Machine Quilting and the Google Calendar

Make a Google Calendar to schedule your
Holiday Machine Quilting...
and still decorate for the Holidays.

It is time for the Holiday rush, and if your quilts are piling up, not to mention all the little projects you need to complete for yourself try using this great calendar idea. Afterall, what is the Holldays without that handmade treeskirt and the special quilt for the nephew who just started college?

Seems a bit of prioritizing might help here. First, block out time for customer quilts on a calendar. You might try the Google calendar online if you don't have one with lots of hourly spaces on it.  Next fill in all the spaces with customer quilts that you have prioiritized by dates...first in first out, or by due date, or shipping date.

Then put your own little projects in there as well, giving yourself hours in the morning when you are fresh for your own creations as well as evening times. Save the handwork for evenings with your family watching a good movie.

To see one in action go to  http://www.sallyterry.com/Public/Classes/CalendarofClasses/index.cfm. If you click the agenda tab to the right eveything will list for you by date. You can even print your calendar out and post it in your studio, or you customer can print if out as a reminder when to bring in their scheduled quilt top.

If you set up a Google calendar like mine, then you can also put it on your website and help your customers fill in their time slots together when they call on the phone. This way there is not confusion as they can see your calendar.

Keep it updated as they schedule their quilts by showing their time slots. Since this is a public calendar you may want to put in customer reference numbers, or something other than their name....and remember your personal dates will be seen as well. Just fill your own time periods with project names and generic entries only you know. Don't publish travel and other personal details.

Here is the information page on how to publish the calendar on your website. http://www.google.com/googlecalendar/event_publisher_guide.html 
Be sure to check "pubic" in the little box to the right so it can be shared.

It takes seconds and is sooo impressive for all to see.

Hope this helps and gives you a bit of organization in the last two busiest months of the year...

Happy Holiday Season my quilting friends.... sally