Mindless Entertainment
It’s Wednesday and time to check what’s on the sewing machine…but…uggh…nothing good is happening there.
I’m not burning out, I’m just brain dead and uninspired. It’s partly this busy time of the year when every day I turn around I have another birthday party or end of school party or meeting to attend with James. I swear for pre-kindgergarten we sure have a lot of end of year activities!
So what’s a creative girl to do when her brain has left the building, her house is a wreck, and her heart just not into quilting?
Pick up needlepoint.
Yes, this is what I mean by mindless entertainment, and my apologies if that has utterly offended you. Painted, preplanned, needlepoint is about as mentally challenging as tic-tac-toe.
All the colors are planned. All the spaces just need to be filled with that color thread. You don’t need to think! You just need to grab a needle, pick the right color, and keep some scissors handy.
What’s nice about working on this little gingerbread ornament is I’m able to keep half my mind focused on quilt designs or a Craftsy class I’m watching while the other half of my brain is just remembering to stitch brown thread in brown squares, pink thread in pink squares, blue thread over blue squares.
It’s tedious, yes, but it’s also mindlessly entertaining in a way I seriously need right now. I’m overworked and overstimulated. I need a break, but if I stop stitching entirely I usually just end up picking my nails because my fingers get restless.
Am I happy right now? I’m too busy to answer that accurately, but this time of the year will pass very soon. In less than 2 weeks James will be out of school, we will go on vacation, and the slow routine of summer will begin. I can’t wait!
Let’s go stitch!
Leah
I know you have been working very hard sharing so much with all of us and I have seen you get more and more popular everyday. You are such an inspiration and I hope you can relax soon 🙂
I know just what you mean and putting the needle up and down through the fabric and be so relaxing. Yeah, kindergarten and senior years are the big ones. (Mine is a senior this year.) Life's a blast!
Many years ago, I had a very challenging temporary job. That's when I started doing needlepoint. The mindlessness of it saved my sanity! I never did anything with the finished canvasses, though.
It will come . . . I have to keep my hands busy too, or I pick
Now this is way to funny. Burned out here too. A friend came to visit for 10 days. Five days at a quilt retreat. Took UFO's and came home with even more UFO's. Then went sewing today at my home quilt store to work on those UFO's. No new pictures to post on my blog so I have not linked up in awhile. But life is good and I love it.
Ah Leah! Yes, needlepoint can be mindless if you look at a pre-painted canvas and just color in the lines with thread. And that can be a fine and useful thing. However, just like quilting, needlepoint has gone through its own revolution. The thread and stitch options are wonderful and amazing – and exciting. Have fun with you piece!
From one who loves both art forms,
Marcia
Grand Rapids, MI
When I am in that kind of mood, I do mindless knitting. I've discovered I am back to needing something to keep my hands occupied while I watch TV when I'm too tired to do anything else in the evening.
My husband always teases me that I am constantly doing something. I hope you have a great end of the year.,. We are on the countdown until summer and this is the last of the pre…. School years for us. In the fall Sage starts preschool and he won't just
Be asking mommy when she has a day off!
Sometimes you just need a break from quilting and that is Okay 🙂 Your needle point looks great!
Mindless, pleasant tasks have an important place in my schedule too. I haven't done needlepoint in awhile, but knitting simple shapes relaxes me.