Quilting Without Fear

LeahDay

Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.

26 Responses

  1. kheli says:

    Oh, yes, I needed this post! I am not afraid of the quilting, I love that part! I am afraid of cutting into my fabrics. There, I said it! I know how expensive they are and how long I work to buy them. I do not want to waste them. But, I need to just get over it and go piece a quilt! Then I can FMQ it! (the reward at the end)! Thank you, Leah!

  2. I really like this post – thank you for sharing your thoughts.

    Barbara

    babsnwv at gmail dot com

  3. Janet O. says:

    Thoughtful, insightful post.

  4. Anna says:

    Wow…did I need to read this post today! This is a message for me not only about quilting but life!

  5. deborah says:

    I start a new quilting class this evening, so your post couldn't have been written at a better time! It's hand applique and I've been putting off cutting the pieces in fear I would use the wrong fabric, make a mistake or or or or….but its just fabric and I can buy more. Thanks so much for your wonderful words! Tomorrow I start practicing my fmq. No fear, its only fabric, batting, thread and a few hours of time.

  6. Anne says:

    Brilliant, Leah. This echoes stuff I've been noticing in myself recently , relating to various issues, large and small – a level of background fear and anxiety, of "what if"s and catastrophising – imagining what MIGHT happen – or, there again, might not!

  7. SunRai says:

    WOW – such a great post! I have often procrastinated due to fear, especially about not doing it perfectly! When I first started to do free-motion I decided to do a rag quilt, where each block was quilted before the quilt was put together. I didn't want to "waste" good fabric on practice! And that way I wouldn't ruin a whole quilt either! The great thing was that each block came out OK, and I was able to use them to make the quilt. It was good practice, and also affirming to me. BUT – I do keep a quilt sandwich to do a quick sample to make sure my tension, thread choice, etc is going to work before I start on the real thing. I use this sandwich until there is nowhere left to practice, and then make a new one. I use whatever scrap fabric I have, as long as it is the same weight as what I'm going to be working on. Thanks for keeping me inspired and encouraged to keep on doing what I love to do! You are able to put into words so much of what I have struggled, or am struggling, with! It's nice to know I'm not alone!! THANKS!

  8. Laura T says:

    Perfect post for today! I've been thinking about what is keeping me from going to the next step and it is fear:( I need to confront it head on. I've got the long arm and I just need to "do it". I'm been so afraid of not being perfect that is's really holding me back from even trying…..
    LauraT

  9. Stacie says:

    A very important message that I find myself having to learn over and over. It always ends the same though. Shut up and do it. What is the worst that can happen>

  10. Kathy says:

    Great job moving beyond your fears–and inspiring others to do the same.

  11. debbie m says:

    Yeah, sometimes I tell myself "Just do something, even if it is wrong!" I hate (strong word I do mean) wasting time with doing nothing. My problem isn't usually fear, it's just too many choices and indecision. Thanks for the pep talk :o)

  12. Jacquelin says:

    Me gustó Leah. Por eso me atrevo a pedirte si puedes poner en tu blog un traductor para los que te seguimos y no te entendemos en tu lengua. A mí me facilitarías mucho la tarea de leerte. Gracias.

  13. Mary says:

    We are so much harder on ourselves than others are. Because of your blog and other online challenges I just finished quilting a top that I actually like. The quilting isn't beautiful or stunning, but I like it and the curved lines are actually curved and I don't have any eyelashes, so thank you.

  14. That is such an inspiring blog post. Thanks so much for the inspiration. I hope for a day when no one would have to receive a nasty email for any reason. But until that day we won't let the fear or the nasty people get us down! i'll just take another step!

  15. Anonymous says:

    You are right on target with your thoughts on the topic. I can't believe how many of my friends refuse to even try to break out of their various quilt fears (FMQ with a DSM being #1….most think it's not even possible, must be done with a LA!!!). Am taking my Juki 2010TL to quilt meeting next Monday and give a demo. Hopefully they will at least give it a try!

  16. jacob says:

    When I first found your blog, I spent a very long time being AMAZED at your work. I was scared to try it, mostly out of fear of WASTE. "what if it's too ugly and I'm ashamed of it? Will I chunk it out? What about all that fabric? And batting?" I just didn't want to throw away mistakes. So….I started practicing on "cat size quilts"…sometimes, I'd get part way thru and be disgusted so I'd just stop, satin stitch all the edges instead of binding and throw it in a box. When I had a box full, I toted them to the Animal shelter where they used them for the cats and puppies…,And you know what? Not one of those orphaned animals complained about ugly stitches!
    I grew to love making these smaller items and now make them all the time (I call them Table Scraps). I make a large quilt occassionally

  17. Texastam says:

    Okay-have you been reading my mind or what? I have pieced together a beautiful quilt for my sister in law and it was supposed to be for her birthday last July….then Christmas….here it is middle of January and all I have done is stitched in the ditch. I have put some sandwiches together and my stitches on the back look horrible. So, there it sits. All because I am afraid to mess it up. My hubby keeps telling me just do it….she will love it anyway. But I keep saying "this is my first quilt, I want it to be right" You have given me the swift kick in the butt I needed.

    I am just going to not let this fear paralyze me and I am going to shut up and quilt.

  18. Suzette says:

    Leah-It always amazes me that such talented creative people suffer the same anxiety that I do. Thanks for admitting it-there is strength in numbers. FYI, if you read Beth Farrier's blog, she has chosen BRAVE as her word for 2012 because she, too, struggles with fear/anxiety about her work. (She has a similar post from 1/4/12 if you're interested.) I love the new tone of the project-I'm slowly stippling my way thru some baby quilts that have been in my stash (the kids are probably in middle school now!). I have confidence in my piecing skills-quilting, not so much. Thanks for loaning me a backbone!

  19. Peter says:

    An interesting post on fear and quilting. Although I am not ready to try free motion quilting, I did make a resolution to complete my first quilting project this year. Even though it's an easy one, a simple quilted table runner, it's taken 15 days to erase the fear and to just get started. Tonight I cut the fabric and made the squares and triangles. My wife of 36 years has been a lifelong quilter, and she is my guide and mentor. I'm still afraid of how the finished product may look though, because I have to start sewing for the first time right away. I will have pictures on my blog at http://quilttemplatesandmore.com/blog/ tomorrow evening.

  20. susie q says:

    Wonderful. I love this.

  21. Regina says:

    Wonderful website, wonderful post. I'll be participating in the QAL with you, as soon as I take this to heart and make a practice sandwich.

    Thanks so much!

  22. Joni says:

    Thanks so much for this. You seem to find the right thing to say at the right time. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one.

  23. k. says:

    Miss Leah, I thought your Goddess looked like she was in trees (and perhaps not seeing the forest for them.) You are a powerful woman and I have enjoyed what you are sending out into the world lately. k.

  24. Sewhappy says:

    Fear can hold us back from so many things, fear of failure is such a biggie for me. Thanks for this post.

  25. JaneO says:

    I know that feeling – when it comes on I always think of A A Milne's poem that begins
    "There was once an old sailor my grandfather knew
    Who had so many things which he wanted to do
    That, whenever he thought it was time to begin,
    He couldn't because of the state he was in." Which sums it up perfectly.

  26. Donna (MumZ) says:

    Yes, I had a fear of free motion but didn't want to waste all of that time practicing, taking time away from quilting sooo I put together a lovely wall hanging and just went to it with free motion. It didn't turn out bad at all..I will use it and always know that "hey, that's not so bad for my first attempt" and look how I have improved from the beginning to the ending. I'm still practicing making real quilts!

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