I took part in a challenge posted by my on-line applique group last week. The challenge was to spend at least 15 minutes every day doing some stitching. That is not a lot of time. Mostly it was a reminder to take time for yourself every day doing the things you love to do. Considering that my current hand projet is a set of applique blocks, I almost always have something sitting by my chair to pick up and sew in the evening while relaxing and watching TV.
Yes, I did spend at least 15 minutes for every day for those 7 days doing some sort of stitching, preparing, choosing fabrics, etc. But, it got me thinking... I have no projects with deadlines. I am doing these applique blocks because I thought the patterns were beautiful and wanted a portable stitching project. There were some days that I picked up needle and thread because I had this challenge hanging over my head and I felt guilty NOT stitching. And, I do admit that I rarely just spent 15 minutes. Once I got going, I typically sewed for at least 30 minutes. And, a few days I took a stitch or two and put the block down only to pick it up again and repeat this because I hadn't gotten to my 15 minues.
So, why am I doing this? I do this for enjoyment. I do this because I like making things. I enjoy being able to step back and admire something I created and I enjoy sharing them with other people. I've never really been a selfless person who never takes time for myself. So, why force myslef to do something on a hobby if forcing makes it seem like a chore?
I guess I have mixed feelings about this challenge. It did focus my attention on getting the 11th block of this series done. I had been feeling less than enthusiastic about the project and it may have gotten put away onto the pile of UFOs. So, this challenge did get me over that hump, but I did resent HAVING to sew. Perhaps I need a different spin on this of not necessarily having to do something every day, but having to finish a project before jumping off to the next.
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