These are the comments I’m hearing most often from people who quilt.

• I can’t get motivated to sew.
• I don’t have time to sew.
• I’m too tired to sew.
• I’m just not inspired by anything.

While all of these comments are legitimate reasons for not sewing or quilting, I’m here to say you can overcome each of these to get you into a sewing routine again. I have three ways to create a productive quilting routine.

Inspiration

This is the first way to create a productive quilting routine!

What inspires YOU? That is where you need to look. Normally inspiration doesn’t come to us. We must look for it. There is no excuse for not being inspired in today’s world. In fact, we may be over saturated with inspiration. The internet leads us to place after place to find inspiration after inspiration.

I find inspiration watching shows on YouTube about quilting. Seeing the beautiful quilts people make so inspire me. I also find inspiration looking through quilting books and magazines. Again, seeing other people’s quilts makes me want to create one of my own!

Inspiration leads to making a list of all the quilts you would like to make. How many of you have a “Quilts I Want to Make” list? Are there so many on the list you couldn’t possibly finish them in your lifetime? I see your hands. I have one too! Now that I have given you some ways to find inspiration, the next way is Motivation.

Motivation

Now that we have inspiration where do we get the motivation? This is the second way to create a productive quilting routine.

• We have a deadline.  This is probably the biggest driver for motivation. We want to make a quilt for someone to commemorate an event. Many of us have been there and sometimes it’s not enjoyable. We work with a “just get it done” mentality. Sometimes we enjoy that journey and sometimes we don’t, but having a deadline will motivate us.
• Start with small successful steps on a regular basis. Seeing ourselves being successful and accomplishing things helps motivate us. Picking out the fabric, cutting the fabric, creating that first block are all small successes that keep us wanting to continue to the next step. That is until we don’t sew on a regular basis. More on this later.
• Make a Mini project. Sometimes a quilt can be quite daunting. Occasionally, work on smaller projects that can be finished quicker. Wall hangings, table toppers, and pillows fall into this category.                              

Once you stop sewing for any length of time, it is so hard to get started again.

Create A Sewing Habit

Finally, this is the third way to create a productive quilting routine!

Always find time to sew!! Make it a weekly if not daily habit. You don’t need a large quantity of time. 15 minutes can help you get a small win which motivates you to do it again. It also makes you 15 minutes closer to completing the quilt or project than you were yesterday.

Take time to place sewing into your calendar. Start with once a week. You have 15 minutes somewhere to schedule some sewing time, don’t you? Writing it down helps to “finalize” it. Then do it!! See how good it makes you feel that you accomplished something. Add more time slots or days as you can but try not to skip any. Protect your sewing time. Read this blog on How Quilting Can Promote Better Health.

A Creative Quilting Routine

First find inspiration which helps to lead to motivation and finally create a sewing habit. We all have 168 hours per week. If you really want to quilt, then be motivated to find the time, however small it might be. Start small to have small successes on a regular basis. Let me leave you with this.

Be Positive—Show up— Start Small—Celebrate Small Wins—Repeat

Leave a comment and let me know what you think of my three ways to create a productive quilting routine. Will this encourage you to, Always find time to sew,