Finding Time – Breaking a Winter Hood Down into Manageable Steps

With busy schedules, taking on a project, particularly a new project, can seem overwhelming. Even after years of making winter hoods, I find switching from my rhythmic sewing for straw to construction sewing for winter hoods to be a big shift.

I find I need to break each hood into steps I can do after work. These steps give me an achievable goal and a sense of completion.

Here is my recommendation for working through my Quilted Winter Hood Workbook. Each of these is meant to be achievable in an evening. This pace completes hoods A & C in two weeks, while hood B will take a few more days for quilting.

Read Part 1
Read Part 2
Print pattern pages. Tape together and cut out the pieces you need.
Layout and cut fabrics & batting
Mark quilting lines. Make bias and piping.
Start quilting the brim.
Continue quilting the brim.
Finish quilting the brim.
Quilt the crown.
Assemble & quilt the bavolet.
Bind or pipe the brim (varies by style)
Attach the crown.
Attach the bavolet.
Finish interior and add ties.

For many, a quilted winter hood can be made in a weekend of handsewing. I would recommend reading in advance. Do steps 3, 4, & 5 on Friday evening. Start Saturday morning with quilting steps 6 to 10, accompanied by a good audiobook. Sunday, commence binding or piping, and assemble the hood through the finish.

Keep in mind that everyone works at a different pace. You may find you have limited time and need to do each step over a couple of days. Or, you may be able to do more than one step in a sitting.