Take Time to Quilt
With everyone’s busy schedules, it is far too easy for the creative joys in our lives to be squeezed out. I recently had a conversation with a group of ladies regarding hand quilting. I must say that my favorite quilts are still those that are hand quilted and unfortunately I feel they are becoming few and far between. Actually, when I first started to quilt, all my projects were hand quilted (that was before the acceptance of the long arm machine.) The long arm has come a long way and there are many quilt projects beautifully finished because of it! I wouldn’t have 7/8 of my projects completed if it wasn’t for the long arm machine.
But, back to the topic of hand quilting. One of the best ways a hand quilting project doesn’t become overwhelming is my saying, “a block a day!” Looking at a newly finished quilt top with 36 blocks can feel like an enormous task to hand quilt, but if you break it down to hand quilting “a block a day” (an hour each night watching the news) you could have a quilt completed in a little over a month!
This idea of “a block a day” also can go for piecing a project. Do you have a beautiful quilt pattern that you would love to sew but it is on the back burner list of projects? If so, start it today by breaking it up into smaller units and piece “a block a day!” Before you know it, your blocks will be finished and you can devote a weekend to putting it all together. Let’s try this year to do a little sewing every day and….just think what we will have accomplished by 2010!
Keep on Quilting!
About the Author: Deb Hearn
QUILT Editor-in-Chief I have enjoyed quilting for over 25 years, ever since the day I stopped by a friend's house and saw a quilt on every bed! I was so inspired, that I went home and started a Grandmother's Fan for our daughter. As soon as the quilt was finished, our three sons were waiting in line for a quilt of their own! My latest adventure in the quilting world is my position as Editor-in-Chief of QUILT Magazine, a job that is more like play than work ...with inspiring quilts and friendly conversations with quilters almost every day!
Find great quilting and sewing references at our 
