August’s Pueblo
West Quilters program was 145 Days Till
Christmas. Now it's 122 days and counting…..
That countdown has
begun … do I panic now?
NO!!!
And here’s why …
Live your life just the way you are.
For instance, a
Cactus Kilter Quilter I know doesn’t function well in heat.
Cactus doesn’t like
the hot weather?
I know!!! Weird!
But that’s the life for CKQ.
So she doesn’t
quilt during this time. That’s okay.
But her ideas are
flowing so she carries a graph paper notebook and sketch out her ideas.
The 145 Ideas Till Christmas got me started
on
What other Quick Projects can I do in
a Pinch
It’s not so much as
I gotta start quilting now as much as it’s time to gather things together and
make kits so I can make the gifts later.
This concept ties
in with the Fall Cleaning, Back-To-School prepping, and organizing transitions.
You know you do it even though you &/or your kids haven’t been in school
for years!!! The seasonal rhythm is ingrained. That habit you thought you’ve conquered?
Hah! Acknowledge it, use it or say I’m
sooo over this habit and move on.
Oh! Here’s a BRILLIANT idea!
The kits could be
the gift!
This is brilliant because
another CKQ tends to lose things,
only to rediscover them long after
the intended occasion has past. So, having a complete kit: fabric, notions,
directions & pictures/sketches when CKQ finds it is great because it’s all
there ready to go! If you want to, take it a step further by cutting the fabric
and labelling the pieces. (A gift for
oneself works for me!)
Ideas: Let’s begin
with PW Quilters August’s ideas…
Portable Ironing Pad
Can you imagine
buying an iron for someone and making a portable ironing pad and an iron
carrier for her? Or, same concept but a curling iron and case for a teenager?
Potholders
Padded square box
Coffee mug cozy
Mason jar with Pin cushion top
Snap-closure pouches
The snap closure
pouch uses a steel tape measure so be careful when cutting and rounding the
ends. Also, lock the tape in place
before cutting and easy access for the next cut.
Otherwise, you’ll
need a screwdriver and a 4 year-old … just saying ….
Quilt kits: This year the guild’s
unofficial theme is Scrappy so let’s go wild with Scrappy Happy.
Do you have fabric
leftovers – big and small? Why not repurpose them and create quilt kits? Find a
pattern or better yet, design your own pattern. Can you imagine your surprise
when you rediscover this quilt kit on
December 24th when you need that special gift?
Did you see Helen
Cherry’s President’s Quilt? She took different blocks of multiple sized and
somehow created a quilt that looks as though it came from a kit! How’d she do
that? (I called her after writing this and found out. I digress... will report later so stay
tuned.)
Other ideas:
Remember, gifts can
be for daily use, Special Occasions, Holidays or Seasonal.
Wall hangings
Pillow Shams
Pillowcases
Quilts
Quilter’s Traveler’s Kit
Have a
shape-cutting system? Make blocks kits
(Sets of 12/24) or, instead of a Cookie Exchange, have a Fabrics Shapes Exchange. You do realize you can spin these ideas to
create your own, don’t you? You already thought about having a Fabric Exchange
just by reading Fabrics Shapes Exchange, didn’t
you?
One CKQ wants a
stripping party … fabric strips exchange …
Sewing kit for each machine. (Idea from
a CKQ from earlier this year)
Create a set of cards for all occasions. Hint: get
quality envelopes and request hand-cancelling at the post office. Ohhhhh, what
about Flower Cards &/or holders for
bouquets?
And don’t forget to
keep your eyes open for ideas outside the fabric shop. Organizing containers are at fishing, hardware, and lumber stores;
and even the grocery store. Check their prices. Wait for sales and clearance
sales.
After all, you have
time to track the best deals.
More Ideas:
Countdown (Advent) calendar
Trivets
Magnets
Circular purses
Table runners
Pin cushions
Does this get your
juices flowing?
Ideas are
great but acting on them is another BRILLIANT
idea!
That’s an issue for
some CKQs so this is one time I recommend to adjust my earlier phrase
Live your
life just the way you are…
with action
toward completion.
Remember, making a
list doesn’t mean the job is done. It’s only the beginning of
a great relationship …
Cactus Kilter
Quilter
