This post is such a great topic - and constant need! This list of 10 Ways to Find More Time for Quilting (or any hobby!) was written by guest contributor, Lisa of Wild Plum Lane. She has some really doable ideas and suggestions to help you carve out more creative time. Here's Lisa!
Hello! I’m Lisa from Wild Plum Lane, and I’m so excited to be here again on Amy’s blog to help you keep making progress on your quilt projects.
Read on for my top ten ideas on how to find more time to work on them, as well as a free reflection guide to help you determine how to make more time for quilting in YOUR life. Let’s dive in!
It seems like there is never enough time in a day for quilting.
Always one more seam to sew, one more block to finish, one more row to assemble!
What if I told you there ARE some time-savers you can use to fit more quilting in? Scroll through my top ten tips below to find more time to work on your quilt projects and finish your Works in Progress (WIPs). Decide which ones might work for you, adjust them to fit into your life using the printable that goes along with this post, and VIOLA!
More time for you to sew!
Note: These are some things that work for me in the stage of life I am in…a stage where my family is my #1 priority and I fit in quilting fun between them and my day job. However, if you are in a different life stage, let me know in the comments how you find time to quilt in YOUR life. I’m certain your ideas will resonate with another fellow quilter…let’s all help each other find more time for quilting!
Wild Plum Lane’s TOP TEN ways to find more time for quilting
- Plan out your time in advance. If you know exactly what you are going to do when you sit down at your sewing machine, you’re more likely to get it done quickly than if you are constantly wondering where to start. Having a game plan is key. If you don’t have it already, download your Quilter’s Weekly Planner and check out my previous guest post right here at Diary of a Quilter for some helpful tips on using it. The planner can help you organize your next steps to get those Works In Progress (WIPs) completed!
If it’s easier, you can also find a pre-printed version in my shop that can be delivered directly to your door with 50 weekly planning pages ready to go…for almost a year of quilty progress!
2. Add some quick dinners into the rotation. See if you can find some go-to recipes (think sheet pan dinners, casseroles, crock pot, insta-pot, etc.) that have less hands-on time so you can sew while dinner is cooking. You certainly don’t need to plan ahead like this every day, but once in a while an easy meal can buy back a little bit of evening time for sewing. (Buying pre-cut veggies and/or frozen vegetables can be a super time-saver, too.) And…there’s always take out!
3. Get your kids involved (or a sibling, friend, spouse, etc.). Maybe it’s time to teach them to sew and enjoy some quality time in the sewing room! Can they make and stuff a pillow, hand-stitch a doll-sized patchwork quilt from a mini charm pack, lay out fabric pieces on the design wall, or (older kids or adults only!) help with ironing or cutting? Just be sure you don’t over-commit your time to a project for little ones (coming from a person who miiiight have done that before!).
4. Hire someone to help with caregiving duties. I know it’s not feasible for everyone, and if it’s not for you, skip on down to #5. But if you’ve got kids or other loved ones you regularly care for, remember that it is an option to hire someone to help out so you can take a break …and that doesn’t always mean leaving the house and spending money on dinner and a movie. This idea can give all adults in your house a break to do something they enjoy!
5. Trade time with your spouse, a family member, or a friend. Again, if you have caretaking responsibilities, it might work to do a time swap with your spouse, another family member, or a friend. They take over the caretaking duties for a few hours while you quilt, and you swap in for a few hours while they enjoy some down time. A win for everyone!
6. Get your space organized. When you can easily find the fabric you need, the pattern for what you’re making, and the notions you need to make it, everything moves faster. Keep the supplies you need handy with project bins, ruler storage, color-coordinated scrap bins, and a place for machine parts and maintenance tools, to start
7. Let your space get messy. (I know, opposite of #6, but messy in a different way!) By messy, I don’t mean disorganized, I just mean that if your kids need to bring their 20,374 toys into your sewing area and scatter them EVERYWHERE, if they are happy and entertaining themselves, let them do it! You can all have a pick up party before moving on to the next thing, but take advantage of the fun that chaos brings…and the time it gives you at your sewing machine!
8. Get the right notions to make your time most productive. Sometimes just the right tool can make your time exponentially more efficient. Think half-square triangle trimming templates, a Stripology ruler for cutting, wonder clips, etc.
9. Bring your projects with you. Grab your favorite bag and stuff it with a project you can take on-the-go. Between meetings, sports games, activities, and/or errands, you can fit a lot of sewing in. (Just be sure you remember to put your phone down and actually do it!)
10. Give yourself permission to quilt. Please don’t spend any more time feeling guilty for doing something you enjoy, even if it means something else must give. The kids can get into bed 10 minutes later than usual. The house will always be there waiting for you to clean it (I know mine is!). Laundry never actually ends. The dishwasher doesn’t need to be emptied RIGHT NOW. You DO need to have your cup filled and let your creative juices flow!
Now it’s your turn! Which of these ideas could work for you?
Download your free printable, How I Can Find More Time for Quilting, to help you brainstorm ways to fit more quilting into your life (and finish those WIPs!) while considering everything else you have on your plate. Then, let’s use that time to get to work, finish more quilts, and share them with the world!
Thank you again to Amy for having me back on the blog. It is such a lovely place on the internet, isn’t it?! I hope the ideas shared here today can help you make more time to work on your quilt projects.
Were there ideas I missed? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Comment below to share with everyone how you make time for quilting in your life…or which of these ideas you might decide to put into place. I also share new ideas occasionally on Instagram - be sure to join me there @wildplumlane.quilts to see more great strategies!
Thanks so much Lisa! Be sure to check out Lisa's site, Wild Plum Lane as well as her other helpful post and free printable to help you strategically plan your current quilting projects.
Lisa also has a beautiful free-printable Quilt Care Card available to subscribers - perfect for sharing with every quilted gift!
Sandra
Do you have a built pattern for the squares with white stripes quilt?
Amy
Great question - yes - you can find the pattern here: https://www.wildplumlane.com/shop/p/4rf3jdxhshmkpqymprb7uhfnofg559
Thanks for the question - I've added the link to the post as well. 🙂
Sandra
I’m a fan of bringing it with you! I’ll bring a stack of squares that I snowballed but didn’t cut. I sat in pharmacy for 15 minutes waiting for my number to be called. I snipped those comers off in no time!
I also bring finished blocks with me to work. During lunch, I find a conference room (with a large table) that is not in use bc it’s lunch and lay out my squares. Pin them back in stacks with a numbered pin and take the stacks home to sew! Took less than 30 minutes! Still had time to eat lunch!
My Aunt Linda loves to appliqué! She’ll work on a block or two while Uncle John drives! They can chat to keep eachother company while she hand sews her project! They are at their destination in no time!!
Thanks for your family friendly tips! I like the one when the toys and kids are all there!