A Step in the Right Direction

I finally did something this morning that I've been putting off for a while.  I cleaned out the quilting book case.  Most of the books were in alphabetical order, but there was a pile of books and magazines that didn't fit and I really did need to thin the herd a little.  (Actually, the whole house could use a little thinning, but that's a whole other thing.)  Looks pretty good now.

There's no 'before' picture, mainly because I didn't think of it and also, nobody really wants to see that.  Now I have a small stack of books that aren't really my style anymore and two stacks of magazines to check through before I dump them in case one might have an idea for the ultimate quilt.  I have file folders full of great ideas that have been collected since about 1979 when I discovered Quilter's Newsletter.  I go through them every few years and dump out the stuff that no longer appeals.  If I live to be 120, I couldn't begin to even consider all the ideas.  And then there are the books.  Should quilting suddenly go out of style, I'm good for three or four lifetimes.  And yet there's always room for one more book or magazine.  In an odd way, they comfort me.  They're new, yet familiar.  And the ultimate quilt idea might be in there.

I'm meandering a bit, but I actually have a point.  There's more to cleaning and straightening than creating a neatness,(although that's really nice) and passing some stuff on to someone who'll use it and appreciate it more (which always feels good).  Looking through the books about color and technique and creativity reminds me of why I do this in the first place.  I love learning new things and trying new techniques.  I love the colors and the fabric and the thread.  It's less about gifts and projects and more about expressing something that can't be explained in words.  And reviewing where I've been and where I want to head resets my brain from "I have to get this project done by next week," to "This is what I want to explore and learn about."