10 Fun Ways to Celebrate National Quilting Day
Mark your calendar! National Quilting Day is almost here. It always falls on the third Saturday in March—and that’s March 19th this year. If you’re looking for ideas to celebrate this event, we’ve got you covered!
1.) Hang a Quilt on Your Porch or in a Window.
For many quilters, showcasing beautiful quilts outside their homes is a tradition on National Quilting Day. This year, why not also display a block or quilt in support of Ukraine? We have 150+ Free Quilt Block Patterns to inspire you.
2.) Make or Donate a Quilt for Charity
Charity quilting is one thing that combines our skills and our hearts to help give comfort and warmth to strangers in need. Some great organizations looking for quilt donations include Project Linus, Quilts for Kids, and Quilts of Valor. What could be more comforting than a quilty hug?
3.) Visit a Quilt Museum
Quilt museums are chock full of amazing quilts and inspiring stories. If you’re not lucky enough to have one in your neck of the woods, check out the International Quilt Museum’s virtual experiences on their website.
4.) Visit Your Local Quilt Store(s)
Are you in need of fabric, thread, or new tools? This is a good day to support the brick and mortar shops in your community and to see what’s new. (But if an in-person trip doesn’t work for you, fire up your computer and shop them online.)
5.) Take a Quilting Class or Workshop
Stretch your quilting skills! Have you made any foundation-pieced quilts yet? Are you ready to try appliqué? Want to learn more about longarm quilting? Classes and workshops are the perfect way to explore and try new techniques. Contact your local quilt shop or check out the workshops at Quilting Daily.
6.) Host a Mini Quilting Retreat
Whether you’re a member of a quilting bee or have just a couple of quilting buddies, what could be more fun than a one day quilt-a-thon? Include a show-and-tell, plan a block swap or fabric swap, or play Quilt Bingo. (And don’t forget the chocolate!)
7.) Teach a Friend or a Child to Quilt
Start with the basics and an easy pattern—like those found in our Quick + Easy Quilts magazine. If you have young kids or grandchildren, spend a few hours playing with simple fabric shapes on your design wall, or prep some fabrics with fusible web and let them have fun cutting and arranging patches on a background piece. You just might create a new fabric addict!
8.) Pick Up a New Quilting Magazine
We’re a little partial to a few titles: Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting or Fons & Porter’s Quick + Easy Quilts, McCalls Quilting, Quiltmaker, and Quilting Arts. You’re probably familiar with at least one of these magazines–but why not take the opportunity to check out something new to you?
9.) Listen to Quilting Podcasts
Surely, you’re a regular listener of the Quilt & Tell Podcast or Quilting Arts Podcast by now! Quilting podcasts are some of the best ways to keep up with what’s happening and who’s who in the quilting world. Grab your ear buds or headphones and catch up on episodes while you quilt. (Go ahead and subscribe so you never have an excuse to miss an episode!)
10.) Watch Quilting Shows or Videos
Kick back and get inspired with episodes of Love of Quilting TV or Quilting Arts TV. Check your local PBS listings for times. Better yet, get these and much more with a subscription to Quilting Daily TV. From beginner quilt instruction to finishing techniques, you’ll find expert instructors sharing their quilting wisdom and inspirations–and best of all, it’s available to you 24/7.
How are you planning to spend the day?
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