What was I thinking???

For me, quilting is a creative outlet. I love collecting inspirations on Pinterest, doing random Google searches, browsing magazines and books, finding just the right quilt to make... then I go fabric shopping (whether online, at a store, or just in my closet), picking colors and patterns... spending hours putting it all together and creating a quilt top. This is what draws me to quilting. I get to be the artist with fabric that I could never be with a pencil or paintbrush...

But a quilt top is not a quilt... more steps need to be taken... I found over the years that when I tried to do my own topstitching (usually stitch in the ditch), I always liked the quilt less after is was quilted, as my stitching was far from perfect... I always thought to myself "what a waste of all that work"... 

Then I discovered long arm quilting and never looked back. I have loved every quilt I've made that was topstitched by someone else! I am a firm believer in the fact that you don't need to like every aspect of a hobby. If you do parts of it well, and someone else can do other parts for you, it doesn't make it any less your project. For me, it comes down to piece of mind. I don't want a hobby that is full of disappointments. I want it to stay creative and enjoyable. 

So, what then, was I thinking when I started doing this?:

ACK! Random meandering stippling! On my own home sewing machine...

I was thinking that post on Pinterest made it look like it wasn't so bad, and I should give it another try... Apparently I was not thinking it through... (sigh) 

I can only do a little bit at a time. I have to walk away often. It frustrates me. But I will finish it and I will eventually have it on my bed, where no one has to see it but me and J. Mostly, I will finish it because I need to get back to sewing something enjoyable, like my farmer's wife blocks, and this is not something you can just tuck away for another time. It's in the machine, and it's stuck there, needle down when not in use...