I am literally driving myself insane...

Ok - maybe not literally...but I just can't seem to make a decision! I really am so truly inspired by Jenny's tutorials, but also all of you who post pics of your amazing stuff, but for some reason - I just can't seem to make a decision on a pattern and go for it!

Good news - my mom finally got a sewing machine. So instead of having two sewing machines buried in storage in NJ - I can run over to my mom's on the weekend and sew to my hearts content. The problem is - I went a little crazy with the fabric purchases when I first found this site and now I'm all jittery about getting started.

I bought the Cream & Sugar charm pack and a yard of the raspberry stripe and decided it would be cute for all the tea drinkers in my life to have mug rugs. Still...I don't know where to begin.

I LOVE the purples and greys in the Jubilee charm pack - and I also have TWO yards of the mauve yardage - and I haven't the first clue what would do them justice. Also, I'm not sure if 1 charm pack is enough. Maybe I should get more...

Ellie Ann? - jelly roll and a layer cake. No idea.
Mimi? - layer cake, also no idea.
My True Love Gave To Me? - layer cake and 2 yards of the green plaid. I see either a table runner or that Christmas tree skirt that Jenny made but I'm indecisive.
Sasparilla? - 2 Charm packs and a yard and a half of the yellow stripe. I see these as rag quilts for the lady that donates to the NICU - but I didn't join the group in case I never get the nerve to make the freakin' quilts!!

There's still a few more things from here - not to mention stuff I just picked up in the fabric stores because it caught my eye and quite frankly I think I'm becoming more of a fabric hoarder than an actual quilter. :(

I think also - I'm a little concerned that the people I have in mind for some of these things...won't really appreciate my hard work and effort. We've never really had anyone in the family who quilted and I dread the day I find out someone has shipped my fretted over and lovingly made quilt off to Good Will after a year or two because it doesn't go with their color scheme anymore!

Ok - it's late and I'm rambling. I'm sorry. But I officially consider this place my therapy and right now I am in a quilting crisis! Or lack of quilting crisis, I guess. :icon_mooooh:

Anyway - if you've made it this far...thanks for reading. I will give myself a good slap and go to bed. Maybe I'll be better in the morning. :icon_slap:

My first actual quilt was a DP9. I was terrified and yet I had committed to making it and just did it. I love that pattern. You must pick something to try. Make a zig zag runner. They are simple and give a lot of impact and they take a charm pack. You can do this. Start with this project and I promise you that you will want to make a ton more of them for gifts.

You can do this and there is no such thing as too much fabric!!!

I agree - just jump in with a project, any project and get something done, it will inspire you as much as anything to do more. I have a lot of inspiration fabric in my closet - I know I will do something with it, just not sure which project will get which fabric. I have started a list of patterns that I want to do - it keeps changing and growing, but helps me to focus on something. I have found I do better with lists and specific gifts.

If I am not sure that I will like doing a whole quilt out of a pattern, I break it down and just do enough of it to do a table runner. That way, I get to practice all of the cute new patterns, but also find out if it is one I like to do or not. Sometimes, there are too many seams or points that don't turn out, etc and I would rather find out on a practice piece than be committed to a whole quilt.

Vicki! I was going to ask if it was a short trip ...

Okay, You have a Mimi layer cake, I didn't see matching yardage and that's ok. One of the easiest Jenny quilts, and one of the ones I had the most fun with was the Double Slice Layer Cake. You end up with a nice sized throw quilt and you don't need borders if you don't want them.

Just give it a shot. You'll have a blast.

Vicki........you could make a rail fence pattern with a jelly roll.......that would be easy to get you started!

I kinda felt the same way. I wasbuilding up a fabric collection from MSQC and kept hesitating at starting. I had listened to more then I can count of Jennys tutorials and I have taken more than 10 classes at craftsy. But I finally just jumped inand now I cant stop. I love this new hobby. It makes me so happy and even happier when I gift a quilt to someone. My only stipulation when I give a quilt is that if they dont like it or want to get rid of it and do not have someone in mind for them to please send it back my way. So far so good. So short story is jump in and enjoy the swim :)

You guys are awesome. Thanks for the advice.

Lisa (pc) - you know when I saw the zigzag runner tut - I thought I should start there because it looked like something I could do from start to finish in one day. I think I should stick with that idea and give it a shot. I guess the Cream & Sugar charm pack would look good as a table runner - believe it or not - none of my other charm packs are really saying "table runner" to me. LOL Maybe there will be enough charms and fabric for a table runner and two mug rugs. Then I'd have to keep the whole set though. hahaha

Lisa (live2craft2) - I like your idea about breaking the pattern down. I love the way half square triangles, sashing and pinwheels look - but if I start trying them out and I just can't get my points perfect or my seems lined up - I will be disappointd and discouraged and definitely won't want a whole quilt of slightly off-kilter lines and points. LOL Maybe a little wonky table runner wouldn't be so bad.

Somehow - I'm starting to see a lot of table runners in my future.

Karen - I have to admit it is a shorter trip than it use to be! Thanks for the advice - I am officially dedicating the Mimi LC to a double slice in your honor. :)

Pammy (knock knock knock) Pammy (knock knock knock) Pammy (knock knock knock) - sorry Big Bang Theory reference. I hope you don't hate being called "Pammy". LOL - had a friend in HS who did! Anyway - I love the fence rail idea but is it weird that I'm not that fond of the diamonds? Probably.

Kgrammiecaz - I am glad I'm not the only one to have felt this way. It's almost like EVERY tutorial Jenny has done I want to try to the point that I'm actually doing nothing.

So I've decided - this weekend, I'm going to jump in with the Cream and Sugar table runner (and hopefully at least one matching mug rug!) Followed by a Mimi double slice layer cake. ...:icon_woohoo: (maybe I should save that smiley for if I actually accomplish this stuff.)

Vicki.......if you like the rail fence pattern......make it without the diamonds. It would be quick & easy with the jelly rolls. I made one using scraps and it was easy too.

Knock, knock, knock Vicki......... :D

Vicky: It looks like you are feeling less crazy (we all are a little crazy right?) and just about ready to dive in. I really think that Zig Zag runner is the way to go. As for the fence rail a lot of people do it without the diamonds.

Go forth and quilt!

Vicki - can't wait to see what you come up with! Just remember, everyone has had to start at one point and even after many quilts, no one is perfect. There will always be that one seam, one point, or something that is not perfect. God didn't make us to be perfect. Heck, if I waited until I thought something would turn out perfectly, I would have never started. But do remember, is you give anything away, you are blessing that person. Not everyone will appreciate the time and effort you put in to making a quilt - most don't understand what it takes to make even a table runner. My oldest son says he doesn't want me to make him a quilt because he knows what it takes for me to make a larger one and he just sees it as another blanket. The horrors of his thoughts! But I do know that his lap size I SPY quilt I made out of his special clothing, he treasures. So, someday, I will make him a larger quilt. My dad's quilt is laid out all across the sofa. For the longest time I thought he didn't like it cause he won't USE it. Come to find out that he laid it out that way so everyone will see it when they walk in the door. (No one sits on it.)
Sounds like you will try it! I'll be looking!

Hugs,

You really need to pick a project, however small, and begin. It will relieve your anxiety and get you on the road to becoming a quilter. I'm familiar with the overwhelmed feeling you are having....a Double Slice quilt is super simple and would give you great cutting and 1/4" stitching experience. In the end you would have something really great to show for your effort. Barb