Tuesday, March 19, 2013

15 Minute Challenge - How to Say it - Part 2

Thanks for all the well wishes from yesterday. I am feeling better, but not yet 100%.  After all the rushing the last 2 weeks, being short on sleep and carrying higher levels of stress it's not surprising that I ended up out of commission for a couple of days.  I spent most of yesterday either asleep in the recliner or back in bed.  Antihistamines will do that to me.  But I'm recovered enough to head back to work today.  

In addition to finding time to sew this year, I'm looking for ways to improve my creativity.  The fostering creativity theme for February is to "talk about your quilting".  Last week was all about how to ask for feedback.  This week will continue that topic with a few comments about providing feedback.  Some things to consider about offering supportive feedback include:

  • Be given with the interest of the person in mind, supportive not destructive.
  • Be given when asked for, not spontaneously.
  • Be descriptive.  Not "I don't like the fabric", but instead "that fabric muddies the pattern"
  • Be specific. 
  • Addresses something that can actually be changed.
  • Is not personal.
  • Use the "sandwich technique".  Start with something you like, then address the item to be critiqued, then finish with something else you like.
Check out Constructive Criticism and Constructive Criticism and Advice for more on supportive feedback.  

This was actually a really quiet week, finding a few minutes to sew each day wasn't hard, though anything compared to the previous week would have seemed like a break.  



After managing only 4 days last week, I'm back to 7 days this week.  The Sofa Quilt is going to Trudy for quilting and I've decided the OSU quilt will be the next in line to finish up.  The parts for it are all cut out and it's such easy construction that it won't take long.  I found the backing fabric for it in my stash last night, so that project is coming together nicely.  

How did you do this week on finding time to sew?  




1. Lesley A
2. Susanne
3. Julie in GA
4. Thea
5. Amanda

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7 comments:

lesleyworth said...

Glad to hear you are feeling better! Wow, you are making some great progress getting your 15 minutes in!

Hmmm...feedback...kind of scary for me to ask for, but a necessary thing to consider. I look forward to exploring this part!

Marti said...

I'm glad to see you are feeling better, should have looked at this post first.

Feedback is difficult, both to give and receive. I like your last suggestion particularly, sandwich the bad between the good.

I didn't get much done this past week, so didn't make a post about it. I only sewed one day. I have decided my new machine is just not made for quilting. It jigs and jags crossing every seam, and putting the rows together is killing me trying to make it sew them. I may go shopping for a new machine before I continue.

Shay said...

I think that there must be something in the air at the moment- everyone I chat with is feeling higher levels of stress than usual. We all need to step back and take a breath every now and then (which is far easier said than done when you are up to your eyeballs in pressing commitments)

I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better today though.

I think the kind of feedback you might give someone really depends on how well you know the person too. I have no problem being forthright with a close friend but I tend to choose my words more carefully with someone I know less well. I do try not to hurt peoples feelings at all times. Diplomacy is a good thing !

make.share.give said...

Glad you're feeling better! It sounds like you still got a lot done this week.

thea said...

I'm also glad to hear you're feeling better, and that you were able to get your sewing in too.

I agree on the asking for and providing feedback. I rarely respond, although I may give an opinion now and then, partly because I don't think I'm qualified to critique.

seabreezequilts said...

Glad you are feeling better, can't say that I am off for some more torture today to try and get my back back to where it should be. You did pretty well for feeling ordinary though... me not so good. I can't do the constructive criticism I usually just say it looks good or keep mum.

Denise :) said...

That was all really very good advice -- the sandwich technique has been a personal favorite of mine in pretty much any situation when I have to lend an opinion or deliver hard news. I hope by now you're feeling *much* better!! I love the purples in your report graphic this week!! That's a really pretty image! :)