Hello, friends! Lately I’ve been thinking more and more about time management as it relates to my quilting life. I’ve had several events already this summer and am now getting ready for fall quilt market which will be about a month earlier than usual. So today I’m sharing 10 Ways to Make Your Quilting Time More Productive and Efficient. I’ve also got links to some previous posts and helps on this topic to share with you.
10 Ways to Make Your Quilting Time More Productive and Efficient
My Top 10 Tips for Productivity and Efficiency when Quilting
1. Tidy Up!
Nothing prepares my mind for getting things done more than a good cleaning of my flat surfaces in my sewing room. I tend to me a pretty messy quilter, and so cleaning up after projects is essential so that I can concentrate on my next project.
2. Plan and Prepare
I like to keep a list of projects I’m currently working on along with projects I want to make in the future. This helps me stay on top of things that have deadlines while also giving me an easy way to work on something just for fun when I have the time.
3. Gather All Necessary Supplies
Whether I’m starting a new project or working on something in progress, I love to have everything gathered together in one place. I use project boxes and drawers and try to keep everything together that will fit in those containers.
4. Break Down the Project into Smaller Tasks
Instead of putting “sew quilt” onto my daily to-do list, I list smaller, easier tasks. For example, my daily goal might be to cut out a quilt or to sew all of the half-square triangles for the project. This way I’m not giving myself such a large task to do at any one time.
5. Set Realistic Goals and Deadlines
I also try to give myself very realistic expectations as to when I might finish a project or goal. I frequently time myself and know pretty well how long it takes me to accomplish certain sewing tasks like adding borders or binding a quilt. But I’ll still add about 25% extra time to my estimate to make up for unexpected delays.
6. Limit Distractions
When I head into my sewing room, I like to either listen to music or podcasts. But I don’t get on the internet or scroll through social media. I feel like this helps me focus on the project at hand and also helps me to really enjoy my time in the sewing studio.
7. Take Breaks to Avoid Burnout
Earlier this spring I was spending a lot of time preparing kits for a couple of quilt retreats. This really cut into my sewing time but ended up being just the creative break I needed. I thought a lot about what I really wanted to work on when I did get the time, and I’ve been motivated to sew ever since. Sometimes, though, you just need a creative rest from quilting in order to stay fresh and focused.
8. Use Time-Saving Techniques
I like to use time-saving techniques like chain piecing and strip piecing whenever possible. I also like to leave something ready to work on each time I leave my sewing room. This helps me to avoid the “what should I work on next” dilemma and use my time in the best way.
9. Invest in Quality Tools
Using good quality rotary cutters, rulers, marking tools, and sewing machine really helps make the most of my time as well. If my rotary cutter has a dull blade, I’m going to waste time cutting things twice and using more effort. Quality tools are essential in the sewing room. (See my favorite tools and notions here).
10. Listen
One final suggestion I have is to listen to yourself–if you’ve followed all of these steps and suggestions and still feel like you aren’t making the most of your time and effort, then re-evaluate each step of your process to see where you might be able to make improvements.
More Resources for Making the Most of Your Quilting Time
I love posting about this topic, and have a few posts that have even more ideas listed here:
- This Planning and Organizing for Quilters post also shares a free PDF printable for current works in progress and goals.
- This How to Get Organized for a New Year of Quilting post has ideas and tips that can be utilized any time of the year.
- Find all of my free printables for organizing your quilting and sewing here.
- Find my Time Management archives section here with even more posts on this topic.
- And read about My Planning Systems and Routines here.
Thanks so much for stopping by for today’s 10 Ways to Make Your Quilting Time More Productive and Efficient. I hope some of the ideas here will be a great help to you!
Happy Quilting!
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