Sundays used to be my day to sew. Its the only day my DH cooks dinner so I didn't have to plan anything. Although lately we have had alot of kid duties (prom dress shopping, practice driving for the 16 yr old, making pockets for a fundraiser, etc...) so I haven't been able to quilt. My projects have been out in my bedroom just sitting there calling to me.

You sound just like me. I have been lucky to have been able to stop working outside the home 10 years ago. My husband has always made a very good salary and with the kids grown and gone , I was able to do so. My sister is SOOO jealous :)

I just retired on 3/31 and I thought I would be spending all my days playing in my sewing room, but I find that I have to be in the right frame of mind to actually go up there. So maybe it more about being in the mood then the time thing, I am still working on that. I did manage to finish a quilt for my grandson this week . I say when you are in the mood go for it and everything else will be waiting for you when you are done. :-P

Being recently retired, I thought that I would have loads of time to quilt. Now it seems to me, that I had more time when I had six children at home and a part time job. I think their schedules forced me to plan and make wiser use of my time. This Soccer mom always had a portable project, that went everywhere with me, even to the games.

Hmmmm...not sure I should share this secret, but here goes. I got a tax ID number and started a small business making t-shirt quilts. I also make 'spec' quilts. When I want to sew, I just say "I'm going to work." I head to my sewing room and get all kinds of time to myself!

Yes but this quilt I am on I take a block at a time and sandwich it quilt it and when I am done with each block then I will do the borders. It seems to help me to do one block at a time instead of trying to quilt a big blanket.

And I prefer to do it in the morning (also retired). Only thing is -- before I know it, the day has gone by and I haven't done anything else. Sooooo, I try to limit myself to two hours and then shut it down and do a few "necessities." I find that if I have things cut out and ready to piece (or things laid out and ready to cut), I can steal a few minutes here and there for that.

My problem is I have time to quilt--it's getting motivated. Asked my pain dr. if I was depressed since I have all these craft things I want to do and he laughed at me--said I was NOT depressed, that's it's my meds that make me that way!!! :roll: :lol:
so figure that's my excuse--anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!! :mrgreen:

My computer is in my sewing room; sometimes I have to turn off the computer to "encourage" moving over to the sewing table. I can pretty much quilt when I want but sometimes other things get in the way (like job hunting, laundry, cleaning house, cooking and eating. oh and motivation). Today I didn't get too heavy into the board until dinner time so I got a whole 7 hours of quilting in!!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I try to do household stuff first and sew later. I've been doing yard work the past 2 days and now I'm hoping for rain so I can quilt while the laundry is washing and drying. I also quilt while my DH watches TV in his favorite chair in the kitchen. At least I'm close by in the living room where my sewing stuff is strung all over the place.

AMEN TO THAT!!!

I do force myself to do something in the house keeping department in the morning before I step foot in my sewing room. Even if it is just to clean off part of a counter or clean the bathroom sinks. Then I reward myself and allow myself to sew the rest of the day!

I love that part of rewards and sewing in the same sentence, I try to sew when I can sometimes I have good intentions of sewing that day but have to do something else. Housework is the last thing on my mind but then I have to do a little I guess. he he he

I took a medical retirement about 6 years ago and have been quilting alot. Now, I find myself on this board for half the day!! I am definitely gonna have to log off sometimes! Penni

The question is ----- when do I make time to CLEAN HOUSE, COOK MEALS, and TALK TO DH!!!! LOL LOL LOL

I'm retired, but DH wants to go places every day. By the time we get home, it's too late and I'm too tired to quilt. I think I need 2 of me. ;-)

I think I have probably tried just about everything in my struggle to be "effective" like I perceive the rest of the world to be. :twisted:

I have tried:
Planning my day then night before.
Setting an alarm so time wouldn't get away from me.
Putting a schedule up on the wall (where I could see it)
Doing certain things on specific days

What I did not count on was "my personality" style not cooperating with it. I am not a regimented person, although I sorely want to be. I like flowing with the day's rhythm that beats inside my head and desires.

I have concluded that for those of us who are not really structured while being very creative - the best time to quilt is "anytime!"

If I spend very much time reading and replying to people on the quilting board I don't have time to quilt.

I don't make time, I take time. I'm now retired, widowed and thot I'd have all the time int he world. Years ago when raising four sons plus DH, I would say I will do the dishes, dust and vacuum and then sew. I was never getting to the sewing until I realized that all those things would be there forever. Once I started giving sewing first priority, I was a much happier wife and more patient mother.

The other stuff got done somehow.

I like the way you think!!

oh, you mean we are supposed to MAKE?? time?? :lol:

crazy day today....

up at 7, at 8 take miss 12 to school, home, take master 14 to school, home, walk 3 to school, home, master 17 to work, grocery shopping, pick up miss 12, unpack groceries, school for parent teacher interview, pick up master 14, pick up 3 schoolies, now it's 4 pm

don't know how the husband does it!!

It is suggested on another list I belong to that you thread your needle each day, and sew enough that you use just that thread, alternately, set an oven timer for 15 minutes and use that time to sew

I love your cute dogs.

I have to admit those of us with retired hubbies have to make time for them too. Its just hard when they want to go here and there. Sometimes I say just go by yourself and I need to sew. Because he needs time for himself without me constantly with him. I dont want us to take each other
for granted either

Will we be blessed with pics of your new sewing room? :thumbup:

You just do it when you have the time and energy to do so after you've tended to all of the other important things in your life. As someone earlier said, it's nice to be retired and that really does help as now I can complete a quilt in a decent time frame. 4 years for a queen sized quilt is a long time but I sure got my money's worth out of the cost of that fabric. When your married, have family at home and a job, those things are important and do take priority but even then I did try to squeeze in some time to quilt - better known as me or my time and we all need some me or my time. When the family was home, I set up in the living or kitchen to use the sewing machine and later would hand quilt in the living room with them while enjoying TV time. Even retired, I'm amaze at how prolific most of my friends are compared to me but they are all machine quilters and that makes a huge difference. I couldn't afford to be that prolific so it's better for me to be a slow mo hand quilter.

Yep! I know what you mean. WhenDH first retired, he would ask:"What are we doing tomorrow?' or "What are we doing today/" I would answer "Whatever yu want to do."

Yep! I know what you mean. When DH first retired, he would ask:"What are we doing tomorrow?' or "What are we doing today?" I would answer "Whatever you want to do." But that got old! One day he "made the mistake" of asking, "What do you want to do today? I answered, "I want to quilt, or do some scrapbooking." He found something to do.

:lol:

I sew most eveings for a couple hours and most weekends, while I clean,laundry and cook for the upcoming week of lunches. I retire in June, Hubby will continue to work and I plan to spread housework and laundry throughout the week and make lots more quilts. I machine quilt and want to get them done faster than I could ever hand quilt. I have tons of fabric to use up and I want to do it while I still can. hand quilting is too hard on my hands, did lots before machine quilting came along.

Oh Yes!! It's been happening to me just lately. Maybe it's spring fever, but I am getting so bad. I have to force myself to sit down and work on the queen size quilt I'm making for my grandson for his b'day in June. That's not so far away. I have the blocks all made and half squared up. And every day I look at them, and every day I procrastinate more. If I don't get it done in time I'll be really disappointed in myself!

well, since hubby and I discovered we aren't getting as much stuff done as we'd like, once a week we play a game called, "Aileen and Ben".
(ahem!...I know what your thinking! :roll: )
A I-leen over and he kick starts me in the rear,
and he Ben s over and i kick start him back! :lol:

making time to quilt is easy now, but pain does not allow me to keep quilting. Penny

As I am happily unemployed, I have all the time I need. The trouble is getting OFF the computer, and getting IN the sewing room...........