Spring has officially arrived at my house! The temperatures are warming up, the days are getting longer, and the urge to open the windows and let in the fresh air is strong. But this past week, my focus has been on something even more exciting -celebrating my daughters! Both of my girls had birthdays this week, which means our house has been filled with cake, presents, family time, and, well… more cake. It has been a wonderful whirlwind of joy and sugar, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
However, amidst all the birthday fun, I have a confession to make – something a little shameful. My oldest daughter got married almost a year ago, and I still haven’t finished their wedding quilt. Yikes! Life has been a blur of projects, deadlines, and distractions, and somehow, that special quilt has been pushed aside again and again. I have too many projects and not enough time! Do you ever feel like that? Please tell me I’m not alone.
In an effort to ease my guilt (and get it done!), I’ve officially renamed it the One-Year Anniversary Quilt. With the clock ticking down to their anniversary, I am in full-on overdrive to finally finish it. If you, like me, have a pile of unfinished projects whispering your name, here are a few tips to help get them back on track:
1. Make a Project List
Sometimes, just seeing everything in one place helps. Write down all your ongoing projects – quilts, garments, embroidery, anything that needs attention. Then, prioritize them based on urgency, importance, or even just how much joy they bring you.
2. Set Realistic Goals
Break your projects into smaller steps and set deadlines. For my anniversary quilt, I’m focusing on finishing piecing the blocks this week and sewing them into rows next week. Bite-sized goals make even big projects feel manageable.
3. Schedule Sewing Time
We make time for work, errands, and appointments—why not schedule sewing time, too? Even 30 minutes a day can add up quickly. Put it on your calendar and treat it like an important meeting.
4. Use the 15-Minute Rule
If a project feels overwhelming, just commit to working on it for 15 minutes. More often than not, you’ll get into the groove and keep going. Even if you don’t, at least you’ve made a little progress!
5. Give Yourself Grace
Sewing is supposed to be fun, not stressful. Life happens, and projects get delayed. If you’re feeling guilty about an unfinished quilt, remember that every stitch is sewn with love – whether it’s finished on time or not.
So, here’s to finishing what we started and enjoying the process along the way! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some serious sewing to do before my daughter’s anniversary sneaks up on me. Wish me luck!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the Nancy’s Notions homepage! That’s where you can find all of the categories leading you to hundreds, yes, hundreds of articles all about quilting and sewing! I think of our website as a super fun sewing magazine – it’s just online and it’s free! Click here!
