So my sewing time has really fallen by the way side for working on my own projects. Between my never ending to-do list, chasing a handsome toddler around, and just trying to keep up with kid’s schedules is enough to move my personal sewing to the bottom of my priority list.

To compensate, I decided to try just getting in 15 minutes every day. Most days it is at the first nap time and the first thing I tackle (after I heat up my coffee that is). Then I head into my sewing room, set the timer on my phone and sew. The results?

More sewing than I have done in weeks and I am actually making headway on x’s extremely overdue birthday quilt. It’s amazing how much I can squeeze in those few minutes, plus it feels great to feel like I am actually accomplishing something instead of just feeling like it is never going to get done. If I sew every day for the 15 mins that equals an extra 1 hour and 45 mins of sewing time that normally I wouldn’t have squeezed especially in that large of chunk.

Some thoughts on how I am going to keep this habit going and tips that I have learned so far:

• I am going to do a weekly recap of what I actually accomplished during the week. This will help me to see how much I can accomplish in a little bit of time and keep me accountable on this goal. So be on the look out for those.

• Only use 1 of the 15 mins for prep/cutting/sorting/cleaning/etc. That is the important part. I am trying to finish up tasks such as mending, piecing quilts together, finishing odds and ends, not start new projects or cutting things out. For that I will need to block out larger chunks of time.

• Make sure to prioritize the time either in the morning before work or in the evening before dinner on days that I work because that is already when I am sliding. That way I am getting into the habit and staying in it.

• When working on larger projects setting aside parts that can fit into that 15 minute chunk of time.

• Not doing any machine embroidery during this time. As much as I have come to love machine embroidery I am going to focus on strictly sewing during this time.

This weeks recap:

• Pieced 6 rows for X’s quilt top
• Mended 2 pairs of jeans
• Sewed 3 rows together of the quilt top
• Wound bobbins for machine embroidery