Friday, June 8, 2012

On The Bandwagon?

I'm waving to everyone on the bandwagon.  I jumped off.  It's too crowded for me.  It continues to travel far and wide and continues to have a great following.  I'm blaming the Internet for my lack of interest to "jump on the bandwagon". 

When all I had were magazines and books and sewing classes to inspire me to sew a specific project, my to do list really was never ending.  My list continues to be never ending, but for different reasons...such as life gets in the way of actually getting projects done in a timely fashion.

But, ..... the Internet is causing me to loose interest as fast as it inspires me!  I love it when I see a blogger or a flickr contact has created a fresh perspective for a quilting project.  I start getting inspired and mentally add the idea to my to do list.  Then, within a couple of weeks and sometimes even less, that fresh perspective starts popping up all over the Internet.  What happens to me being inspired happens to lots and lots of others.  It doesn't seem to take long after that for me to become uninterested in sewing the latest craze.

But I still love seeing every one's version of the latest craze.  I think all it's going to take is time for these newest fads to run their immediate course of popularity.  Once they disappear from sight for a while, I'm sure I'll become interested again.  I wonder if this happens to anyone else.

It isn't a bad thing either...it's also causing me to really dig deep for some originality to my own work and to add some personal perspective to work that inspires me from bandwagons long gone by. 

Just musing,
Annie

11 comments:

Michele said...

I hear ya. Many of the bandwagons going around are just not for me. That doesn't mean that I don't see a lot that sparks my interest but I'm trying to keep focused on my own Quilting To Do list first. I really want to be able to cross some of those off as done before I add any more.

Cindy Sharp said...

You have to follow your own muse.

So many people don't. They follow what is popular or in. All they get out of it is a-muse-ment for a little while and then it is on to something else. Once you realize that you have to sing your own song to be satisfied.

I have no doubt that you are an original. Nothing less than your own song will do.

sheila 77 said...

Well, Annie, I have never associated you with any bandwagon. We can have great fun watching, but we don't have to copy, and sometimes we see something that inspires us to start our own something else. As for a To Do list, I don't have one any more, as I find my fabrics have their own ideas as to what they want to do. Happy quilting!

Beezus said...

It's funny, but I was thinking about this the other day. Everyone wants to swoon when they see the swoon blocks . . . everyone wants to EPP when they see hexies on someone's blog. I wonder what it will be like in two generations' time -- will magazine (or the future equivalent) have articles about the popularity/craze of blog quilt ideas? And will it be that lots of young women just joining the quilting community be inspired by such a thing to start the craze all over again? I'm a historian, so I often wonder about these things. I'm not much of a follower myself, so I have a hard time joining in, but I DO use the net for my inspiration and my how-to. And sometimes, every once in a great while, I think maybe I should join in just to be part of the group. Then my own list of inspirations reasserts itself, and I go happily on my way. I do like watching the trends, though. :)

carol said...

For sure you're not a bandwagon girl! We ALL know that! Me, on the other had, never did a bandwagon thing for so many years that following some now, isn't so bad. Besides, there were things a few years back that I wished I could do, and now that I can, I do.....it's simply that. I still have a head full of ideas, but like you, life gets in the way. I wish I was faster...I'd get so much more done!

Judy D in WA said...

If I didn't get on the bandwagon, I'd never go anywhere! :)
That said, I am picky about where I go. I still like doing what I like doing.

Snoodles said...

Great post, Annie! I'm with ya! I sometimes get caught up in the oh-I-think-I-will-join-that-swap-or-group, or add that project to my to-do list, and then before I hit the button, I stop and think....do I really have time to put one more thing on my list? Do I really want it on my list? Am I just happy because it is a really neat idea?
More often than not, you'll find me on the sidelines cheerfully supporting the ones on the wagon, but still doing my own thing! I do enjoy looking around at what others are doing, tho, since sometimes I'll go off on a tangent from something I see! :)

Katherine said...

You're a wise woman for knowing when to jump off the bandwagon. It's so important to know why you're doing what you're doing and to stay true to yourself - in all things and to be protective of one's creativity.
It's an interesting paradox that the Internet creates...giving and taking away inspiration. Know that you're not the only one experiencing this. Thanks for sharing your insights, Annie.

Heidi said...

love this post. I feel a lot like this . And til now I managed NOT to piece hexies, nor make any dresdens ( but only because I haven't got a ruler ;-) )
But it's all very tempting...
But with every skipping a whatever..a long I have more time to find my own way ( if there is any )

Gmama Jane said...

I like to think I pick and choose what merry go round to jump on. As an educator, I am well aware that what goes around comes back around at some given time...so the things I wasn't interested in at first I am now. I am NOT into paper piecing but I like seeing others creations. I liked this post very much!! Made me do some 'thinkin'" and not feel guilty for not joining every group I see. I can only procrastinate on so many projects!! LOL!! But I will say that joining a swap keeps me focused and forces me to finish!!
Blessings
Gmama Jane

waggonswest said...

You know Annie, I've been struggling with this post ever since I read it last week. My initial urge was to make some sweeping comment about chasing after the latest pattern in the latest fabric. How that doesn't satisfy my creative urge. Yet every time I start to type it out, I think how important it is for some folks to color inside the lines. There is certainly a case to be made for the learning that takes place when I follow (or at least try to follow) a pattern.

Furthermore, so much of quilting is derivative. We should no longer be surprised to learn that the modern quilt we adore was made at the turn of the last century. We all use elements of quilts that have gone before us even if we don't do it wholesale.

I think I am going to have to concede that I enjoy watching the parade -- that I do jump on for a block or two. And I will keep looking under the float and around the corner for that something different that speaks to me.