VIQ Sewing Party Invite

Very Important Quilter Sewing Party

        I would like to invite you to an amazing sewing party with a Very Important Quilter. It’s going to be the best playdate, ever! Will you come?

Oh, good. I’m glad you said yes- because I volunteered you to host the party!!!!!!

The most important quilter you know is going to come and hang out in your sewing room for a few hours. Are you nervous? Excited? Frantically wondering how to tame the chaos enough to make room for the VIQ?

Take a deep breath. The easy steps below will walk you through the whole process- from start to finish. This is going to be the best sewing playdate of all time!

Ohhhh, yeah! I’ll bet you want to know who the VIQ is before the party kicks off.

She is…

You.

You are the most important quilter in your life, and you totally deserve this party in your honor.

Prepare Your Space

1. Take some time to create a beautiful space for your art. Put away the clutter. Stand the rotary cutters in your tool bin, hang up your spare rulers. Tuck those scattered patterns into a drawer, and tidy your book shelf. Whisk your scraps into the appropriate bin, and stack the pieces of your current WIP so that your next step is ready to go and looks irresistible. (20 min.)
2. Go and pop dinner in your crock pot, or place an order for delivery online. Prepare your favorite non-alcoholic beverage, and make a small snack plate of your favorite finger foods. Put on some classy, elegant background music, and maybe light a candle in your sewing room. (20 min.)

Do the 5×5 writing assignment.

• Start by writing a list of 5 UFO’s. Why has each project become a UFO? Did you get bored? Was there a major mistake in your blocks? Do you need to purchase additional supplies? (3-5 min.)
  • Next, write down 5 things you love about quilting. Be specific about what you love and tell my why you love it. For example, I love piecing blocks because I love seeing how every unit becomes a component of the block. I love ironing units and blocks because the time I spend ironing forces me to look closely at each block. (5 min.)
  • Finally, write down the 5 things you intend to accomplish in this sewing playdate. Choose tasks that are simple, short, and easy to accomplish. (3-5 min.)
    •  Example:
      •  Sew ten 4 patch blocks
      • Iron ten 4 patch blocks
      • Set up the next step for the WIP. (In this case, piecing another ten 4 patch blocks.)
      • Look at the 5×5 list and identify one UFO that would be easy to finish
      • Locate the UFO and set up the next step for that project. After you complete this WIP, it’ll be time to tackle that one UFO.

Let the VIQ sewing playdate begin!

• Look at your intention list from the 5×5 activity. Which task feels fun and exciting? Start there.
  • Place a check mark next to each task you finish.
  • Enjoy your snacks and beverages as you sew.
  •  If you finish all five of the tasks, you are welcome to spend more time in your studio. But, if you feel complete, give yourself permission to transition to your next activity.
  • Don’t feel like you have to sew until you’ve finished all five tasks.
  • At the conclusion of your sewing party, take a moment to tidy your sewing space, reset your WIP for the next step, and set the stage for your next sewing playdate with your VIQ.
  • Remember that dinner is already in the crockpot, or on the way to your house via the delivery person.
• Journal
  • After your VIQ sewing playdate, take some time to write about your experiences. What did you see? What did you notice? What did you get? How did you feel while quilting? How much did you get done? How eager are you for the next step in your WIP? How do you feel, after this decadent studio time? When will your next VIQ sewing playdate take place?
  • The VIQ Sewing Party is a practice you can return to, time and time again. Every time you experience it, you will learn something new about yourself as a quilter, as an artist, as a woman. When we treasure ourselves and feed our passion for our hobbies, we teach the world to treasure us, and our art.