People ask me what my favorite “quilting” gadget is frequently.  I know they are hoping I will name some tool they saw advertised in a quilt magazine or website.  My answer is generally met with disappointment, after all it is a very common household item.

And my favorite “quilting” gadget is……….(drum roll please)……….my stove timer (when home) or the alarm on my phone (when traveling) !!!!!!  Before you roll your eyes and give a disgusted snort…

Let me explain my reasoning:

1. I work full time, and I spend hours many weeks traveling. I carry along parts and pieces of quilts that I can work on while in an airport or hotel.  In order to prepare for this, I need to have items sorted, cut, and organized. This includes thread, needles, and small scissors.  Setting the timer/alarm allows me uninterrupted time to concentrate and prep the supplies I need. 

2. Setting the timer allows me to concentrate solely on the task at hand.  It is amazing how much sorting, cutting, or even sewing on the machine I can get done in 10 or 15 minutes. 

3. If I am lucky enough to be home working, instead of traveling, before I start working for the day I sort, iron, cut, or sew for 15 minutes to start my day already feeling like I have accomplished something. It gives me a good mind set for the rest of the day.  

4. Setting the timer for a short amount of time allows me to hand quilt without distractions too. 

5. I try to utilize all those little spans of time between other things on my schedule to do something quilt related, but I get so engrossed in what I am doing that I forget to leave on time, or make a scheduled phone call, or get to an appointment, etc.  However, if I let the timer pay attention then I can relax and just enjoy the process of quilting.  

I would encourage you to try it

Stack the pieces you want to sew together in order by the sewing machine. Remember the machine needs to be in good repair and threaded correctly at all times so you don’t waste time on that when the timer is counting down. Set your timer for 15 minutes and sew. 

When the timer goes off, get up (this also breaks the concentration you had) turn off the timer, and go to work or the next thing on your “to do” list for that day. It might take a little practice, but if you get in the habit of setting a timer for those little bits of time within your day, you can get so much more accomplished on your quilting.

https://indianaquilter40.com/basic-quilters-tool-box/

https://indianaquilter40.com/spending-the-day-cutting-quilt-pieces/

https://community.themodernquiltguild.com/resources/quilt-life-balance-how-find-more-time-quilt

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.