Hello, friends! Today I’m sharing A Day in the Life: A Quilting Life with insights into how I structure my weekdays and weekends and combine my personal love of quilting with the business aspects of my profession. I get frequent requests for this topic, so thought I’d share a bit about it here for you.
A Day in the Life: A Quilting Life
Weekdays: Mondays
Mondays are typically my busiest day of the week, although I’m really trying to find a work around this. (If anyone has any wonderful suggestions, please let me know). There are usually emails to answer from the weekend and Etsy patterns to ship. Some of my favorite podcasts release on Mondays and so I’ll usually listen to those while shipping orders. On a good Monday I’m finished with these tasks by noon, make a quick post office run, and am free to work on content for the blog and design tasks on our calendar. But typical Mondays have me barely finishing tasks by late afternoon just in time to be done for the day and have dinner.
From Tuesday through Friday (on non-podcast/filming days) I really do try to reverse my schedule and work on content and design in the morning. I feel like I get more done this way, have better ideas, and make better use of my time. After a quick lunch I try to get in a couple hours of sewing.
Weekdays: Tuesday – Friday
As I mentioned above, the rest of my week is a bit of a reversal from my Mondays. I usually have several photographs to take for upcoming posts and try to utilize some really good light in the morning on one side of my house. Additionally, I try to keep a running list of photos I need so that I can batch this task and also try to batch photo editing.
I keep a calendar with blog post and YouTube video ideas and schedules and try stay ahead so that it isn’t so stressful to take a day off here or there. I try to have all of the posts for the week and the following Monday outlined by Tuesday and fully written and scheduled by Thursday at the latest.
With any afternoon free time during the week, I try to get in some sewing. I also run errands during this time. If I need to travel to drop off or pick up quilts, I try to combine that with Costco/Trader Joe’s shopping. Four o’clock p.m. is my designated stop time Tuesday – Thursday, and I really try to be done with everything by noon on Friday.
If I’m currently sewing sample quilts with new fabric, then I use any and all extra time for sewing those quilts!
Podcast/Filming Days
Filming and podcast taping days are a bit different. I try to have my desk clear, my office clean, and my schedule finalized for the rest of the week the day before. Billy usually arrives at my house around 9 in the morning to start setting up cameras, lights and microphones. Chelsi arrives about 30-40 minutes later. The three of us usually catch up for a bit before taping a podcast. After podcasting we usually have some lunch and then film any needed videos in the afternoon. We do this about twice monthly but sometimes have to fit in a third day to get it all in.
Weekends
I really, really try not to do “work” on weekends, but you know I love quilting and usually plan for at least a few hours in my studio on Saturday mornings. Sometimes I just clean and organize, and sometimes I sew things for the blog or for my personal use. Saturday afternoons are for home tasks, spending time outdoors (weather permitting), reading, and relaxing. I do like to have handwork ready for television time–binding a quilt or English Paper Piecing hexagons are my two favorites right now.
On Sundays we attend church, and I like to read and journal and do any needed planning for the week ahead in the afternoons. I rarely close any of the rings on my Apple Watch on Sundays, lol! I’m also trying to do menu planning for the week on Sunday afternoons now–we’ll see how that goes!
A Few More Thoughts
First, I must acknowledge that I am truly grateful to be able to do the things I love both professionally and creatively–and to do them from home. I recognize the blessing in this; however, it didn’t happen overnight. I started regularly blogging about my passion for quilting in 2008–almost fifteen years ago. And doing that consistently was the pathway for my journey. Below I have some more resources for you if you are interested:
- The A Quilting Life Start Here Page
- Behind the Scenes + Frequently Asked Questions
- My “About Me” page
I will be adding regular frequently asked questions posts here on the blog starting very soon. If you have any questions, you can use this form to submit them. Thanks again for stopping by to read this A Day in the Life: A Quilting Life post. Happy quilting!
Cllara says
I have an iron exactly like you had before you traded up. My question is why all of a sudden w/o warning its startes to spit back, sometimes staining my fabric. Ido clean it once a month.
Kathleen a Kolb says
My goodness you have a very busy week and must be so focused. I don’t understand how you get so many quilt projects put together by sewing a few hours in the afternoon. It seems like I sew all day and into the evening after dinner to get anything done. I enjoy all your posts on all the social media sites. You are very inspiring!
Linda Davidson says
I really enjoyed reading this post. You are obviously extremely well organized. I love every single quilt you share. It takes real self-control to NOT buy every pattern! I look forward to your podcasts, which I watch on YouTube. I would love to see a podcast where you (and Chelsi) share samples of your fabric lines from the very first one. Thank you for all that you share with us.
Patty C says
I had such a fun time answering the questions from your podcast. I was pretty impressed with myself and must say “Patty knows Quilting”!!!
Jeanne LaFayette says
You are an inspiration! So awesome that you get to do what you love and spend time with your kids too! I watch all your videos and podcasts and enjoy it all! I have made many of the projects you have on your tutorials. Thanks for all the great content! Keep on rockin” it girl!
Sandra says
Absolutely love your quilting room. Did you buy the white table with your cutting mat on it? I really need one like that. You also make beautiful quilts
Connie says
I enjoy your blog and your podcast and all your patterns and fabric designs. I just wish I had more time in my sewing room, I have so many WIP’s. Thanks for all you and Chelsi do.
Belinda says
Thank you so much for the breakdown of your days. I have been wondering how you manage to get so much done and I can see that keeping a schedule is key. Love you and am thankful for you, Sherri! Keep quilting and adding joy to our lives!
dianne m says
This is a great post – I have often wondered how you schedule your time. So productive! Happy to have discovered you & your site a year ago. Cheers!
Little Quiltsong says
I so admire your work ethics, Sherri! I need to be better at getting down to my sewing room in the morning. Loved hearing how your week goes and what it all involves.
Always enjoy your podcasts and the interaction between you, Chelsi and Billy. So fun to listen!
Looking forward to your new fabric line – love your new pattern releases – and seeing Chelsi’s in the Canada fabrics. Was wondering what to do with some of my leftovers, that gave me a great idea.
claire says
wow oh wow thanks for being amazing family, gives me so much hope and life . i liked you sharing your planning life it helps put your planner that i bought last year come alive .