On Being a Finisher (or On Not Always Enjoying the Journey)

I saw a post recently that asked “Are you more of a topper or a quilter?” and I thought to myself, “Oh my goodness! I think I’m more of a completer!”

The ironic thing is that this year I haven’t completed many art quilts. I have finished few projects, but the magnum opus art quilts that I have been working on all year are still in the process of getting done.

I had to ask myself “Why?” And because I am in the process of creating two art quilts that are unlike one another, the answer is different for each.

One of the art quilts is near and dear to my heart, while the other one is turning out to be a much more political quilt than I had originally anticipated.

But this year and these quilts are the exception to my otherwise typical rule. Often, I do not enjoy the journey.

OK, wait. That’s not entirely true. I do enjoy it in the general sense, of course. I love coming up with an idea and going through all the work to see it come to fruition. If I didn’t, I’d never get anything done except fantasizing.

But the process and the journey give me a lot of stress. Am I doing it right? Will it turn out the way I want it to? Will I make dreadful mistakes? Will I have to scrap it, wasting time, resources, money, and energy (except in the overarching “this is a learning moment” sense)?

So I stay relatively anxious whenever I’m making an art quilt until the last stitch is finished and I can finally see it on my wall in all its accomplished glory.

But I’m not feeling that way with these two quilts. Maybe they are happy to be strolling along. Or maybe I’m learning more patience and gaining better skills so I’m not as lost in where I’m going.

Whatever the reason, I don’t always enjoy the journey. But this time, I am.