MadQuilter

I don't have kids and I don't care much about house work. Sewing is my therapy and I will always make time.

strad

Having a dedicated sewing space is the best way to maximize sewing time. If you can leave your sewing machine set up somewhere whenever you have a few spare minutes you can just sit down and get something done. If I had to get the machine out and set it up every time I wanted to sew I would never get anything done.

quiltingcandy

Friends laughed at me when I said I had more time to sew/quilt and do gardening when my children were under the age of 5 than when they started school up to college graduation. I worked full time and all too often put in unpaid overtime - but my daughters were only going to be young once and I didn't want to miss it. So when we did the dance lessons, volleyball and basketball tournaments, etc. I carried hand work with me. Be it crochet or needlepoint or applique, it traveled easily and my home time I would use to the grand finale.

Housework could wait - some how it always does. My gardens turned ugly - but the memories with my daughters more than make up for any time pulling weeds. 35 years later I finally have hired a cleaning lady - she does the heavy work and that takes a lot off my shoulders. I still prefer to be with my daughters than mop a floor. My husband refuses to hire a yard man - so I leave that up to him.

You will find what works for you. Time is no ones friend but I promise the time spent with your family is not wasted.

Bobbielinks

Like you, I had two boys which I followed to all kinds of activities and I worked full time, spent Saturdays cleaning and cooking for the coming week. I found time to quilt and sew (I made all the boys' shirts and my husband's shirts until they got old enough to want to wear T shirts all the time) by getting up earier than the "men" in the house. I got up early enough to exercise, get myself ready for work, and fixed their lunches, then woke them up. While they got ready for the day I would sew, then drop them off at school and work on my way to work. 15 to 20 minutes every day got a lot done.

NewbieToQuilting

Glad I'm not the only one trying to squeeze time in!! after thanksgiving company is gone my machine will be set up full time in the guest room. Bet I can get a lot done then! Kids want to sew too, so maybe on weekends we can all sew together while DH is at work! Great way to bond & make memories with kids. Sports are now done so I finally have my weekends back!!!

LyndaOH

I grab time whenever I can; sometimes it's late at night, sometimes early in the morning. It's almost never the middle of the day!

alisonquilts

I second the idea about having your machine set up in a dedicated sewing space. If you don't have to keep putting all of your bits and pieces away each time (hard to keep all the block parts organized) it saves a ton of time. Other than that, I have found that for me a deadline makes a huge difference - otherwise something else always weasels onto the schedule!

Goodluck!

Alison

Jingle

I am older, kids grown along time ago. I have three cats, a bird and a dog. I sew in the evenings, a couple hours. On weekends while doing laundry and housework. I make most quilts in two weeks. I am making my 16th quilt for the year.
When the kids were home I stayed home, a clean house was so important, not so much now. I didn't have a lot of time. As time goes by you will have more time to sew.

SouthPStitches

I'm finding the same thing happening to me Stitchnripper. Now that I have potentially all the time in the world, seems like the less sewing I'm doing. Do you notice that everything you do seems to take twice as long also?

quilter1

I agree that having a dedicated sewing space makes it easier. Since my eldest son moved out 2 years ago and I now have his room as my sewing space, it is so much easier to go in there and sew for a few minutes. When I was working, I also set aside 1 evening per week as my sewing time. My husband did the supper cleanup and I could do whatever I wanted. Now I am home most days and get to sew every day if I want. Lucky me.