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Quilting Arts GIFTS and a Fabric Giveaway

8 Aug 2008 by Pokey

Stow_group_copy_3

I feel such a huge sense of elation, relief and utter joy; I want to jump up and down, dance around the office, or go run along the beach and holler into the breeze. Why am I so giddy?  The Quilting Arts GIFTS issue officially went to press today. I'm not one to use exclamation points very often, but I cannot begin to tell you how happy I am that this baby is born and off to press(!!!)

A sneak peek of the cover:


Qifts08

Above you see a table runner by Kathy Mack, a wine bag by Elin Waterston, and fabric candy cane napkin rings by yours truly. I hope you enjoy this issue (which by the way has a whopping 35 fresh projects in it).

Another Fabric Giveaway!

Because I'm feeling so blissful, I want to share my glee with you and offer another fabric giveaway.   If you want to play, please answer the following question in the comments area, and I will randomly choose 10 winners to receive a plastic baggie of screen-printed fabrics that I'll print this weekend. The drawing will close Monday, August 11 at 6:00 P.M. EDT, and I will announce the 10 winners on Tuesday on the blog. It is then the responsibility of those 10 winners to email me their shipping address by Wednesday evening so I can send the fabrics.

My question: What ritual do you perform when you are done with a big project such as a quilt or piece of art? (I know many of you finished your journal quilts for Houston this past week.)

Do you splurge on a sundae or buy a beach read? Take the family out for Chinese food? Hunker down and immediately start creating something else?

My ritual: Whenever we send an issue off to press, I tend to blast the music in my office very loudly, much to the dismay of John whose office is just around the corner. It's usually after hours when these things happen, so no one can hear my pathetic singing or dancing as I shake out all of the elation that I feel.  My song de jour would be Coldplay's "Death and All His Friends/The Escapist." Some music critics would scoff that I love their latest album (and I hear what they're saying) but I can't help myself: I love Coldplay. There. I've said it. When John and I celebrated our 10th anniversary three summers ago, he didn't get me jewelry (which I really didn't want) but rather great tickets to Coldplay's X & Y concert.

Since I missed the Coldplay concert this past Monday night while they were in Boston because of all the happenings here, I've been feeling a little sorry for myself. But this afternoon, after we sent GIFTS to the printer, I went on YouTube and found a few videos of the Coldplay concert at the Boston Garden. (That's GaHden to all of you who don't live in Massachusetts!) One video showcases Chris Martin dedicating "Death and All His Friends/The Escapist" to Tom Brady, our New England Patriots Quarterback who apparently was in the audience. A funny and uplifting tribute.

Happy weekend, everybody!

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Comments

 
Elaine Koenig wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 1:54 PM
In my quilting bunch it is called the happy dance! Also I do a lot of patting and smiling. What is it about fabric that makes me want to run my hands over it?
Carol Sloan wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 2:13 PM
I usually kick back with my husband, have a cold beer (or wine) and just... relax.
Barb Nelson wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:02 PM
I usually take my project and lay it out on the living room floor, and sit back with a cold drink and look at it for a while.
Esther wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:12 PM
I just sit back and relax with a bit of internet surfing!
Alyson wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:17 PM
I'll usually hang it somewhere or lay it out nicely so that I can admire it for a little while. Photograph it, ask my husband about 10 times if he really does like it, pack it up and take a quick drive to my mother's to show her and get the parental stamp of approval, blog it, share it with everyone, sing from the rooftops that it's done!...and last I clean up my sewing space, removing every scrap and trace of that project from my sewing tables and computer desk and floor - so that it won't influence my next project at all. Really I do! I celebrate by cleaning!
Diane wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:27 PM
I like to take pictures of what's been completed and send them out to my kids (my best cheerleaders) and a friend or two who like to quilt. Then, I put the project where I can see it and enjoy!!
milkcan wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:29 PM
I hang it up anywhere I can and wait for my husband to come home so that I can show it off!
Colleen Keirn wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:32 PM
Usually DH and I go out to dinner, sushi or really good Chinese food. He's usually the first one to suggest this, either that or he makes me dinner, which is just as good. He kicks me out of the kitchen, I'm not even allowed to help! I'm only allowed to put my feet up and do something I enjoy: sew, cut, read a magazine, etc.
Alison wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 3:37 PM
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!!! I usually make a huge mess when I am doing something creative. It is very therapeutic for me to clean up afterwards!
Susan Cahill wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 5:55 PM
I take a mini-break from quilting and do crossword puzzles. They are just as addictive to me as quilting so I just sit and do a bunch until I satisfy that urge.
Kathleen H wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 6:03 PM
After I show my hubby and sons my completed project several times, I usually spend time sorting and reorganizing my workspace so I can move on to another project or task with ease. I do this while listening to my favorite tunes.
Francie Gross wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 6:04 PM
I put on an upbeat CD (I always listen to mellow stuff while I work), mix a drink, hang the piece up and stare at it, photograph it, put it on my blog, then clean up my "creativity mess", all the time thinking and planning what's next!
Kathleen H wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 6:14 PM
After I show my hubby and sons my completed project several times, I usually spend time sorting and reorganizing my workspace so I can move on to another project or task with ease. I do this while listening to my favorite tunes.
Karen wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 6:32 PM
Congratulations on getting the issue out! I too sit back and look at it and admire the final project and then I clean!
Deanna wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 6:53 PM
After the immediate happy dance, I keep going into the room where it is and stare in utter amazement. Then I leave and do something else. Within five minutes I'll find myself staring again. This usually goes on until I crawl into bed.
Debi wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 7:27 PM
I like to clean up my room so I'm ready for my next project - then I take a few days to re-energize my creative "thoughts" by going to a museum, looking through magazines, surfing the web or looking through my portfolio of saved ideas.
Doreen Kinkade wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 7:54 PM
When I finish a project, I take pictures and email them to my son. Show it to my friends at the gallery where I volunteer and the quilt group I belong to. Then I clean up my mess (which is usually big)cause my room is small and then find the next project I have been wanting to try.
debby wolff wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 9:40 PM
I usually just quietly bask with an inner glow, enjoying that moment knowing I completed something I love. I will show it to my family who are my biggest fans. It's just so simple, to feel good about something you've accomplished, and maybe feel a little special that you've created something unique in the world. Thats all. Debby Wolff
Evie Harris wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 10:01 PM
I make this sort of humpfing noise of satisfaction, congratulate myself out loud, pour a wine and clean, tidy & sort my studio. I then take the final photographs...I usually take pics as I progress which include all the mess about me, so the final ones are taken in a clear studio. I then write in my journal adding the date and a smiley face! Another wine and my ritual is complete! Evie New Zealand
jenny wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 11:32 PM
ritual? i have so many unfinished projects but i almost always finish my projects at 2am so i would say my ritual would be to get my husband's dead lifeless body that has been waiting for me on the couch and go to bed. not very interesting but pretty standard. lol.
Ruth Lane wrote
on 8 Aug 2008 11:42 PM
Congratulate myself, show off the project to my DH and take a little R&R.
jenny wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 2:02 AM
I have Parkinsons disease so every project is a real labour of love, requiring lots of help. So we usually crack open a bottle of somrthing fizzy and clean the machine and nstart planning the nexxt bag,card of quilette. Then a couople of days rest and my carer Jayne and I START agaqin/ Jenny
BJ wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 2:20 AM
I normally have already started the next project before the first one is finished. If the idea is something I have been formulating as maybe the next in a series I think I am going to burst until I can get started. I sometimes will take a break in the middle of a project. All I know is that it works for me and I have never had a unfinished piece of work.
Diana wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 3:21 AM
I have a MASSIVE tidying-up session. I'm usually quite a tidy person but in the middle of a project, stuff gets everywhere - on every available surface, in fact. So I go round putting things away, cleaning up, and generally restoring a little bit of order. Then I sit back with a cup of tea and my favourite books and magazines ... and start all over again!
Robbi Eklow wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 3:26 AM
Ritual: I usually finish stuff at 2am, so I go to sleep. But I goof off the next day. And usually buy a book or CD online. I also buy books or CDs if I'm under stress. Or need some ideas. Coldplay: I love them too! Haven't seen them in concert yet. I have a DVD about tie dyeing and they were playing this fabulous music. I made my son listen to it, and he said it was Clocks, Coldplay. I got all of their music after that and listened to Coldplay and only Coldplay for several weeks. Good stress reliever music. Brian and I have been going to concerts a lot lately. This summer, we saw James Taylor, Fiest and Hootie and the Blowfish. We are going to see KT TUnstall next week. (We see her everytime she's in Chicago, except last May when the aforementioned Josh was graduating from college and forced us to come watch. PS-Neither Hootie or Blowfish are actually names of members of the band. I didn't know that, and bought Mark Bryan's new CD from him after the concert. I almost called him Mr. Blowfish, but didn't. Good thing. Although he would have just assumed I was drunk probably. Robbi
Gisela Towner wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 4:31 AM
First I hang it up, then I take it down. Then I hang it up backside facing out. Then I take it down. Then I hang it again and open a beer or pour a glass of wine and sit down with my quilt journal to write down all the details and I finally BREATHE again! And I clean up the huge mess I've made, clean and oil my machines, put away tools, fabric, scraps and embellishments. Then, while the journal is still out I start planning the next piece (unless I was already working on more than one...)
Christine Bell wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 6:20 AM
I pin the piece to my design wall so that I can enjoy it a while and then start a massive clean up of my studio. Once everything is back in its place and I have hoovered I can dream about the next project and start making a mess all over again. Strangely I have to have a clean space in which to start a new quilt but am happy to work in a mess for the duration of the making. Christine
Katina wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 6:22 AM
Whenever I finish a quilt project I stick a big fat smile on my face, that doesn't go away for a long time, and then I photograph my quilt and send the pic to my close friends so they can see why I've been hiding out in the house so long!!
Maggie wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:21 AM
great comments. I do ask DH if he really, really likes it! continue to take peeks all day long. sigh, clean. I go to a big bookstore and take as much time as I want browsing all the sections.
Kathy R wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:23 AM
Congratulations on going to press. I show my mother and daughter and off to the next project. Unfortunately I don't get a lot of projects finished very quickly.
Diane Dainis wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:28 AM
My ritual is pretty much the same everytime I finish a new piece. First I breath a sign of contentment that I have completed my creation. I have my husband take a picture and before it goes anywhere it has to go to Show and Tell at my Mixed Media Group. I think for me that is the most important part. To share with all my wonderfully creative friends. THEN it can be hung, sold or given a way to someone else to enjoy. Of course after that I hit my studio and clean to get ready for the next project.
Mary Emma Allen wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:53 AM
I relax and often pull out a good "cozy" mystery to read. I can read without the nagging thought I have something to finish.
Constance DeYoung wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:58 AM
First I clean up the total disaster I,ve created in my sewing room. Then I pour myself a big glass of Chardonnay and sit and start planning my next project
Laurel Marsolais wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:58 AM
After finishing a project, I like to tidy away all the leftovers (to make room for the new projects). Then I pick up a random issue of Quilting Arts and choose a new technique and let my imagination run wild!
Lorri Chambers wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:01 AM
It is very exciting to create pieces and finish them I ususally hang them up to enjoy them and show them off to my daughters who get it and my husband John who doesn't but he has other great qualities...then I get in the car and go fabric hunting to inspire the next project....Yes I have tons already in my studio which is getting organized because of "Studios"...but nothing is just right. My last big project went right away to a Quilt Exhibit here on the Outer Banks I had been trying to get something done for 8 years. It was such a high to see it hanging in the show. and have others outside of family enjoy and appreciate it.
Joyce wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:06 AM
I take a picture and then dig in to the next NEW project! :)
Belinda wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:22 AM
Congrats on getting the issue out. It sounds great! I had to think about this one for awhile. I usually have several projects going on at once - even when I am working on a really large project. When I am done with a project, I usually let it sit in a quiet place for a couple of days. I look at it when I walk by to make sure I don't need anything else on it. I also look at how the paint has dried to see if it is how I want it and to change it, if I don't. I take a break from art for about a day. I catch up on my computer stuff. I read a book or watch a good movie. I also spend a huge chunk of time playing some of my favorite computer games like Bejeweled or Chainz 2. I find that playing games clears my mind. I almost always take my kids out for an ice cream when I am done. Actually, the kids run up to ooh! and aah! at what I have finished and THEY tell me that they need an ice cream to celebrate. This is also when I blog and take the time to jot down some instructions (if I am doing it for an article). The day or two after a project is when I really decide if I like it or not. Just because I am done with a project does not mean that I like it. I might need to take a day or two to adjust things so I like it. When I am satisfied that I like my finished project, I dive into my other unfinished projects. One project will take over the others and the process will start again. It should be ice cream time here again soon. Thanks for sharing! Belinda
Belinda wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:28 AM
BTW, I don't like getting jewelry either as a gift. I would much rather get power tools or the newest electronic gadgets. DH just got me a 3G iPhone for our anniversary - which is next week. Most fun toy besides my sewing machine and Dremel. I forgot to mention that I blast Santana all the time. I also love to play the song "Love Shack". You should see my kids dancing around to it when they are dressed up in their old Halloween costumes. I do this during my big projects. Background noise helps me to focus. Must be from teaching in a room full of 30 kids. Belinda
Twila Blume wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:28 AM
I feel entitled to dinner at my favorite restaurant with a feeling of elation.
Carol Wiebe wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:29 AM
There is this wonderful place in town that is famous for its baking. My favorite is their baked marzipan cookies, shaped like horned moons, with the horns dipped in chocolate. These are definitely a worthy choice for a "you did good" finish. Oh, and a nice, hot cup of tea and a good DVD or book are excellent nibbling partners. Mmmmmmm.
Patty VanHuis-Cox wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:56 AM
When I finish a piece, I am usually in shock. I keep thinking "I can't be done!" And yet, there it is complete with label and sleeve. So I wander around aimlessly because I am not quite sure what to do with myself. I hate the in between projects phase. So I usually will have some wine or a margarita from the bucket, blast some tunes and relax with my family. I am absolutely in love with Viva La Vita by Coldplay! I have to blast as loud as possible to really feel the powerful music. I have actually had a few ideas for an art piece due to that song.
Donna wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:57 AM
ok . . . let see . .now that i think about it . . . i do have a ritual. Never thought about it before. i take pictures of the stages a piece goes through . . . very fun to watch the transition . . so of course i take the final photos in different light. Clean up!!!! i usually get very frenzied toward the end of a project & make quite a mess.Captain Jack (my schnauzer doggy) & i keep looking @ it with our heads tilted. (not sure why) Mark that project off a long list & of course the next project is already started or thick in my head . . . so i may take a break for a day & just sew something simple, but not long & it all goes into full swing again.
Mary Ann Van Soest wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:59 AM
Ahhhhh-finally finished. A project completed. I let out a big sigh of relief. Head to the kitchen fill the tea kettle with water. Dig thru the tea basket and find that special Earl Grey tea, grab the biggest mug from the cupboard and pour in the boiling water. A squeeze of honey and a squirt of lemon. Ahhhhh. Breath in that aroma. Sink into my favorite chair-put my feet up. Sip my tea. Relax. BUT what is that setting on the end table. My new issue of Quilting Arts. Before I know what I am doing my brain is off and running. Thinking of the next big project. Love the stuff I see in the magazines and look forward to the Gift issue. Have a great day. Mary Ann
Jo Anna wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:07 AM
I clean up everything and then read a good book.
Kathy Angel Lee wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:13 AM
First thing I do is hang the piece so I can enjoy it....then straighten the studio a bit. And then I go to my garden (in the summer) to work a bit. It's very relaxing, almost meditative for me and I can begin to think about the next project. Kathy
Lynne Pfeffer wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:15 AM
I have just recently discovered Coldplay and now own 3 of their CD's. When I am finished with a project--I smile, make lots of sighing sounds and then begin to show my finished object to anyone and everyone who will look at it! That includes children, husband, neighbors, friends, online chums, and those in my art groups, knitting groups, quilting guild....Then I usually tidy up and think about what's next!
Alice wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:16 AM
My ritual is pretty simple - photograph it, blog about it, throw it in the washer and dryer, sort the scraps then sit around with a *** eating grin on my face with an appropriate beverage in my hand. Then reality sets in (one done, zillions to go)and I take up the next project for the next race to the finish... again!
Angie Platten wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:42 AM
Well, let's see... I've never really thought of this before! I think probably the first thing I do when I finish is call my best friend and fellow artist, Fran Saperstein. She gets all excited with me andd then I talk about the challenges ofthe project, my favorite things about it, what I would do different the next time, etc... Basically, I evaluate. Then, I usually do some clean up in my studio and go right into the next project. However, sometimes the studio clean up is optional when it really should be required!
Esther Vermeer wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:49 AM
Coldplay is awesome! Cranking some good tunes is definitely a first response when celebrating, but as a work-from-home mommy, there usually aren't any grown-ups nearby to share my excitement with, so my next response is to head over to my friend's house. Been doing that a lot lately since we just found out that the deadline for our first book is only 3 months away!!!! wooo hoooo!
Jennifer Morlock wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:57 AM
The feeling of accomplishment is hard to put into words. I just finished a major project recently and I called Mom immediately to tell her the good news! I usually turn up the 80's tunes and dance, put the project where it can be seen by everyone, and then add it to my blog. http://quiltcrazygaljennalouise.blogspot.com/ I can't wait to purchase my copy of the new Quilting Arts Gifts! Jenna Louise
Christi Winter wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:01 AM
I don't know if this qualifies as a ritual, but usually I leave the project draped over something for awhile so I can admire it. Then at some point I'll take a picture of it and e-mail it to my sister and a few friends. But mostly I just look at it and admire it.
Lisa wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:09 AM
Hmmm...I don't normally do projects that take more than a couple of days at the most. I just don't have the patience for that - I want to move on to the next project! When I do get something done, I take it outside (if it's daytime) and take several photos for my blog, then I show it to my husband. After that, it goes on the "special" wall hook where the newest stuff is, so I can stare at it for days until I'm thoroughly sick of it! Then it's time to move on. :)
Debbie L wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:13 AM
If its a really big project... I call my mom or a friend or my sweetie. Otherwise, I start working on the next one. Congratulations on finishing the new issue of QA Gifts... I cant wait for it to be available! Debbie
Carol Barber wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:15 AM
When I finish with a project I usually lay it out somewhere and then sit back and admire it, amazed that I did that and it's finished. Especially amazed at the finished part, since I'm great at starting things.
Candy wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:20 AM
I usually clean and tidy up the mess/chaos that has occurred. Take pictures, show family and friends and start anew.
Fannie wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:27 AM
Congrats on going to press! I look forward to receiving my copy. When I complete a big project, I display it on my easel and stand back and stare at it. I silently critique its design and composition and think about what it would look like from a distance. Then I walk away and look at it from across the room and ask: Would this piece draw interest from a distance? Would it beckon a viewer to explore its design up close? I leave it on my easel so I can look at it throughout the day. When my husband comes home, he'll "oooh and ahhh" and smother me with congrats and praise. We'll rejoice together because he knows that I've done more than create an art quilt--I completed a project despite my health challenges. The next day he'll email my daughters with a "cc" to me and praise me and my accomplishments again. Then he'll arrange for a celebration, which is usually at my favorite Japanese restaurant, or invite the family over for a Sunday dinner and celebrate with a simple feast and playing music. Regardless of where we celebrate, I look at each family member sitting around the dinner table and feel the warmth and love from those that matter and realize that my biggest project is sitting around me and holding me up on their easel. I am blessed. Thanks for reminding me of that. ~Fannie Narte
Joanne wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:36 AM
We used to have a dinner party for any large piece finishd.(usually hand quilted) 4 couples where each woman was a quilter. We gave warning that a piece was about to be finished and we encouraged each other so we could party. Great fun, great times. Sadly we have all left the area so celebrations are when we get together and support is by email.
Mary Collier wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:57 AM
I take pictures of my finished project and enter the picture in my quilts directory where I compare it with past work and think about new skills I have learned and where I would like to grow. Then I review my Quilting Arts issues,other quilting magazines, my travel pictures, art museums and children's art for new inspirations.
Jessica wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:10 AM
It's an OMG moment! The last stitches, I'm aware that the project is finishing - I'm looking it over to be sure and then I announce to the family....."It's Done"!!! They all take part in the projects because they all have some art background. They are the first to ask, "what's next"....as if you didn't just take the last 3 months to work on this one! After a project is done, it's reading time. It's also time for a long hike. I need inspiration! The last quilt project is made up of carefully chosen colors and looking at just those colors,intensely, for a time....I need to see something completely new! I have a Top Ten Projects list, so one project gets crossed off and I get started on the next! The fun part is adding a new project to the list!! Enjoy Creating! ~ Jes
Robin Parton wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:28 AM
I show my finished project to my husband first and my quilting friends second. Sometimes I celebrate with chocolate! I then go to the next project, I always have several in progress.
sally wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:32 AM
When I finish a big project, I usually cook my family a big and lovely meal, then I clean my studio. Finally I dive into several small projects, like mending which have piled up so that I can start a new BIG project feeling refreshed.
Shirley wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:42 AM
I HEAD FOR A MOVIE AND EAT POPCORN AS I DON'T HAVE TO WATCH FOR BUTTERY FINGERS ON MY PIECE!
Robbie Payne wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:48 AM
even though I award myself for the smallest of 'tasks' finished (with chocolate, of course!), my so called ritual would be sharing my work with my other art friends! That's the best part is seeing and hearing (hopefully!) the oohhs and aahhs from friends whose opinion and critique you value.
LIz Tarr wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 12:10 PM
I usually organize everything so it looks tidied up in my studio and then go dye something in the dyeing studio and mess that area up.
peggy dlugos wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 12:33 PM
Great question. You've made me realize that I don't do anything. I just move on to the next thing on my list, which is not good. I SHOULD be celebrating each and every accomplishment. So from now on I'll be journaling every finished project and have a toast with my imaginary art mentors.
Cory wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 12:46 PM
Congrats on your completed project. It always feels good to finish something. My projects are completed quilts, not large book or magazine projects. I sit and fondle the quilt and reflect on the process of making it and then usually show it off to my family and friends illiciting ahs and ohs. Thank you for offering this great give-away. Take care and God bless, Cory
Lyn Wolf Jackson wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 12:54 PM
My ritual after finishing a project is what I call "the laying on of hands". I put my tools away, refold the scattered fabric, sweep the floor while listening to Enya, and place my finished piece at the top of the stairs to watch it change in the different lights of the day. Then I get a cup of coffee and sit and admire it in a clean space for a while. Blissful!!
Brenda Jennings wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 12:55 PM
If it is a really big project, then I have spent most of that time promising my sewing machine that I will take it in for a nice cleaning as soon as I am done (in return for smooth sewing throughout the course of the project). So then, of course, I have to take the machine in when I am done, and since I don't have my machine for a few days, I usually sulk about not having a "backup" machine. But this is all just as well, because after I've done a lot of intense quilting, my eyes are messed up for a several days anyway, and I might even clean up my mess before I start the next project!
Twila Blume wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 1:05 PM
I feel entitled to dinner at my favorite restaurant with a feeling of elation.
Jane Swanson wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 1:36 PM
I didn't think I had a ritual until this question made me stop and think about it. If I've made a quilt or something that's taken me a long time, I take pictures, show my friends, bask in the glow, clean up my space, and start another "smaller, quicker" project that I've been having to hold off on until the "big" project was finished!
Karen wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 2:53 PM
I have a very good friend who does not sew but is always very interested in whatever I am working on. I bounce color and design ideas off her and she plays devils advocate which really helps. When the project is finished we have dinner and I proudly show it to her. She is very lavish with her compliments. I am trying to get her to start sewing so I can return the favor.
KarenInVa wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 3:24 PM
I too look at my finished projects with amazement. "WOW, I did that?" is usually what I'm thinking. Then there's the mad rush to get it where it's supposed to be. I "think" about tidying up but I like the archaeological aspect of layers of different projects. Finally a Lindt white chocolate truffle is a delish way to celebrate.
Connie Haack wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 3:51 PM
My ritual is to show it to my husband and kids to get their input and anyone else that happens to stop by the house. Then I take it to work to have "show and tell" with my sewing buddies.
Dawn N wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 4:03 PM
I excitedly run over and show my piece to my husband and sons, who usually give me THE LOOK that says- it's nice but why are you so excited? So then I have to show it to all my friends who will Ohh and Aww over it and make me feel better. I give myself a day to relax. And then it's on to the next project, usually without completely cleaning up from the first one.
Chrysti wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 4:06 PM
I blast R.E.M's 'it's the end of the world as we know it...and i feel fine..." as loud as i can and spin around, arms extended until im so dizzy i can't stand it... then i typically allow myself to fall onto the closest, softest piece of furniture while my golden attacks me with kisses and the like. I've done this since I was a teenager... and seem to just get out that frenzy in my head! Hoping to do it end of this week when i wrap up some huge, looming projects over my head!
Dolores wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 4:47 PM
Probably the first thing I do when I finish a big project is to take pictures. Then I go up and sort and clean my mess. (Usually, nothing gets thrown away.) Then i sit back and relax at my computer looking at quilt blogs. After that I'm off jotting down notes and searching for a new project. When I decide on one I just veg out or sleep.
Rochelle Jay wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 5:03 PM
HI. When I finish a project, I clean like crazy! I clean off my cutting and sewing table, pick up fabric scraps and put then in a 1 gallon plastic bag, pick up pins, vacuum the floor, and make the room look like a pretty picture again (ha!), or as close as possible. Then I have a Butter Pecan ice cream and Cola Float!
Sandra Spagnuolo wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 5:10 PM
Hi Pokey, Besides the usual admiring, reorganizing and relaxing, I also keep a "See, I do complete things!" list in my writing journal. It is a great reminder that I do in fact get things done and I often read through it on those days when everything seems "in progress" or "incomplete". Have an awesome weekend and congratulations on getting the Gifts issue to print. I can't wait. Sandra
Sue wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 5:14 PM
Because finishing a quilting project usually means I've neglected other areas of my life for at least a few days, I have this sudden urge to get domestic. I clean up a bit, sort through a cupboard and clean up the sewing area. That project is done and it's time to put all that disorder back in order. But the big thing is that I then truly enjoy something I normally don't: cooking. I have an urge to celebrate by making a good meal for my family. We've all been living off of pizza and leftovers for long enough. Also I usually spend that dinner telling my family about the project and showing it off a bit. ("Are your hands clean?")
Randy wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 6:05 PM
By the time I am finished with a project I am well into thinking about a new one and can't wait to get started.
Michele Sheets wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 6:05 PM
I'm so excited about finishing something that I almost immediately start thinking about the next project. My 3 yr old spends a lot of time in the studio with me so there is no point in cleaning. I take pictures of the finished item, post it on the blog, and work on the next big thing.
Maggie Clark wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 6:14 PM
After a project completion I take pictures, tell myself I did the best I could and owe myself a celebration. My hubby and I go out to imbibe in a few cocktails and to show off the pictures to friends. This is the prelude to continuing on to the next project and more fun.
carol wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 7:47 PM
Lint roll off the cat hair and then nap. Often with the cat.
Dottie wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 8:58 PM
I usually let out a sigh of relief, then a "Yippee," goof off (ie. don't sew) for the rest of the day, get back to my domestic duties while thinking about what my next project is. LOL
Terri Takacs wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:33 PM
Its been a while since I actually FINISHED a project but when I do ~ it's off to the beach in my convertable and my CD player BLASTING whatever CD I am addicted to at the time!!! In the cool months ~ it's a hop on the train to NYC where I will spend the day on hanging around the 30's and 40's in midtown ~ shopping for beads and fabric! Oh YUMMY!!!!
morningDove wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 9:40 PM
When finished a project I take a picture of it for my album and then ask family to critique it.
Linda MacDonald wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:04 PM
I go out to lunch with my husband, then sit back and relax for a day before starting another project.
judee wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:23 PM
Finishing is a bittersweet time for me. I love the process of creating, doing, executing different techniques. Most of the items I finish are for others so it's almost like having "empty nest syndrome". Projects for me personally... seem to take a life time and (almost) never get finished, so I always have something else to work on. (No, I've never heard of working on one project at a time. LOL)
Cheryl wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 10:53 PM
I usually take my finished project in to show it off to my husband. The next time my friends and I get together for our once-weekly sewing, I take it along to show them too.
Faith wrote
on 9 Aug 2008 11:58 PM
I usually hang it up or display the completed project, admire and critique it, laugh, show it off to anyone in my family that's around, and then settle in to read the latest mystery that I put off reading until I had the project done.
LuAnn Kessi wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 2:20 AM
When I have completed my latest quilt project (that means the binding, hanging sleeve and label too) I grab my camera and thoroughly photograph it. I especially enjoy to see it under the lights where I can see all the shadows created by all of the quilting stitches.......that brings me utter delight. LuAnn from Oregon
Phix wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 3:19 AM
When I finish a project…isn't it sooo exciting.... I turn off the music that has played throughout the process…the music depends on how I feel and what I’m doing. Breathe...I sit and admire, breathe and relax…enjoying the accomplishment, for a few seconds, at least….enjoy the silence and the visual Then….have a cuppa...sitting back and taking in all those special times in life. Enjoy the reward of completing the project. Keep breathing. Those creative juices are flowing... take time to Check out the others...family and friends- did I miss something during my focus?. Its time to take the photos, document the process and reorganise the mess. Start gathering the resources for the next project Time to do a little organising, reading and socialising, then back to creating. I feel so much joy when I can get all those bits and pieces surrounding me asking to participate in the next task. Wow..enjoy the moment!
cat stone wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 4:47 AM
Congratulations on getting GIFTS to the printer! The first one was great so I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. My ritual is to hang my quilt where I can see it, call my husband to come and have a look, then have a cuppa and a treat. I finished a huge quilt yesterday, and my little treat then was a handful of jelly snakes LOL.
dorothy highter wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 8:53 AM
I have to spend time admiring while I decide where this will go---to a friend, family member or will I have to keep it---and at the same time the next project is brewing in my mind. Now that I am retired there is project playtime every day. What a treat!!!
Juanita Olson wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 11:00 AM
To celebrate I go to Starbucks and order a Vente Coffee Lite Frappachino with lots and lots of whip cream!
Suzanne G in NC wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 12:46 PM
I seem to enjoy the same rituals as others have posted: cleaning up, sharing and kudos to myself, enjoying a drink or treat and recharging! I also like to read over the "field notes" I kept during the process because my notes and sketches usually lead to the next project. Suzanne G in NC
Leilani Pierson wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 2:08 PM
Pokey! you are too cool! dancing and coldplay - awesome ways to finish the amazing jobs you do! for me, i like to sit back and stare at it a while. go away from it and come back to it, to see if it really is finished (see if i've been dreaming or not) or if it needs one more thing added to it. then i smile real big, show it off to hubby and kiddos... then on to the next project.
Sara Kelly wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 3:05 PM
I do all of the above. Then I fantasize about continuing in the same vein, like a series. But that never seems to happen due to a plethora of new ideas/techniques I want to try...to say nothing of all the works-in-progress singing their siren songs from the wall/closet/floor etc. Van Morrison keeps me going. Like me he's old and fat but his music rocks me.
Jill Crowther wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 3:47 PM
I'm not a great 'finisher offerer' so a fanfare of trumpets is usually required, friends gather in disbelief and then we have a moments silence....
Theresa N wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 4:52 PM
My celebration I start looking for my next project. A cup of tea, my reading glasses a comfy chair and books and magazines galore.
Chris P wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 5:01 PM
I clean up, pour a glass of Cabernet, put my feet up, smile and chill.
cathie wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 5:07 PM
I immediately begin to "dig out" from under the mess of scraps, threads, paint, water bottles, candy bar wrappers, and every other thing that I touched, used, moved, ate, drank, or, in a frustrated moment - "threw" whilest engaging in the creative process. Sometimes it only takes a few hours - sometimes a few days. But I absolutely CANNOT begin another project until the studio is cleaned, polished, wiped and mopped!!
Muff Fregia wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 8:32 PM
When the big project is finally finished, it rates a call to my best (quilting) friend, and we have a unison YEA! cheer. Beyond that, there's usually a mess to clean up...from the project or the neglected house. Sigh! :-) Muff
Jenny wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 8:55 PM
Usually I'm finishing up a project for a deadline- so there's very little celebration time! I try to take a moment to savor the piece, and take a few pictures for my blog. Then I take it OUT of the studio, and take a good, hard look at my "leftovers." I try to make at least one or two extras out of my leftover fabric, paper, beads, fibers, etc. After all, I went to the effort to coordinate colors and textures, so why not squeeze a little more out of it? It could be just a bookmark or tag, or a mini quilt, postcard, or coffee cuff. When I've finished with that, I then clean up, sort and organize... and get ready for the next mess!
whitney wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 8:56 PM
I like to reorganize and clean up my studio space. I guess to create a fresh start for the next project. PS I would have loved to see Coldplay- they were in DC last week. I did however have 3rd row seats to Poison last week and had a blast!!! Which is so funny b/c I SO do not look the poison type- but what can I say?- he's my rock of love...(hhmmm)
Diane wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 10:06 PM
I usually need to sit and stare at a wall for a half hour or so! Sort of a decompression technique . . .
Suze Perrott wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 10:11 PM
I photograph the project and immediately go on and start the next one. But then I am usually working on a few at a time....don't we all?
Claudia Dunitz wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 10:53 PM
First - it's the Happy Dance, which involves a lot of jumping up and down and booty shaking. Then, I run for the camera... then, I call my daughter. In exactly that order - every time!
Heather wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 11:33 PM
Sleep! I am always working on a deadline! The final 48 hours before a deadline is always high stress and the final push to get the project done is exhausting but exhilarating all at the same time! I love it when everything just falls into place and works! Falling into bed for a good nap is always the best reward for a good job done! Sweet dreams of the next project! Heather
Connie Allen wrote
on 10 Aug 2008 11:59 PM
Whenever I finish a project I just have to annoy anyone in the near vicinity by showing it off, whether it be a quilt, a necklace, a handbag, just anything. My husband is usually the one, but anyone will do, even workmen!
Sue wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 12:17 AM
I can totally relate to the happy dance! I spin around the kitchen, pour a glass of wine, and cha-cha with my cats! Then, I show it to my quilting friends (we call our group Truly Unruly).
Cecile wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 4:25 AM
Bonjour After finishing a large project, I usually feel lonely, like leaving a dear friend. The best way for me to begin something else is to clean all my studio, putting back fabrics in appropriate boxes. This way, I find new fabrics for a new project !
Jenny Gallo wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 8:11 AM
A reward for finishing a project is all about a chocolate treat for me!
Trish C. wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 8:49 AM
Chocolate! Dark! With nuts! And of course a shopping trip to buy more batiks or hand dyes to replace what I used....
Dr wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 9:18 AM
When I finish a project I set it aside ao I can take a last couple of looks - just to make sure I'm finished. I clean my area, because it usually looks like a bomb went off in it and I cannot begin another project with it looking like that - you know cluttered area equals a cluttered mind - lol. Then I go into my garden, or putter around the house doing some of the things that I've been putting off, maybe have a glass of wine, and just wind down. Dru
Cheryl wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 10:12 AM
I usually run to the scanner to scan it to show all my friends and family who live far away through my blog! Then I get the sketchbook out to design the next one.
Bonita J. Srnck wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 10:41 AM
I acually shout out loud at the top of my lungs (people think I am in pain - no so - in joy), take a picture of the article, call my kids and say I did it (because it is usually for one of them)and I proceed to put everything away and clean up my space. Then I really know that it is done. Of course, I turn right around and get out the beginnings or middles of the next project I want to work on (did I say work? wrong, not work but play, play, play.)
Sharon Neth wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 11:11 AM
When I am done with a project I like to go back to my inspirations which is my sketchbook. These days, my mind is always racing with ideas (maybe it is all the coffee that I drink) so I try some new ideas out in my sketchbook after I have finished. I love to work out the design problems there because it helps me to work out colors and shapes with future projects. Plus, if there is a new doodle that I draw out there on another page then maybe I can incorporate it into another project.
smidgen wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 11:18 AM
I originall wrote this comment but it posted it as someone else? This is a little odd? Anyway my comment is: "When I am done with a project I like to go back to my inspirations which is my sketchbook. These days, my mind is always racing with ideas (maybe it is all the coffee that I drink) so I try some new ideas out in my sketchbook after I have finished. I love to work out the design problems there because it helps me to work out colors and shapes with future projects. Plus, if there is a new doodle that I draw out there on another page then maybe I can incorporate it into another project. "
tracy b wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 11:47 AM
I call my husband in from the other room(all excited) to come & have a look & ask him what he thinks of it. I am SO critical of my work, I always worry, is it good enough, does it look ok? I actually don't look at for about 2 or 3 days, that way I can see it with new eyes & appreciate what I've done.
melissa@yummygoods wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 12:53 PM
well, pokey. You'll actually be able to see what I do firsthand! I suspect I'll sob with relief. Now hand over some fabric!
VH wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 1:09 PM
After a huge sigh of elation (and relief), I put the completed piece in a place of honor--and away from the 2 dogs and a cat (that thinks any quilt in view is HER quilt and fair game to lay upon). Then I usually have a tall glass of something cool (or warm, in the winter) and head to the computer to e-mail my fiber art fiends and "support group" that the project is complete! YAY! The tidying-up process happens after the adrenaline subsides or after a nap or sleep if the project is finished at some unholy hour of the night--or morning--as is usually the case.
Sandra Blackwell wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 2:49 PM
When I finish a project I show it off! to anyone and everyone that might remotely be interested. Since most of my quilts are gifts, I then create a wrapping for it that suits the project. When that is all done, I putter around in my studio, cleaning and straightening, and deciding on what the next project is.
Sharon Eisen wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 3:02 PM
When I finish a project, I stop to admire it, put it in the room where it is intended, see how well I did, call my friend Arlene who will machine quilt it, and get busy cleaning up and saving the scraps left over from the project. I clean up my work area and look through my stash of ideas for the next project. Sometimes I even pick out the fabric for the next project. Usually, I don't start a project for 24 hours so that I can admire a clean room knowing full well that it won't stay that way. I play with Jack, my long-haired Maine Coon cat who looks like a bookend for your cat Sophie. P.S. My in-laws names were Sophie and Jack!
Judy Colpack wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 3:47 PM
I feel a great deal of relief -- it's finished!-- and excitement and pride in the finished product. And then I'll just sit and relax and my mind quickly races to "what will I do next"!!
Amanda A wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 5:12 PM
I clean up the huge mess I have made! I'm not very good at cleaning as I go along, so when I'm done I need to have it all tidied up to feel like I actually finished something!
Shelley G. wrote
on 11 Aug 2008 6:02 PM
Finish a project? If I am lucky enough to get that far, because while working on one project, I think of a ton of other ideas and can't wait to try them , or sketch them out, write them down, whatever, I think I could drive myself crazy (husband is already there.....)anyway, ahhh yes, finish a project...it's all about the "happy dance", elation! , reaching the top of that mountain.... finally!!! Dance around a little, catch my breath, eat a good meal, read the latest issue of Quilting ARts for new inspiration, and relax a bit, , but not too long, got to clean up and get started on the next project, of course!
Virginia M. Millington wrote
on 15 Aug 2008 10:48 AM
After I finish a project that I am really happy with, I try to remember to write down all the pertinent information of how I made it. Many times, during a new project, I will make changes and adjustments as I go along. By writing these changes down I am keeping a record of how my ideas changed and evolved over the course of the work. This comes in handy if someone says to me later, "Oh, I love this! Can you make one for me, too?"
Dee wrote
on 25 Aug 2008 4:29 PM
When I finish a project, I have a stack of new projects waiting to get started. First though, I have to reorganize and clean my studio. It helps get my creativity "cleared" and ready for the new process. Also, it helps remind me of the treasures I have pushed aside waiting for me to finish my project.
Joyce Teal wrote
on 26 Aug 2008 2:05 PM
Finished? What is finished? Once I decide in my studio that something is "finished," I take it into the other room and hang it up so I can enjoy it later on. "Finishing" is the reason I use to clean up my studio however that usually results in starting several more projects with the leftovers from the project I just "finished."
Mata RJolston wrote
on 4 Sep 2008 2:03 PM
When I finish a project I first breathe a big sigh of relief and then lay it out in a prominent spot so that all can admire it. I usually fix a nice dinner to compensate for all the hot dogs and tuna sandwiches I have been serving to my DH.
Mata Rolston wrote
on 4 Sep 2008 2:04 PM
When I finish a project I first breathe a big sigh of relief and then lay it out in a prominent spot so that all can admire it. I usually fix a nice dinner to compensate for all the hot dogs and tuna sandwiches I have been serving to my DH.
Mata Rolston wrote
on 4 Sep 2008 2:04 PM
When I finish a project I first breathe a big sigh of relief and then lay it out in a prominent spot so that all can admire it. I usually fix a nice dinner to compensate for all the hot dogs and tuna sandwiches I have been serving to my DH.
Lavinia wrote
on 12 Sep 2008 4:05 PM
When I finish a project I feel so pleased!first thing I do is taking like a hundred pictures of it =) Then celebrate: I turn on the music very loud (I love Daft Punk and Chemical Brothers) and sing and dance. And when somebody comes visiting, I show her/him what I´ve made and expect, of course, to be praised haha
dinah powers wrote
on 13 Sep 2008 7:34 PM
i just hover and stare. i take it in, i can't get enough. the satisfaction of completing something hopefully beautiful. it sometimes stumps me to know what to do next but it inspires me at the same time, i want to get the next high! i hope i win!!
dinah powers wrote
on 13 Sep 2008 7:37 PM
gosh, i'm not thinking! look at the date! sorry :D
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