Tuesday, November 17, 2009

A quilting farewell

Wow, time goes by so quickly. In a few short weeks we will be breaking for Thanksgiving and soon after returning exams will take place and the much anticipated Christmas break will be here! I can't say that I am not excited to see this semester end. It has been a difficult and stressful one but I am a little angry with time at how quickly it seems to just go by without asking any permission.

Since the end of the semester is nearing, I find it neecessary to recognize the fact that my blog will be ending. I can't imagine anyone being upset by this fact but the few readers I have had I just want to thank you for your comments. Many of them were encouraging to my initial efforts to start the blog for a school project and for that I thank you. One thing that I have gained from this project is that I was able to submerge myself into an online community of a craft that I thoroughly enjoy. I learned many interesting techniques and ideas like the apple core quilt and ways to make the pattern. Even though I will not be posting to my blog on a regular basis, I will continue to participate in what I see as a very valuable community of quilters.

Happy Quilting!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Quilting and Gift Giving for the Holidays

It is that time of year again. That time where fellow quilters and crafters of all kinds get super inspired to go out and make something for everyone on their gift list. The idea is a good one but time is the culprit. Soon Thanksgiving creaps up and the projects are still not done, and sometimes not even started, and before you know it Christmas is here. Everyone has faced this problem of being over inspired and not having enough time. How can we overcome it and be organized and enjoy the process?

The first step is to get an idea of how much time you have left. As of right now there is 48 days until Christmas. That does not leave much time. Which brings me to my next point. Make a list of all of the projects you would ideally like to create for everyone on your gift list that you want to make something for. Eliminate ideas that are too time consuming and people who may not like to receive homemade gifts. There will not be enough time to make queen sized quilts for your whole family so keep that in mind.

The next thing to do once you know what you're making and for whom you are making it is to take an inventory of supplies already on hand. Everyone has extra fabric lying around so use it this season! Next, schedule time to work on these gifts the same way a student would to study for a final and an executive would for a big project. If the time is not there it will not get done.

Don't be afraid to cut corners to make it simpler for you, but still keep the final product looking nice and professional. Stay organized and have fun and remember exactly why you are doing what you are doing this holiday season!