants more. How do you think the Octo-Mom became an octo? She just wanted MORE!

But here’s my resolution, and it’s not to stop buying stuff. Of course I’m not going to stop shopping for quilting finds, but I am going to start using the stuff I buy.

You see, “tomorrow” never really comes because once it gets here, it’s “today” and worse, “today” becomes “yesterday” very quickly. All we have is right now. If we squander that and save our patchwork for another day, one day turns into the next and we never get anything started, let alone finished.

So, where quilting is concerned, I’m living in the now. Today is all I have. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow isn’t here yet. I’ll set a timer for 15 minutes and cut or sew or design. That gives me two and a half hours of quilting time a week, and that’s a lot better than no quilting time a week. And with a piecework goal like that, just imagine how much I get finished (and how much more I get to buy)!

USER COMMENTS

Jonna

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BUYING MORE

I absolutely agree with what you say--I always tell my customers that buying fabric is cheaper, safer, and better than going to bars!

Aug 07, 2009 at 06:02 PM

WOODROWWILSON

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Yup!

You are so on the button!

Aug 01, 2009 at 12:31 PM

lbrach

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Oh yeah!

Keep encouraging us Mark!!! xoxolab

Jul 22, 2009 at 09:01 AM

dorielkamya

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Mark my Word, June 2009

Hear, hear! I would have written the same thing - you beat me to it!

Jul 06, 2009 at 03:06 AM

gacornhusker

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Forgiveness

Thank you, thank you--I have needed this for years!

Jun 26, 2009 at 06:56 AM

Nocturnal_Quilter

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Mountains from Molehills

It is true that, left un-checked the quilters' den can be overrun with the debris of shopping frenzies past. I only recently begun unfolding fqs I bought over two years ago!

Jun 15, 2009 at 07:07 PM

shoesnsox

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fabric stash

I find hat I buy one or two pieces that I like and then have nothing at home that matches, so I go buy one or two more. Or I look for the elusive piece that I know will blend two or three pieces just perfectly. If only there was a white or ivory that had little bits of color and blended.

Jun 15, 2009 at 12:26 AM