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Even the most creative and passionate quilters suffer from quilter's block. Similar to writer's block, the ideas and want to plan, cut and sew is there and yet, when it comes to choosing a new project or finishing an old, something just doesn't click. The result is days, weeks and months of no progress and probably a lot of frustration. As always, we're here to help. Check out this list of places to reignite inspiration for quilting!
Follow Our GO! Getters
If you haven't already, meet our team of GO! Getters! Each quilter on our team loves creating, designing and sewing, so not only will you learn a ton about quilting with and without an AccuQuilt, you might also pick up on some other arts. Visit their blogs and social media pages to see all the things they're working on. Be sure to subscribe to our blog for the tutorials and advice they share!
Need some inspiration to hit your quilting goals? Read this!
Read Magazines & Books
There are so many amazing magazines and books on quilting. If you've been considering a specific type of technique or pattern, there's a book for that! If you aren't sure where to start, take a look at GO! Outside the Box Pattern Book or GO! Qube Mix & Match Blocks and Quilts Pattern Book both of which are written by Eleanor Burns. If you're looking for something free, we have a ton of free quilt patterns available for download!
Use GO! Quilt
Speaking of free patterns, GO! Quilt makes giving our quilt patterns your own look. GO! Quilt is a pattern customizer with an ever-growing list of patterns that are both rotary cutter and AccuQuilt-friendly. If you haven't started using this tool, it will quickly become your favorite way to start a project. Here is a quick list of just some of the things you can do with GO! Quilt:
- Upload and manage your own fabric stash
- View and add popular fabric company collections to your stash
- View and customize patterns from AccuQuilt, Quilters World and more
- Download quilt patterns a supply list customized to your fabric and product library
Join Pinterest
This is one of the most common places to go for inspiration on everything from recipes to workout routines. If you're already a pinner, you probably already have a board or multiple boards dedicated to quilting. You will need to sign up for Pinterest to see pins, but it's pretty easy to do especially with a Facebook account.
When you're in, you will be overwhelmed by the number of pictures you see. If you have a specific quilt or technique you want to learn, type it in the search bar. If you have no idea what you want to do next, you can keep your search really simple and use the suggested filters under the search bar to narrow down. Or, there's always the option to just get lost in the search by clicking images that look interesting to you, then scrolling through the related posts underneath each.
Peruse Instagram & Facebook Hashtags
On Instagram and Facebook, when you add the pound sign in front of a word or phrase (with no spaces), it creates a hashtag. Instagram and Facebook use hashtags as a way of organizing posts so they are more easily searchable. If you use social media, you've probably already seen and/or used hashtags and know how fun they can be to immerse yourself in. If not, take a look at the list below. All direct you to Instagram hashtags, but remember you can search Facebook for these too.
There are so many hashtags out there, so these are only the beginning! You can even search your favorite fabric company or line to see what others are making with that fabric.
Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are great because you can nearly guarantee that every member of the group shares your interest. They create a forum where you can ask questions about your craft, join in conversations or just read tips and posts others share. Like being in a class, you are surrounded by people who have a lot of advice and projects to share.
If you take a look at the groups below, you will see a combination of tips, finished quilts, WIPs and stories. You will more than likely see more than a few projects and patterns you will want to try! Some of these are private groups and require you to answer a few questions before joining. This is to ensure the safety of members and uphold the integrity of content - so it's a good thing!
- AccuQuilt and Beyond
- AccuQuilt Qube Quilts
- Machine Applique Adventures
- The Modern Quilt Guild
- Quilting for Beginners
- Quilting and Sewing Enthusiast
Look into local groups too! Many shops and guilds have their own pages.
Attend Classes and Quilt Shops
Similar to groups and forums, quilt shops are filled with knowledgeable, passionate quilters. Even better, usually local quilt shops host classes and clubs. Sign up for one or a few and before long you will be a better quilter with even more quilter friends. Classes will have patterns and projects specifically built for the curriculum, but clubs often encourage sharing where you can see what others are working on. In either situation, you will be fully immersed in new patterns and designs that can inspire your next project!
Check with your local AccuQuilt retailer to see if they host AccuQuilt specific clubs!
Visit Fabric Websites or Go Fabric Shopping
Sometimes it's better to allow your supplies to inspire the project, and judging by the number of quilters who buy fabric on a whim without a specific project in mind, quilting is no different. Think of your favorite fabric companies, then visit their website and blogs. Often fabric companies have an entire area of the site dedicated to inspiration, patterns or tutorials. You can also look at the websites and social medias of the designers who create your favorite fabric lines.
If you don't know which fabric company to start with, take a look at the fabric collections in GO! Quilt. You can view some of their lines and find the one that speaks to you most, then visit their site for further inspiration.
Tour a Quilting Exhibit or Museum
Explore the roots of quilting by visiting one of the many museums or quilting exhibits near you. If you're in the United States, consider a trip to Nebraska, home to the International Quilt Museum which is a quick drive away from AccuQuilt headquarters! Give us a call and we'll show you around our quilt gallery and the Dream Studio, where big things are always happening.
Make time to tour the Midwest and you will have options like Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden, Colorado, Iowa Quilt Museum in Winterset, Iowa and Missouri Quilt Museum in Hamilton, Missouri. Not far from The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky. These are just a few of the museums and galleries around the world, so take a moment to find the one nearest you!
Go Outside
If all else fails, go outside! Nature has a way of clearing and reinvigorating the mind, so take a walk or sit outside. Take a camera and snap some pictures for reference or just enjoy the sounds, smells and views. Dione Gardner-Stephen of Clever Chameleon gathered inspiration from around her and created a dandelion quilt with the GO! Cleopatra's Fan-12" Finished die (55490).
Every quilter is unique, so you might get inspired by a completely different source. If so, tell us how you get inspired in the comments and be sure to share what your inspiration led you to create on Facebook and Instagram. Add the #AccuQuilt so we see it!
