quiltingtina Posted October 29, 2006 Report Share Posted October 29, 2006 Hi. I am a newbie with a millienium with compuquilter. My husband and I also have a 3 year old son and a 3 month old son. The machine has been here about a month, I want to sew all the time, but I cannot seem to get to it with all the other demands ( 3 year old), and I really want to get moving and get my business running. I have a customer already who sent me 10 quilts (Made by his Great Grandmother), luckily he is in no hurry for them. I was wondering if any of you out there are WAHM's, and if you had any suggestions about how to make it all work? I would appreciate any input. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkerekes Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Hi there! I also have children aged 8, 6, 4, and 2. My machine is in our dining room--which was never a dining room anyway. The dining room and playroom(which should be a living room) are actually one big room with the playroom being sunk in. The dining room is gated off and that is where my Millenium, my DSM, and just about everything related to my business sits, including my laptop:). I've been in business about a year and a half, and this is how I manage it: I am very focused on getting things done. If my kids aren't bugging me, I can get a lot of stuff done--loading a quilt, prepping the machine, straightening up, etc in snipits of time during the day. I rarely get a large chunk of quilting time in during the day, but occasionally get an hour or so here and there. I try to leave my evenings from 7pm on for quilting. I will work sometimes 4 hours straight depending on what is needed. My kids are pretty much in bed at that time, so nobody is bothering me. I don't have much of a social life..because I 'd rather be quilting....... I don't do pantographs. I just can't do that type of work and have kids here. Plus, I hate doing them. I can stop on a dime if needed to get somebody something without messing up a quilt if I work from the front. I do "stand/sit and stare" during the day. I also fit in phone calls, e-mails, and occasional quilt drop offs and pick-ups during the week. I prefer to meet customers on the weekends at the local quilt shops--but sometimes they come to my house. I always warn them in advance--and most people are OK with the kid issues if they are forewarned. Most people actually enjoy the kids and nobody is offended by a kid messy house:). I make sure that I spend large chunks of time with the kids reading, playing outside, doing puzzles, crafts, going to parks, etc. I find if they get chunks of good Mommy time they tend to also take good chunks of playing with each other time and let me quilt:). Some days I barely quilt anything and some days I can actually get 8 hours in. I make sure that my schedule for delivery has some fat built into it and I will absolutely work on customer quilts on the weekend. I feel like I need to work whenever I can--independent of what day it is. I'm the queen of cooking, doing laundry, quilting, and watching the kids all at the same time:D. I try really hard to set up my house for minimum maintenance and clean in 15minute spurts. My kids also eat well without lots of cooking. They love whole wheat pancakes, breads, muffines, fruit, raw vegetables, healthy cereals, sandwiches, yogurt, cheese, etc. I don't do a lot of cooking for sit down meals--but I didn't ever do that before I got the machine either. I love soups/stews and leftovers and so does my husband. I bought my machine when my 2 1/2 year old was a 1 year old. That was hard--and I didn't get into a good routine with it for a while. I made sure that I got a bunch of charity quilts from my guild right away so that I would have something to "work" on. It was rough going for a little bit. I didn't do this with an infant--I'm not sure that I would have the energy or the patience to work through tension or technique issues. Three year old kids can be tough. Three year old boys with new baby brothers can be very tough. If I were you I would try to set a goal for myself every day with the machine. You may not achieve it, but you can at least feel good when you do! Do not put too much pressure on yourself. Doing anything in tandum with little kids can be very difficult, so don't wear yourself out if it takes a while to get going. When I got my machine I thought that I would really get going by the time my little guy was 4 or 5--but I've been taking customer quilts practically since I got my machine! Just take a deep breath.....and get a little sleep when you can. Also, don't forget that you are still recovering from being pregnant and delivering a child. Your hormones are still making you a little loopy and may contribute to feelings of frustration, etc. Let it come on! It will all come with time...... God Bless and enjoy those little guys! Jill Kerekes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Wow, I see no one has jumped on this one! When I was researching the possibility of buying a machine and quilting at home I had all kinds of positive encouragement to go ahead. But one person, not knowing I had a small child at home, said adamantly, "You CAN'T quilt with kids running around your feet!" Well, I have and I do. It's exhausting, it can be crazy, but it can be done. My little cutie pie was only three when I started. He's slept in my studio, he runs around my studio, he knocks over the rolls of batting and climbs into my closets, he plays with my thread and my pins and sometimes now he even helps me out. But WOW! it's a ride. We could keep up a long running chat about the daily antics of quilting with a pre-schooler, now a half-day kindergartner, and maybe we will... To help with my situation I began my business by recruiting two friends to help out with work in the studio. That's our "unique" approach. Several people advised me to hire a housekeeper and a babysitter on a regular basis but I haven't done either of those. But those two quilting girlfriends kept my head above water in more ways than one. They both learned how to use my machine, they did binding and piecing and whatever else needed to be done that I just couldn't do. I'm on my own now. One gal has just recently bought her own machine and has spawned a thriving business of her own, the other has had to relocate to the Portland area for her "real" job. So all is well. We keep on quilting, my little guy and I, and I wish you all the best too. Take good vitamins and get some sleep, ha,ha,ha... Eva H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stagecl Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 One gal in our area has young children. I know she quilts from 9am to 3pm...and that is it...I know one of hers is in school and the other is about 3. i should mention she runs two machines with computers. Cheryl Mathre Stone Creek Quilting Sandy Hook, VA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Wow, you go girls!! My children are now 27 and 28, they are 15 months apart....I cannot imagine quilting and trying to keep up with 2 little ones...let alone more than that. My hat is off to you all. I don't remember fixing my hair when my kids were little:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbann03 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 I have three boys! Aged 13, 10 and 4. My machine is in our finished basement. I took over the entire linoleum area and the boys and DH have the carpeted area with the tv and games and stuff. When I first got my machine my little one used to ride his fire truck back and forth on the linoleum while I worked, until he accidently ran into my ankle one day. Then I said no running back and forth while mommy is working!!!! He pretty much stays away from my machine. I threatened them all when the machine arrived, and they take me pretty seriously. If there is batting hanging down, Nate will run under it and try to hide. I only work about three days a week, in two or three hour stretches. I am just starting to get busy actually, I have four QOV quilts coming and I have a charity quilt from my guild and several xmas quilts to do. I just say one day at time! Nate usually watches tv or plays with his toys during that time. When he starts running around and tearing things apart, I stop! I have never had trouble stopping in the middle of a panto, which are my favorite things to do. I am terrible at free hand, have to keep practicing. I also stop working at three when my oldest gets home. They all need attention when they get home! I am not finding it to be a problem yet, but I knew I would only work part time until Nate goes to school full time! Well, that's my two cents worth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Thiesssen Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 I started when my youngest was 18 months and my oldest was 3 1/2. I worked at night, almost exclusively, or during nap times (when I wasn't napping myself). Those were some long years at the beginning! I remember them as a bit of a sleep deprived haze...good thing I'm a bit of a night owl to start with. Now I basically quilt between 9 and 3pm, while the boys are at school. They're a little older now and I can sometimes quilt while they're around, but mostly choose to spend the time with them while they're here. Only a few more years and they'll be teenagers and not wanting to spend time with their ol' mom. (Well I hope not, but you just never know). Take the time and enjoy them while they're little. They're so precious - sometimes the days are long, but the years are short. L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Boy, I can barely manage things with a whiney husband who likes to change his clothes 3 times a day on the weekends! Once he even found the garbage can! Now I know why they give youth to the young, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 I have a DH that likes to eat!! I wouldn't get anywhere quilting with him and kids!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Oh this could be too much fun. We could go on and on. I did mention my adorable five-year-old. Didn't say anything yet about the 50 year old. Yes, it's a tabloid miracle, I'm a Mother of two!! children born 45 years apart and they are father and son! ha, ha, ha Those husbands can be as much work as those toddlers sometimes. Well, gals, I'd better get back to work. Today I am doing a large quilt for the annual Lord's Acre Sale & Quilt Auction which is only next Saturday. Have a backlog of customers waiting too and a Monday morning guild meeting in town. Love you all, have a great day! Eva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elita@BusyNeedleQuilting Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 Hi Tina, My little bits are 9, 6, & 5. I've been teaching patchwork/quilting for 10 years, in btw kids, mostly in the mornings. Now that I've got all of them in school, I do my classes & other stuff between 9-3, and then later, between 9pm-1am (I'm the night owl here too). 2 nights a week I have eve classes from 7:30-9:30 so then I can work on my own things later. My millie should be here within a couple of weeks and I am planning to continue with that schedule as it seems to work for me. It's the best of both worlds as I get to spend time with the kids as well as have time for me Hope that helps! Elita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judi Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 WOW! I think I want Jill to come and help me get organized! Yes, I have little ones, not so little anymore - 10 and 6, both girls. The older one wants to run my machine for me, the little one plays so nice - even by herself. I just love to listen to her - she is usually singing something! My machine is in the living room, I try to be running by 10:00 a.m. and stop for a bit when they get home from school. Then go for a couple of more hours, then that it. I should be quilting now, because Daddy took them to their Karate class...... but I just had to check my emails!! P.S. besides - I am working on a nasty that I have put off for to long...who in their right mind would piece white fabric with black thread?? "Have a little patience (s/p)"......... and its HUGE!! I am going to put on some great music and get back to it!! Have too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernview Cottage Aust Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 I haven't posted a message here for ages. I have six month old twins and still have time to quilt about 8 quilts a month. My husband also works part time so he takes the boys out for the day once a week for me to work for the whole day and the rest of the time I fit it in where I can, including quilting after they are in bed till midnight if I have a deadline for a quilt. Looking forward to when they are old enough to play together and I might then get a little more time to quilt during the day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmichael Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 I have been quilting for 10 years, so i started quilting before children. Now I have 4 children 6, 4, 3, and 1. Yes I get all the looks and all the comments "You have your hands full!!!!!" at least 4 times a day. All my quilt customers know that I have children. My quilt room is in the basement and right next to it is the play room. They play in the play room and under my feet. I have just gotten use to it. Ohh but I love it when they are all down for naps or Daddy takes them for 1 to 4 hours. I do set goals and quilt during the day. Some days you dont get much done and some days I get lots done. My children have grown up(if you could say they were grown up being 6) with it and are now use to it. I would quilt when i was pregnant and then when we would bring home the baby (4 of them in the last 6 years) as soon as the quilting machine would start to hum they would settle down and just listen. It is funny if an adult askes my 6, 4, or 3 year old "Is your mommy been sewing all day?" They will say "No she has been quilting all day." They know the difference between sewing and quilting. The two older ones will intertain the two younger ones if I say ok girls I have to get this quilt done by such and such and they will just take over and start to intertain. but it has been 6 years getting there. I also am a night owl. I sometimes will quilt until 3 in the morning ( like i did last night) and get up and go all day bake and do two school halloween parties today and 2 more tomarrow. You just have to be very driven. Set you goal and just keep going. No rest for the weary. Good luck, and just email me for motivation!!!! You can do this I know you can!!!! Shelley Carmichael carmichael123@cox.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingupastorm Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Before I got my machine I was a stay at home mom of two girls 11 and 8. There just was no way I could be there for my children and get a job in my field in town. Now with the quilting I really only work part time. I try to fit things into steps. I work when I can. Usually I can get alot done while they are in school. Once they get home I have to be sure they get on with homework, chores and take them to Karate and Scoccer paratice. Sometimes I will work for an hour or more on the weekends and sometimes I work for an hour or more in the evening. I keep a detailed log in which I record time spent on each quilt. I agree what others have said about their children. Treasure them now because the quilting will keep but children won't.....................before you know it you will be missing their wonderful games and excitement they bring to each day. I feel very forutnate that I can work at home in my time and be there whenever my girls need me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2kwilt Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I would just like to say that I have been long-arm quilting now for about 18 mo. and I have a just 4 year old and an almost 3 year old--boys and it is very difficult to quilt if you don't have help. I have a husband who is gone all the time and when he is home, isn't typically "helpful" when I am quilting. So, I am lucky that my mom lives only 6 miles away and she can be with the boys while I work. I do quilt with the boys around (they have never been sleepers), but it makes it difficult and I personally feel that it compromises my efficiency. Good luck, it seems to get easier everyday, but it is difficult. All these ladies have to have bad days and unproductive days as well (like when sickness hits and takes almost a month to go throughout the entire house!) Hang in there, though, and as the kids get used to it, they will adjust and so will you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APQS Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hi Quilting Tina I think you would call me a SAHN! Maybe not, if you say that out loud it sounds like sane and sometimes I wonder. I am a stay at home nanny. I still have all my children at home and an adorable grand-daughter. If I had waited until they left home I'd still be waiting. You are so lucky to have the CQ, I wish I had one when the kids were younger. If my kids were all small now would plan to do say one edge to edge quilt a day, I'd load it, set up the design in CQ (choose the design, measure the width and length of the quilt and move the machine to the starting position) all in the evening when the kids are in bed. Next day there is no reall thinking to do, just press the button, let it complete a row then index down. While its quilting a row you could be attending to the children, or hanging out the washing. I hope you enjoy the best job you could possibly have with kids at home. Sue in Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susanri Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I only wish I knew about this art when my little one were small I would have loved to do this, Instead I used to make all sorts of things to sell mailny Jewelry, I found the hardest thing was people dropping their kid off thinking since I worked at home it would be no big deal and besides somehow they thought it would keep my little ones busy and I could get my work done. but some how you manage and your little ones will learn that mommy is working but they will love having you near. I wish you the best of luck. just watch out for little helpers I made a wedding party dresses as they hung on the dummies my three year old thought she would give me a hand by evening out the hem with my best shears! have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GERRY Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hi QuiltingTina: I understand, I got into this LA business so I could stay at home & not go out to work. I only have 1- 5 year old boy left at home during the day, but I have an assortment of grandkidlettes, nephews & after school kids to take care of. I knew that when Evan went to school full time that working at Wal-mart or Super-store where in my futrue, & working for min. wage didn't look inviteing, so when I heard that I could make enough money to pay for my machine (in one year.....I gave myself 2) I knew it was the right move for me....... Now it's hard to get done what I want to do, but I manage, (sometimes badly), I'm no SUPER MOM, & a messy house is part of the picture, when I cook, I cook double, so the DH has a quick left over meal here & there. My kids love Pizza-Pockets, & I'm big on Vitamins & raw veggies, so they wouldn't starve, but dinner served at the table, not happening.......... Anyway I try to get a quilt pinned/loaded during the day, hopefuly get it all ready to quilt before the kids are in bed, the DH heads off at 9:30 so I start quilting then, with luck it's finnished & trimmed before I drop, now I must say I'm an old night owl, & do my best work when I have that "Over tired" buzz going, & I can at nap sitting up (10 min's here 20 min's there) you know during cuddle time with Evan, or while I'm taking a tea break. But some days, I don't get to quilt a thing, or even get close to Gracie, & I havn't done any piecing for a long time, but I know that kids grow quickly & by the time Evan is 10 He won't have much time for me.......my oldest kids are 30 & 27............. so I have figured this part out. I'm hoping that by the time Evan only needs me to do his laundry & cook, I'll have a nice little income to off-set what ever the pensions may bring in. & maybe get the DH intrested in helping me with the business. That's sort of my 5-10 year plan, by that time DH will be 60+ close to retirment, or retired even....... I know that little boys are hard on their Mommies, mostly because they get board, & want you to keep him busy, I found that the best way to keep them busy was to take in babysitting, I know your thinking that an other kid is just what you need, but kids like to play with kids, the trick is to find the right little kid, (maybe a girl a little older than your son) & 2 little people can have a great deal to do that wouldn't involve you, mostly make a mess, but if you can ignore the mess & quilt, or at least pin/load you may be able to make you & him happy.............. You could also try & arrange play-dates between yourself/son & another mommy/kid, you watch her's & she'll watch your's a few times a week. or if your son is potty trained, look into pre-school, a couple of days a week, my 9 year old loved it, & it gave me a little more time to spend with Even,when he was a baby...........I didn't have a LA yet, or I would have been quilting.. Anyway best of luck, take it slow, tomorrow things will change, he'll be off to school, & you will even miss him.............. somtimes;). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 A blessing in disguise. When a very busy five-year-old boy is running a high fever it slows him down enough to want to be cuddled by his mommy. He's been quiet, snuggly, and sweet as can be for the past 24 hours and just about to drop off to sleep with his Pooh Bear on the floor of my studio. ~~ A mother's blessing in disguise. We feel so sorry for our little ones when they aren't feeling well, but the slower pace is a calm we can all appreciate. And, if he naps long enough I just might get that last quilt finished and off the frame before he wakes up. Peaceful and Quiet, Eva H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Eva, Sorry to hear that your Tid-Bit is under the weather....poor dude. Its so rough being 5 and having a fever....But he will recharge that little battery and be off and soon be his very busy self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Thanks. We watched Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and then we BOTH took a nap! Hubby made dinner by going to town to buy a roasted chicken and TWO gallons of milk? A man's dinner, not a veggie in sight. And I'll still get that quilt done before the night is over. Nice to hear from you, Eva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CucumberQuilting Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 We went with mashed potatoes instead and the little guy is down for the night. Back to work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Thiesssen Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 Oh - I meant to say in my previous post that the thing that has kept me going is my slow cooker - While my husband was still working on his degree I'd put dinner in the cooker in the morning while getting the kid's breakfast underway...it really did save my butt countless times. Now that DH is done his degree we alternate cooking one week each. (It's his week this week - yahoo!) I also did swap play days with neighbors: I'd take their kids two days a week, they'd take mine two days a week. It helped when I needed a consolidated chunk of time to work. The latter arrangement was kind of 'catch-as-catch-can', but some weeks it gave me a lot of time. Enjoy, L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingtina Posted November 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 Hi everyone. Thanks so much for all of your advice. You alll have some great ideas that I can put into action right away. We all have had a week of bad colds here, but we're on the mend now. I have gotten into the studio a little bit lately. We set up a "craft" area in the studio for my 3yo, Max. Max and I went shopping for all sorts of supplies: pipe cleaners, beads, glue (washable), buttons, crayons etc. Then I get him started on a project, run to the machine, and praise his efforts from there until he gets bored and wants me. So far so good. Of course he wants to "help" me, which slows me down a bit. My favorite thing these days is when Max says that when he gets bigger, I will teach him how to use the sewing 'sheen, and then he'll teach Wyatt (little brother). As far as meals, I recently started doing one of those meal plans where you make up like 20 meals at a time, pop them in the freezer, then defrost and cook as needed. They are awesome-easy and taste great! My biggest problem is that too much time passes between sessions, and I feel like I have to learn everything all over again each time. It really cuts into my practice time when I have to search through the manuals over and over. It'll all sink in eventually. Back to work now, the house is finally quiet...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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