QUIT! :lol:





I know, I know; I'm sorry for your situation. :(
Jan in VA

I have two daughters that teach, one 4th grade and the other middle school math. I have always had tremendous respect for teachers and know how much work goes on after hours. I see both of them now finding short periods of time to re-energize with an activity that they enjoy. I once had a friend who had what she called her "10 minute quilt". She found a 10 minute time slot each day to work on it. She felt it kept her connected to what she loved and many days it turned into more than 10 minutes.

Good Luck and Thanks for Teaching....Laura

Hang in there, I feel your pain as I teach high school full time too. My 28th year, I quilt when I do laundry on saturday, since the quilting space is near the laundry room. Plus I remember to get up and move so I am not stiff and sore! You will get a routine at school and home real soon!! Have a great school year!!

I'm sure everything will fall into place. I still work 4 days a week at a very stressful place and getting back to quilting has saved my sanity.

It will get better!!!!! I "work" at home. Have three little ones to take care of and most of my day is swipping, wipping and cleaning up messes. By the time they all go home at 8:00 at night, i am just tooooo tired to quilt. Sometimes if they all nap together i get in an hour, but most of my sewing time is on the week-ends. Just let yourseld get into a routine. Your projects will still be there!!! :lol:

As a recently retired teacher and occassional teacher now, I know how hard this profession is. I've always regarded quilting as my sanity saver. Carve yourself a few minutes each day to quilt and don't let anyone "steal" your time. For me, my time was from 10:00 p.m. until bedtime. At that time the kids were in bed, papers were graded and it was time for me. As I was winding down, my stitching had to be simple and easy to grab. I always did all my cutting in the summer, boxed up the cut pieces and instructions and then could just grab a box and stitch during my time each night. There were no decisions to make about what project, pattern or fabric and no cutting accidents to happen to a sleepy quilter. Oten I just stitched very simple Cuddle Quilts for our guild's community projects but it was my time to unwind and de-stress in preparation for the next very busy day.

boy, i know what you are going through, after spending the past 15 years working odd shifts, different rotating days and having 2-3 weekdays off every week suddenly the middle of July i was offered a new position at my work, for monday through friday 7am-3pm...boy i jumped on it...my thoughts...boy i don't know how to act, every weekend off? every holiday off? no more over nights, ect, ect...i was so excited. then it all started and i was right about one thing...i don't know how to act...i have not figured out how to get things done. i was so used to having whole days during the week to accomplish things, now i am at work every day during the week and during the weekends, well hubby is home too, and it is hard to lock my self away in my sewing room when he is around; not that he isn't supportive of my hobby, but it seems like every 20minutes- half an hour he is wandering into the sewing room to see what i'm doing now, how's it going? are you about ready for a break? .... and i am not getting as much sewing time at work either, used to work off shifts and there was always (down-time) to sit and sew, now on days...busy busy.
i keep telling myself i will get better, and i am but i still have a way's to go to become better organized again, it's amazing how this change i thought was such an awesome change has changed my whole life.

Keep your machine set up all the time and steal 5-10 minutes every day. When you need a break from grading grab a few minutes.
When you throw something in the oven grab a few minutes. You may want to add a timer to your sewing room, just in case you get too involved. You deserve to have time for yourself and your quilting. You need not give up something you love to do. Yes, I know that 5-10 minutes doesn't sound like much and the project could last forever...but at least it will get you some you time and someday a new quilt to love.

I retired early and recently thought of going back to work. Then I snapped out of it. I remembered how much quilting I got done when working full-time. Little to none. So, I am staying retired and enjoying every minute of my quilting. Nothing else around the house gets done like it use to - and I don't know how I did it when I was working. The thing is, I can go into my quilting room and come out 6 hours later amazed at the time that flew by. Hope you figure it out. I understand the feeling.

I'm like that. It comes and goes. Sometimes I don't have time and lose interest for a little while, and then I go right back to it. I also work full time (from home as a medical transcriptionist). Sometimes I make candles and soap too, and crochet, but it all comes and goes. I'm always doing SOMETHING. You will find the time once you adjust to your routine. I get grouchy if I don't find the time to "play" every day or two. Hang in there.