just wondering
 

do any of you keep the number of hours you spend on a quilt from start to finish?

No but I wish I did! So many have asked me how long it took me to make different quilts & I am never really sure. I wonder myself too!

I used to, when i as a kid,but after the first one hundred or so, i started makinv two, three or more at a time, along with cloths and
Time fell by the wayside.

Afraid to:D

i just reply "hundreds or thousands" and don't admit to having to rip out stitches with great regularity!

aileen

My DH thinks to many. But what fun.

Too busy quilting to keep track of time. DH calls me to lunch and dinner, or reminds me of appointments. Hmm, maybe he should be keeping track of my quilt time, also! JOKE, don't dun me! I know I have a jewel.

I've wanted to but just can't keep keep up with tracking it. I just approximate it when asked.

i do if i'm working on a quilt to sell or donate- if it's a gift i generally don't bother.

Nah. It's about the process for me. That would take too much time from the process....

No -- don't want to know any more than I want to know how much I read. I do it for pleasure. I don't count the number of pieces to make the quilt either -- unless I get sick of the quilt before it is done and finishing it is a drag.

No I do not either.

What I would like to see on sewing machines is a gadget that would tell you just how far you have stitched - bit like a mileage counter in a car.

I don't to many other things to occupy my mind than keeping track of the hours... like where did I leave my sissors.

No, I don't. I work on multiple projects in various stages and it would be hard to keep track. Besides, it's my way of getting away and keeping track of the hours defeats the purpose.

Oh dear me no! It doesnt matter as it is therapy for me, which results in gifts for others.

I don't want to know!

Just keeping track of the number of years a quilt had been in "production" (which includes sitting in a bag in the closet) is more than I can handle.

I keep up with it if it's a customer quilt....otherwise I just approximate the time.

I have no idea but, I know I spend my free time and some that isn't free making quilts. I do keep a list ot all the quilts - biscuit quilts and comforters I have made, with a short description.

I have never kept track of hours, but I'm pretty good at estimating the number of months that it takes me. During the school year when I have to do that work thing and grade papers, write IEPs and stuff, it takes me longer. I hate it that work gets in the way of quilting.... ;)

No.

I know that I'm slower than many - I also know that I'm more fussy/particular than many.

No I don't. When I retired I took off my watch (after 35 yrs of teaching) and don't count the hours of my lovely lovely hobby.
Annie

I've tried a few times, but just end up getting too busy & too much trouble. I do log the dates I start & finish on a spreadsheet along with pertinent info ie: fabrics, patterns, type of batting, sizes (before & after quilting/laundering) & photos of each.

No, but when you get your machine serviced most machines have a stitch counter/timer. You could ask your serviceman about it.

I make quilts for my nieces and nephews when they get married or have a baby. Since some of them have no idea what a gift of love that is (although most do) I have kept up with it at times and told them. It always gets a "WOW"!

No. We have a word for that kind of thinking around here.
My son just got out of 6 yrs in the Navy, he was in the nuclear propulsion dept of the USS Ronald Reagan. Ever since they sent him to school to learn what he had to learn, we noticed most of these sailors are very left brained, and over think things to excess. We now are calling it what I would call that kind of thinking as related to quilting:

NUKING IT!

When I make a quilt for a customer, I record all my start and stop times. Then I usually round it down. I also do the same thing if I am sewing for someone, like making curtins etc. I really try to be just with myselft and my customer.

I used to keep the number of hours...but then I kept making more and wondered what was the point...I'm going to finish it regardless of the number accumulated...lol

I don't think I could keep track as I stop and start too much. You know, stop to throw in a load of laundry, stop to answer the phone, stop to fold a load of laundry. Feel guiltly and stop to clean a room, sweep the floors, you know how it goes.

No but keep saying I will - Thanks for reminding me. I actually have one that I need to start and will be cutting this evening - maybe this will be the time I do! Then again maybe I will get so far along and then forget. Honestly I really do want to do this so thanks for bringing it up at just the right time.

Absolutely not - I might stop making quilts if I knew how long they took.
Like Lynnie I'm also working on several at the same time.

I chronicle my quilting process in my blog, that gives me a good estimation of how long I take to finish a project. But frankly, the time we take don't quite matter, it's the process and experience that matters more! I think it's kind of stressful if we are too bothered about how long it takes and why a project takes forever to complete. The keyword here is to enjoy what we are doing! :)

Nope.....and I wouldn't want to know. It's my "me" time. All I can tell you when I am putting on a binding, I love the sense of accomplishment.

I do keep track of my start/stop times, and also whatever music I'm listening to on my iPod while I work on that particular project. I've learned that it takes me an average of 10 hours to make a table runner, but for the bigger quilts, I'm afraid to add up my time. At least it's there if I ever need it!

I've thought about it off and on, but there are so many variables that go into how long it takes to finish a quilt. When someone asks though, I always give an estimate of 6-9 months to complete a queen size quilt. Sometimes it is much faster, like when I send out to be long armed. But if I hand quilt, which is what I love to do 6-9 months is about right. Of course I work full time and take college courses part time so I don't have a lot of time on a daily basis to quilt.

I don't keep track, but I did notice that smaller sized projects, ie chair cover versus bed quilt, don't seem to take a proportionally shorter time! Workded a small project and wondered why it took so long for its size! But at least my shoulders got a break from wrestling the fabric to quilt it!

I guess that I would have to say that I am quilting for the pleasure of it, so no I do not count the hours I put in! If I did, I just might quit quilting! lol

TreeFrog

I was a Consultant and had to bill by time spent. I have a computer program for that. I have now converted the program to work for my quilting. The laptop is by my sewing machine and I simply start the time for the quilt I am working on. If I change projcets as I do. I simply start time on the second project which stops the time on the first project. My daughter is the one that made me spend the money on the program. Very glad she did as my billing for the Consulting is so easy to bill at the end of the month. And I can tell you how much time I have spent on each project, what ever it is.
Love the program.
PM me if you want the name of the program.

Since I do not sew professional I never found it necessary. If people ask me how long it took me, I tell them I really don't know because you don't count the hours you spend thinking of someone. And my quilts are most usually made for someone I really care about. Like on friend was very ill for 2 months before Christmas. I knew she was not going to feel like decorating for Christmas, so I made her a Christmas quilt. She still uses it and never puts it away.