What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

As you probably know if you’ve hung around here at all, I’m continually trying to get organized. And it’s my firm belief that organizing is an ongoing thing that is never really finished, especially if you’re creating wonderful things.

This past year, I applied that to not only my STUFF, but tried to apply it to my life as well. Just as having an organized work space leads to better productivity and leaves room in your head for more creative thinking, likewise, having a routine, being able to batch certain tasks together, or being free to ...

If you’re a Quilter for Hire, then you know that your longarm machine is the heart of your business. It’s probably THE toughest decision you had to make when you were getting started — what machine to buy?

I know lots of quilters for hire who have more than one machine. It’s a huge investment! But oh, so worth it.

Even if you own a longarm machine simply to quilt for yourself, it’s still a big decision, and worth doing the research for. It saves a lot of frustration once you get going.

Since the beginning of ...

Did you keep a time log last week? If so, it’s time to analyze it . . .

For purposes of this exercise, we will call your time schedule your “sewing time”, and everything outside of that is your free time (or your lunch time). If you are actually doing this as a business, there is a list of questions in the book, Quilting for Hire, on page 115 that will help you analyze your time sheet as a formal business.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• • How many hours did you allot for your sewing time?
• • How many of those ...

Do you know where your time goes?

Let’s find out together!

If you quilt full-time, like I do, and especially if you’re running a business of it, and you wonder why you don’t get more done in a day, then this is a great exercise to open your eyes to exactly why that is.

I’ve done it a few times, and it makes me laugh at myself. I know I’m a flitter with a short attention span, I live on a farm where there are all types of daily interruptions, and I have family close ...

It’s mostly what I do . . . and have I ever mentioned I wrote a book on the subject??

I’m sure I have. And I’ve written several extra articles to go along with it. (You can find those HERE.)

There are still some fun things I’ve been wanting to do to go along with the book, and I’m hoping to find time to do some of those throughout the year. While a lot of these things will be geared toward folks with longarm machines, and even more specifically, those who use their machines to quilt for others ...

I’ve mentioned lately that my mojo has been missing. I’ve been in a bit of a slump, and haven’t felt like doing much of anything.

Granted, having both of my arms partially disabled, and having fought the pain of it all for over nine months now, I’m sorta due for a slump (My Cowboy has started calling me T. Rex — haha!). But pity parties are not generally my thing, and I usually like to stay busy. I often wonder what people with no hobbies do with their lives!

If you love quilting, and you like to ...

Let’s talk quilting business expenses today, shall we?

If you have a quilting business, then legitimate expenses are a HUGE part of it. To turn a profit, your expenses need to be less than your income, but in the very beginning of your business, the expenses may outweigh the income until you get established.

While that’s a bit scary, it’s also nothing to get too upset about, as long as you can turn that around within a reasonable amount of time.

Don’t be afraid to count up your business expenses. If you keep yourself aware of ...

Something I generally have a bit of trouble with. No one likes a braggart, and I don’t like being one.

Sharing useful information, however, is another matter, so NOT showing and telling things about yourself and what you are doing can also be considered selfish, in a way. I think God intends for us to share our gifts and talents with the world, in a helpful and humble way. There’s a fine line to walk here.

As quilters, we’re typically the generous sort, so we love to share what we’re working on, and help out our ...

Twenty-three years ago today, I started my little pattern company in my sewing room, while also working a full-time job as a computer technician. Since I did it from my own studio in my spare time, it wasn’t super scary, and I started out very, very small. I simply wanted to be able to sell my patterns, officially collect sales tax, have a real business name, and do things legally — I figured it was time to turn my hobby into a real business.

The IRS has a three-out-of-five rule, meaning that your business can only take a loss for ...

I’m back today to tell you a little more about my upcoming book: Quilting for Hire.

I wanna give you a bit more information about what’s included in the book. Here’s a look at the Table of Contents:

The book is in two parts. The first part is all about quilting quilt tops for customers — here’s a few things that are included:

• • Getting or upgrading your machine
• • Setting up your workspace
• • Tools and supplies you might need
• • All the business side of things you need to think about and take care of
• • Marketing your business and ...

In January of 1999, I embarked on a journey. I started my little quilting pattern company in my spare time.

In April of 2009, the journey continued. I purchased a longarm quilting machine, with the intention of quilting for myself and others.

In August of 2010, I quit my day job to start quilting full time. Best thing I ever did for myself!

In January of 2020, I embarked on another journey. To California, actually, to attend a gallery reception for Victoria Findlay Wolfe and others involved in the Craft in America episode on Quilting. It was fun to get ...