Good morning, Quilting Rockstars!

Listen, I say it in all my classes, but it's high time I said it here as well. The BIGGEST OBSTACLE between you and the quilting of your dreams is that little voice in your head who says you can't do this, that it will never get better, that you don't have a fancy enough machine, whatever.

That voice is a LIAR. So hit it over the head with a bolt of fabric and get to quilting already!

Quilting with confidence does NOT mean that you quilt perfectly or that you know everything or that you don't need to practice any more. Quilting with confidence means that you believe that you know or can learn any understanding or skills you need in order to quilt any quilt you want exactly the way you want to quilt it. There's a time and a place for fear, but quilting is not it. Quilting is a time for FUN. Trust me, Rockstars, you've got this!

So how do you deal with that voice?

1) Ignore it: Whenever possible, just tune that voice out. Tell it to go get a coffee, anything. We don't have time to listen to liars-- there's quilting to do.
2) Speak truth to yourself: Shout aloud in your sewing space if you have to, but remind yourself that you are a perfectly smart, capable human and there's basically nothing you can't learn with a bit of dedication and practice
3) Ask for help: Call your quilting bestie, ask your Hubster, or hop into my Quilting Rockstars Facebook group, and ask for encouragement. It's my job to guide you to quilt with confidence, and I take my cheerleading roll very seriously!

YOU CAN DO THIS! Whatever your quilting goals are for this year, I'm here to help and cheer for you!

The difference of a year: Feathers on the swatch are from March 27, 2017. Feathers on the quilt are from last night. The secret? A year of drawing and practice of all my fmq motifs until feathers made sense to my brain.

Finally, if you are totally new to free motion quilting or if you aren't sure how to grow and develop your skills, I'd love to share my Top Three Tips for Successful Free Motion Quilting! Click here, and I’ll pop it straight over to your inbox! I can't wait to see the difference it makes in your quilting when you stop listening to that fearful, critical voice. Your Inner Critic is a liar, and we don't have time for that. So, set your sights on those quilty goals and start practicing! This is YOUR YEAR to learn Free Motion Quilting!

Oh, and if you just can't wait until class to connect, you can find me on Instagram @stringandstory and on Facebook, too.

Love,
HollyAnne