A Lesson Semi-Learned

There are, regretfully, lessons one must learn dozens of times rather than just the usual six or seven. For some this might bring to mind forgotten car keys, lawnmowers left out in the rain, or emergency trips to purchase diapers, chocolate ice cream or Pepto-Bismol in the cold dark hours of the night. For me, fronting the list is a simple rule: Never, ever stop quilting.

This is not to say that if you should cease to quilt your world as you know it might come to an end - which it might. Or that your soul, previously soothed into happiness by the gentle repetitive motion of needle through cloth, might fall into despair and start drinking alone in dark corners - although it might. Or that if you stop quilting your inner creative genius might become mortally offended and take off on a one-way jaunt to the Distant Himalayas with your now alcoholic soul for company. Though of course it's always possible.

The reason you never ever stop quilting is this: You lose your calluses.

On a good day, I might have four or five projects well started and two or three on the cusp of being done. (Astonishing just how long something can linger on the cusp of being done, isn't it?) On a bad day, there might be eight or nine projects mid-stride and two or three on the cusp. I say this to say: it's not that I stop being creative. It's just that I'm playing with a different toy or a different part of the brain for a few days. This, however, is a Mistake. Spend days designing beautiful things that might never get done, cutting out 2 1/2 inch squares for future projects, or organizing your hopelessly unorganized stash. But don't stop quilting. Half an hour here or there could save you DAYS of agony. There will be those who read these words and dismiss them as hyperbolic. But think, how often do you use your thumb, forefinger and middle finger? Can you really afford to have over half of your hand out of commission? Is that wise? Is it responsible? As someone who is currently nursing three hot, swollen, needle-mangled fingers, let me assure you: you'd rather just put in the half hour once a day.