Jumpstart Your Sewjo

We know you love to quilt, but sometimes it can be difficult to find the motivation to get started. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of projects you want to tackle, struggling to find inspiration, or feeling uninspired altogether, we have seven ways to jumpstart your sewjo and get back to sewing.

Start with a small, manageable project

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the projects you want to complete? Start small by picking something manageable like a table runner or a baby quilt. This will give you an encouraging sense of accomplishment and help build momentum for larger or more complicated projects.

Set a goal

One of the best ways to jumpstart your sewjo is to set a specific goal, or break a big goal into smaller steps. Maybe you want to finish a certain project, learn a new technique, or finally tackle that binding pile. Whatever it is, write it down and make an action plan for achieving it. 

Find inspiration in a new pattern or fabric

Sometimes all it takes to reignite your passion for quilting is to find an exciting new pattern or fabric. Spend some time browsing online or in your favorite local quilt shop to find something that captures your imagination. Look up the hashtags for particular themes or projects. For example if you want to make a fun Christmas Quilt and are looking for inspiration look up #ChristmasQuilt and you will have more inspiration then you know what to do with.

Explore sewing blogs and social media

One of the best ways to find inspiration is to see what others are creating. There are countless quilting blogs, social media accounts, and online communities where you can find amazing projects, fresh ideas, and helpful hints. Spend some time browsing accounts that inspire you, from your favorite brands and designers, and soon enough you’ll feel that sewjo start to flow!

Did you know Two Chicks Quilting has a Facebook group? In our Friends of Two Chicks Quilting we provide free Sew Alongs as well as tons of Tips and Tricks that help you learn new things.  We put out challenges and inspirational posts to give you a place to get yourself motivated.

We’re fans of Karen Montgomery’s “Nine Patch A Day” Facebook Group. Our friend Karen Montgomery hosts this group to provide lots of educational experiences as well as fun projects throughout the year.  Karen has a team of about 60 Quilt Shops from across the USA/Canada that are her “Sewposium Shops” that she teams up with to provide fun activities such as The Brown Bag Mystery annually, which is an exclusive event Two Chicks Quilting is extremely proud to be a part of.

Join a sewing group or take a class

You don’t have to quilt alone. Joining or taking classes are great opportunities to connect with other quilters, learn new techniques, and get inspired. Check for local groups or classes near you at your local quilt shop, community centers, or online. Most shops provide Clubs of different kinds, Classes for all sorts of projects, Retreats, Community Service Workdays and even Free Sew Days.  

At Two Chicks Quilting we have a “Club Day” on the third Saturday of each month.  Registration is required for some of these clubs but our Longarm Club is free to anyone who wants to come and signup is not required. Be sure to follow our Facebook page and register to receive our newsletter to keep up with what we have going on.

Local quilt guilds are a great way to connect with a community of quilters while participating in Community Service Projects, retreats, trips, or classes and workshops! Why not DIY it and make your own fun Sew Day? Gather a few fellow quilting friends and meet up at someone’s home or even a rented community event space and have your own fun sewing get together.

Organize your sewing space

Have you ever gone to your sewing space, full of ideas and inspiration, and turned right around when you realized you had to clean before you could sew? Clutter and disorganization can be major roadblocks to your sewjo. Take some time now to organize and declutter as much of your workspace as possible. This will make it easier to find what you need when you need it, and help you stay focused on your stitching.

Take a break

This is supposed to be fun! If you’ve been feeling burnt out on quilting, sometimes the best thing to do is take a break and focus on something else. Step away from your projects. You may find when you’re ready to come back to quilting with fresh eyes, it won’t feel like such a chore. 

Your sewjo will come back to you. Keep exploring ideas, keep setting goals, and keep quilting. Who knows where your next burst of inspiration may come from!