How to Get a Jump Start on Holiday Quilting: Our Top 5 Tips

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If you’ve ever wondered about how to get a jump start on holiday quilting, then this article is for you! Quilting Daily’s Content Director, Vivika DeNegre, has tons of experience with quilting handmade holiday gifts for her loved ones. She even chooses a theme for her gifts each year! And her best piece of advice? Start planning now. Keep reading to get her top five tips for staying ahead of the holiday chaos.

Vivika’s Top 5 Tips For Getting a Jump Start on Holiday Quilting

1

Make a List: Since my theme is “Big” my list of projects is going to be small. Big projects take more time, more resources, and more fabric. I’ve decided that each of my kids will receive something ‘big’ that I’ve made this year. That’s 4 quilts in 3 months…time to get quilting! Can’t go big? Find some smaller projects that fit the bill like those in Candy Glendening’s pattern collection Create Handmade Gifts for All. These projects are mostly smaller, could “one and done” in a weekend, and many of them are holiday themed.

**This eBook** had fabulous holiday ideas, like Christmas stockings, a holiday mantel scarf, napkin rings, and décor, plus a lot of fun accessories to make!

2

Supersize: Why make tiny blocks when you know that big blocks have more impact? One of my favorite tricks to get a quilt top made quickly is to use a large-scale block. Why not take a block and blow it up to fill the entire quilt? Or how about creating a quilt with oversized traditional blocks and rearranging them? There are several great ideas in the Modern Log Cabin Quilts Pattern Collection using that technique. My personal favorite, King of the Cabin, was designed by my friend and colleague Kristine Lundblad.

how to get a jump start on holiday quilting — **Modern Log Cabin Quilts Pattern Collection**

3

Simplify the Quilting: There are so many quilts in my future, and big quilts are a challenge on a home sewing machines. Because of that, I’ll be simplifying my quilting. Need a quick refresher on how to do quilting math? Sign up for Donna Mae Norris’ start anytime workshop, Essential Math for Quilters! Or perhaps you’d prefer Amy Ellis’ start anytime workshop, Finishing Your Quilt on a Home Sewing Machine. No matter the workshop you choose, you’re sure to learn something along the way that’ll make your quilting experience oh-sew fun and simple!

4

Finish that WIP No matter the size, a quilt top that is finished a gift-in-waiting! However, it is still not a quilt. My mom often wrapped her WIPs and gave me a taste of what was to come… but keep in mind that WIPs are great for practicing. So pull out your machine, baste that quilt top, and practice machine quilting!

5

Be Good to You: As we gear up for the holidays, remember that the best (and biggest) gift you can give to your family is to take care of yourself. Be good to you. Practice self-care. Make time to exercise, call a friend, and read a book. And let’s also not forget that regular checkups are part of self-care.

October is Almost Here

Seven years ago, I experienced the October “pink wash” for the first time as a breast cancer survivor. Everywhere I turned, the pink ribbon seemed to follow. Pink, it seemed, was the new orange. As a woman who was healing after a traumatic surgery and just getting my energy back, the support of my friends and family was crucial.

I am so thankful that my health has returned, my energy is back, and my life – although changed by having cancer – is not defined by it. And I am very much aware that all of this could change in a day, just as it did on the cold and wet February afternoon when I learned that “pink” would be a color always associated with my medical chart.

A Very BIG Ask

So as October approaches, I ask that you make time for you, be good to yourself, and be sure to keep up with your yearly medical check-ups. Let’s get our check-ups in September so we can kick the pink out of October! I need orange to once again become the color I associate with my favorite month.

How Do You Stay Ahead of the Holidays?

When it comes to figuring out how to get a jump start on holiday quilting, do you have any tips or tricks? I know we could all use a little help when it comes to that side of things…. Share your experiences with our team on Instagram, Facebook, or the comments below — I look forward to seeing what you all have to share!

Best,