I haven’t started a quilt since I closed the shop. The truth is I have a number of completed baby quilts and nowhere for them to go. I enjoy planning, piecing, and quilting quilts, but it felt pointless, like I couldn’t justify the enormous snout of time a quilt takes just to stick it in the pie safe with the others, not listing it (and not even sharing it on social media since I left Instagram).

I decided the very act of making a quilt was therapeutic enough to justify its own existence so I started one a couple days ago. I was in a low enough mood that I couldn’t muster the enthusiasm to do the math and cutting so I pulled out six matching stacks of pre-cut 5” squares and started sorting. I decided to go with nine-patch squares (still feeling fairly uninspired) and started creating blocks on various surfaces and the empty space of the floor. Only after I realized I could probably separate the blocks with solid sashing, using extra squares at the junctions, did I start feeling a little enthusiasm for the whole thing.

Today I should finish sewing the blocks. I’ll then choose a solid color (probably white) and cut rectangles for sashing, piecing them with the extra squares. After that I’ll decide on an overall layout and join the resulting large blocks.

It’s satisfying to use materials I already have, although I will definitely have to purchase batting to make the quilt sandwich.