Many months ago, I was chatting with a friend at our bar knitting group. She said something that resonated with me. By its very nature, crafting is one of the few hobbies where a tangible outcome is expected. People play and watch sports, but they aren't expected to have something physical when they are done. People read books and watch movies, but they aren't expected to present a report every time they do. People surf all day with little more than a suntan to show for it.
As creatives, output and completion are expected from us. In my early days as a maker, I excelled at the finish. Soon though, I became more experimental in my work - trying new techniques, glancing into new palettes. Somewhere along the way, I no longer felt the urge to finish. Simply making headway on a project satisfied my creative urge. Making became more about the process than the product.
Plastic boxes of partial projects began to stack up. I sold off many of them. The pile continued to grow. Scores of patchwork jockey shirts. Enormous pieced flying geese arches. Tidy hand pieced circles. Half finished crocheted toys and socks.
I am a maker of unfinished things. The process brings me joy.
happy crafting, amy badskirt.
love it!!! How wonderful to realize it really is about enjoying the process rather than completion. I so love all the gorgeous unfinished things you pictured, just gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteI was just commenting to may sister the other day, that for many of us, I think the thrill of starting a new project, with new colours, fabrics and techniques is what we like, rather than the end result. Love the look of those circles and fussy cuts in the last photo too.
ReplyDeleteYay! I thought I was just bad at finishing anything but I feel much better now. I love the planning, purchasing and initial sewing (or knitting) but something new and shiny often gets my attention. The only exception seems to be sewing to a deadline which means I rarely have anything to show of my own finished work as it has been sent off for a swap or a bee.
ReplyDeleteI regard it as aspirational sewing... I aspire to create many things, some arrive at completion, some were never destined to be...I can live with that....love your post!
ReplyDeleteAmen! Love love love this sentiment.
ReplyDeleteSeeeeeeee..... I have been telling folks that for years. I have to say that once I figured out that sometimes all I wanted was to figure out how to do something I could play with just enough fabric for a couple of blocks instead of buying enough for the whole damn quilt I felt even better about the "creative "process.
ReplyDeleteMaking peace with the process is a liberating event! I find that if I wean myself off fibery blogs for a few weeks, I can accomplish all KINDS of things - event finishes!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes!!! And I do not care...I just love it.
ReplyDeleteGo Amy!! A metaphor for life too..celebrate the unfinished.
ReplyDeleteIn my day job it is all about the process, I educate parents of young children on the importance of this very thing. Children thrive on process not product and it is the accumulation of our experiences, our moments in life, if you will, that makes us who we are. Funny I never applied this to my own craft. Thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me why I craft! I need to stop feeling badly for not finishing things and just enjoy the ride:)
ReplyDeleteI think it would be great to have a creative trunk show. Digital, or in real life, that shows unfinished work. Especially if there was experimentation behind the process. I think there is high value in showing processes and thought tangents. If Picasso or Monet (or J. Kirk Richards) were to say, hey why don't we get together and show and talk about some of our paintings that aren't done and ready to display. I'm sure most people would be thrilled. There is value in making.
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