More Quilty Reading: Scrappy Project Planner

Quilting more has left me with a few more scraps than normal and, as sometimes happen when you’re thinking about something, help appeared! I have pledged to read one general quilting book and one machine quilting book each month to see what new things I can pack in the quiltiverse part of my brain. Maybe this doesn’t really qualify as a book, but there is some reading and a few quilt patterns, so…

There’s a nice chatty introduction by the author, Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet, and then the sections that help a quilter keep track of all the various projects she or he has going on. The first helpful page invites you to list out 50 projects. I wonder if I could make a copy and punch holes in it for upward of 50? One of my good friends admitted to having 114 unfinished projects; I’m afraid to count, so maybe I would use this for new things that I am starting rather than the ongoing.

Then each of those 50 projects gets their own set of project pages where you can record everything, glue in fabric swatches, sketch a block design and/or quilt layout, make notes. One thing that Lori suggested was that we record in there where we purchased the fabric in case we, ahem, need more!

Then Lori dives into time management; there is a general calendar (not pictured) for the months and then a weekly sheet, undated so that you can use them every week if you want starting at any time of the year, or you could just use them for your busier weeks where you can actually  map out your quilting time as you move your projects along toward completion.

Now this is good advice! How does she actually cut up and divide her scraps so that they are available to use later in the most common sizes – this was welcome news to me. I’ve always put everything ¼ yard or larger back up on the shelf and then cut everything else into 2-1/2 “ strips and tossed them in a light, medium or dark value scrap bucket. That way, I could make my own jelly rolls. But I really like Lori’s idea of cutting 7”, 5” and 3-1/2” as well so that you have more options in using your scraps.

There are also patterns for six quilts, two of which I really liked and might have to start cutting scraps for – and maybe filling out a project sheet?

Each chapter has a divider with a good quote – this was my favorite.  Also each project sheet and each weekly calendar sheet has a quilty quote – that’s over 100 quotes to inspire you!

I liked this book a lot; not being a particularly organized person by nature, I’m hoping that this will help keep track of some of the projects I’d like to make and get me budgeting some time on them. Another thing that I think will be fun and helpful is a first Sunday of the month meeting at my local quilt store, Bolts in the Bathtub. Each attendee brings the three projects that she (no men have joined at this point) would like to work on and, perhaps finish, in the coming month. We’re all meeting at noon this Sunday and showing our projects to each other as well as the progress that was made on the January projects. There are prizes, of course….

I’m bringing Continuum, which I’ve started the sewing on, a grey and yellow table runner that I am doing for Mettler so they can have it in their booth for Quilt Market and other shows, and a quilt that I started last spring that I need to quilt the blocks and the sashings, but the borders and binding are already finished – don’t ask….Actually, I’ll tell – I was carrying it around with me demonstrating machine quilting on it. The border edges and batting, etc., were getting kind of ratty looking so I quilted the border and put the binding on to prevent damage to the quilt.

So what do you think of Lori’s book? Could you use some help organizationally or have you found your own way? Please share your ideas!