This lil’ piggy went to market….

I taught a long-arm quilting class on Tuesday evening.  We had four class participants and everyone was running the machine like a pro by the end of the class. Everyone had a little different approach, some ran the machine slow, some fast, some from the front, some from the back, but every student was successful in creating a beautiful pattern on the quilt sandwich. The longer I sew the more I realize that sewing is so much more than doing something perfect.  Sewing is making a mistake and then continuing with the project anyway.  I used to think everything was so black and white — there was only one way to put in a zipper, finish a seam or topstitch a collar.  Now I am learning that it’s more about the way I like to do something.  I made a bag last weekend and didn’t follow the pattern guide when I sewed in the pockets.  I liked the way the pockets in my last bag were sewn in, so I did it that way. That’s more than just sewing,  that’s creating. When we give ourselves permission to go ‘off the pattern guide’ all kinds of fun stuff can happen. The prettiest quilt I ever made was something that happened because I cut the fabric wrong. When it was finished, I named the quilt “Happy Accident” and gave it to my dad for Christmas. He never knew there was a problem. My challenge to you is to “go off pattern guide.” You will never know creative you are until you push through a mistake and take it to the next level and create a Happy Accident!  Perception is everything.  Just ask the Lil’ Piggy who went to market.  I bet his life is SEW FUN.    Donna K.