15 Minutes of Play Blog Tour + Giveaway - The Jolly Jabber Quilting Blog

15 Minutes of Play Blog Tour + Giveaway

Thanks for stopping by the Jolly Jabber while we get our creative juices flowing with a new book! Victoria Findlay Wolfe is an inspiring quilter, lover of color, scrap queen and now accomplished author. We are excited to tell you a bit about 15 Minutes of Play, her very first book, which will help you to fuel your creativity with scrap piecing.

Victoria urges creatives to dedicate 15 minutes each day to play. Take 15 minutes to play with your scraps, and you may end up with something amazing. This “playtime” will cultivate your creativity and keep you inspired.

What if you are drawing a blank when you sit down for your 15 minute playtime? Victoria has laid out 11 challenge exercises to get you started and to strengthen your creative muscles. Use Victoria’s challenges, ideas and inspirational quilts to start a creative journey.

We are giving away a copy of 15 Minutes of Play to one lucky Jolly Jabber reader! Leave a comment below letting us know how much time you dedicate to creating.  Winners in the US will receive a hard copy of the book and international winners will receive an ebook. The winner will be chosen December 12th. Good luck! 


Be sure to follow along the rest of the tour to learn more about 15 Minutes of Play!

189 comments

  1. OHHHHH…. I NEED THIS!!!!!!
    Havent crafted and not being creative for almost 1 1/2 years…so this is IT!!! Maybe it can help me on the way to creativity land again!!!!!;0)))

  2. I usually try to sneak in as much sewing time as possible… sometimes it's only a half hour, other times I can get in as much as two hours after the kids are asleep. Right now, though, with a new baby I'm not getting much sewing time in. 🙂

  3. How much time I physically spend creating depends on what other things I have on my plate. But, I'm always creating in my head!

  4. I get into my studio anywhere from daily to several times a week…and into my journal every day. I would love to win Victoria's book!

    Andrea in Minnesota

  5. I am now a "kept" woman so I spend hours a day playing in my studio. I am spoiled. Sometimes I get an idea in my head and am so excited about it that I have to stop what I'm doing and try it immediately. I quilt, hook rugs, embroider, knit, crochet, etc. I have a great life.

  6. Unfortunately I don't spend nearly enough time creating! I am too busy getting customer quilts done and being a mom and a wife. That is precisely why I need this book! I need inspiration and to remember how to play. Ever been "too busy" to play? That would be me!

    Thanks for the chance to win a copy!

  7. I work graveyard shift and am stuck to a chair until someone talks to me so I spend most of my evenings either hand piecing or drooling over fabrics and patterns, impatient until I can start the next project!

  8. I spend a few hours a night in my craft/sewing room. I want to spend more! Lovely blog and thanks for the chance to win Victoria's book. It is on my Santa list.

  9. I so need this inspiration. I'm a nap-time quilter . . . that hour or so between when the 2-year-old goes down and the other kiddos get home from school is a sanity saver. Thanks for the chance.

  10. I try to create a little everyday, and some days all day. On my breaks at work. For an hour after everyone has gone to bed. Or a few minutes here and there when I am working on a clients quilt.
    I would love to win Victoria's book, what inspiration!

  11. I am retired so have all the time I want to create. I do get bored with projects so I have learned to create the vision and jump on it and get it finished so I can get to the next one.

  12. I try to start each day doing a little sewing, but of course I can't always get it done. I'm often thinking about creating so I guess that musing time would also count.

  13. Lately I've been slow to start anything, not sure what that's about, but before this funk I was spending an hour or two at my machine!
    Thank you for the chance

  14. These last few months I've been spending a lot of time being creative. Besides sewing I also knit, so when I'm not doing one I'm doing the other ~ I'd say a good portion of my day is dedicated!

  15. My "creating" time varies from day to day, but I do it every day. I may not get to my sewing machine every day, but I always have some handwork to work on. It might be applique, embroidery or maybe completing the binding on a quilt

  16. It depends on the day. But the true answer is not nearly enough!! I get distracted by the housework on some days, and on others I just sit and stitch all day long.

  17. Week nights i spend half an hour to 2hours on sewing, knitting or embroidery. Weekends i am home, 4-6 hours, per day. If out of town, maybe 2 hours/ day with handwork. Now, what i would like to add is more creative, design, experimenting time. I am not as quilt by number as i was, but am not courageous as i would like to be. I think this book will help me become more adventurous. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!

  18. If I'm not at work I'm creating, whether planning in my head or actually working with my hands. I keep my busy busy busy!
    lisamcgriff@hotmail dot com

  19. I probably spend at least an hour a day sewing (sometimes much more), but I think I really need to loosen up and be more creative. This book sounds amazing!!! Thanks for teh chance to win!

  20. I love the concept of your book. :). I love fabric and all of the creativity I see from my fellow quilters. I try to stop buying fabric and books and then someone like you comes along with another good idea. I move my fabric around from one storage bin to another, look in quilt magazines and catalogs and shop online every day. The next thing I know my quilt friends want to go fabric shopping again 🙂 The end products are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for sharing your ideas.:)

  21. I have to sew something or craft everyday or I don't feel like i did anything. Even when I worked a full time job. I probably sew at least 4 hours a day. But shhh! don't tell the hub I sneak a bit more out after he goes to bed. LOL

  22. I try to get to my sewing room for at least an hour a day. even at that, I don't make a dent in my stash. I'd love to try some of Victoria's ideas.

  23. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I spend at least 2 hours a day sewing, and more on the weekends. And when I'm not doing that I'm usually online looking for inspiration and patterns…

  24. Each day is different. Sometimes I spend most of the day creating and quilting and other days, unfortunately, it's hard to fit it into my schedule.
    wlinda_ca(at)yahoo.com

  25. my creative sewing time varies so much, from none to a couple hours in a day. I enjoy the 15 minutes a day blog and am sure I'd enjoy the book!

  26. On a good day with both kids in school I will sew all day and do 6 hours. However if either of them is ill I get absolutely nothing done! On average I probably sew an hour a night. Thanks for the giveaway chance x

  27. I do creative things, but don't work at increasing my creativity. This is definitely one book that I'd love to read and study.

  28. I try to be creative every day, at least 1/2 hour. Thank you for this great giveaway – crossing my fingers I'm the lucky winner!!

  29. Oh, my. Actual sewing time is minimal per day, but I consider creative time to be when I am surfing quilt blogs, drawing ideas on slips of paper, printing patterns with particular stash fabrics in mind, devouring quilt magazines and cutting out pictures of 'some day quilts'. For these kind of activites I would say an hour and a half a day!

  30. being older and alone and somewhat limited in my activities, i have lots of time for handcrafting … i enjoy my quilting and knitting particularly and do a number of other crafty things as the mood strikes.

  31. During the week, there's just not much time for creating, so I save up all that energy for my days off. Weekends are usually sew-a-thons, and the heck with housework!

  32. Sounds like a great book that I need. There is never enough time to sew but at home when sewing on my own maybe just an hour on up.

    Thank you for an awesome giveaway and the chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

  33. I don't make myself sew any amount because then it isn't as fun. If I feel like it that day, I do, if not, I don't! When I do though, its a few hours at least.

  34. I may go a day or 2 (at most) not creating anything. I always look forward to Friday nights and spending time in my sewing room. Together, my 9 year old daughter and I have a blast making totes, dresses, etc. Creating something new is a great way for us to bond!!!

  35. I try to dedicate at least an hour a day to crafting something! I really love creating new fabric from scraps. This book looks super inspiring and I sure hope I win!!!

  36. I usually spend the evening, say apx 5 hrs.. I dont have kids at home and I dont work, so I have alot of time. I get my mojo going by doing several crafts, I may cross-stitch, quilt, embroidery, or work with a new technique all in one day, if I am in a slump, I will iron and fold my fabric or sort scraps, I love to make scrap blocks to relax me..

  37. Temporarily I'm unable to sew b/c of surgery. But I look at my fabric and dream about my next project. It's a form of play, too. I can easily take an hour every day to play. When I'm back to "normal" I suspect I'll both play and work for several hours each day.

    Thanks for offering a copy of the book as a giveway.

  38. Wow what a wonderful book. I try to spend at least one hour everyday creating and sewing. Some days if I miss my time to create and sew I get grouchy, so I will spend extra time the next day. I always have a graph pad and pencils on my table in case while doing something else a design or idea hits me, I can write it down.

  39. I am just not able to do much quilting during the week. Between, school, tutoring, family…I'm too drained to get much creativity going. The weekends are when I get time to sew. This book looks like just the ticket to get my creative juices flowing again!

  40. I usually spend an hour or two playing a day. More if my baby sleeps more! hahah.
    Thanks for offering up a copy as a giveaway! It looks like a great book!

  41. I do most my creating on the weekends as I work full time and have a 2 hour daily commute. Sometimes in the evenings when a project is needing hand work I will squeeze that in during TV time :o)
    Have a great day.
    Always, Queenie

  42. Are you talking about THINKING of creating or ACTUAL creating? I think about creating quite a bit but don't really get around to devoting enough time to it. I'm lucky if I get in 5-10 hours/week.

  43. The brain is always in gear but most creative in the shower or dusting.Would love to say 24/7 but just will take any opportunity that I can.

  44. Love creating quick gifts, but probably like most I don't spend enough time creating. Seems like I'm a little bit slow in this fast-paced world we live in, but a little bit of inspiration from your giveaway would definitely help!

  45. In terms of creative hobbies, anything from 0-3 hours/day. I do get to be creative at work too, but in a computerish sort of way!

  46. Sounds like fun! I often don't get much done because I think 15 minutes just doesn't seem like enough time to get anything done. And yet, I've learned that I need to plan and break up my work in chunks.
    I steal a few minutes anytime I can, by looking through magazines, browsing blogs with my iPhone, cutting patches while playing puzzles, making and cutting stencils or foundations. Most of my time is after I put the boys to bed, so 2-4 hours in the evenings.

  47. This book looks like a lot of fun! I try to sew every day. I have not tried to design my own project but have been thinking about trying. thanks for the chance to win.

  48. Since I have little kids at home I get a few minutes here and there. 15 minutes at one time sounds like heaven.

    ginger c at gmail dot com

  49. I've been following this blog hop and I sat down and played for about 2 hrs. last night and got a snack mat made and quilted. Tried out a new ruler and just used scraps. Even got to try a different fmq pattern in each block using my new machine.
    Playing is fun!!

  50. Unfortunately I don't get near as much time to create as I need. Family comes first so I snatch whatever few minutes here and there that I can. Usually I'm pretty satisfied with what I get done in the time I have.660

  51. I go long spells not quilting at all but when I am into a project, I work on it daily. But I think creating can mean gardening, cooking, etc.
    Thanks for a chance to win Victoria's book!

  52. When I don't have a specific project I want to work on but have a few minutes to sew, I love to pull out my scraps and play. Victoria has inspired me to "create fabric" with my scraps. Thanks for sharing.

  53. I have not quilted in a long time what with working full time but I am getting back into it as it is relaxing
    VHarrah[at]aol[dot]com

  54. I would love to learn how Victoria separates or chooses her scraps to make new fabric – my improv blocks just don't look as exciting. Thank you for the opportunity for this book! It's on my list!

  55. I may not sew for days and then some days I sew all day! I work 12 hour swing shifts so it's hard to sew any when I'm working.
    hulseybg at gmail dot com

  56. If creating idea comes I would only take about an hour to get all materials needed and sew everything together. Usually looking for the right scraps takes longer than sewing … my sewing room is in a mess!!

  57. I would love to win this book. I spend anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours a day in my sewing room playing with fabric.

  58. If I'm traveling (which is often), I make sure I take handwork for the airport and hotel. On the weekends, I try to make SOMETHING with the machine, even if it's just an hour spent sewing.

  59. I don't give much time to it at all right now. I just work on something if an idea hits me while i'm working on something else.

  60. To create something daily is a big part of my life and the effect has trickled down to my children. They recently received their own sewing machine so I could have a chance to use mine, again! They will be displaying and selling their creative goodies at an upcoming craft fair!

  61. I spend time thinking creatively while waiting in the checkout line, as a passenger in the car, etc. Hands-on creating is currently limited to a couple of hours a week.

  62. I spend everyday sewing or quilting. I coming up with new ideas every minute of everyday. Even when I'm out I look for patterns in things.

  63. I've had health problems lately so I don't get to sew as much as I'd like to. But ususally I do most of my sewing on the weekend.

  64. Heath issues have kept me from actual sewing and making as much as I want in the last few months (used to be at least 15-20 hours / week and more often about 30 hours). So, I spend most of my time out of bed reading, dreaming, talking, or doodling about quilts… and a little bit of time making some softies for Christmas. It's about 10 hours a week right now.

  65. Right now I am spending all afternoon daylight hours in order to get some Christmas gifts done.

  66. This book is on my wishlist!!Right now, I am only getting in an hour or two of sewing on the weekends.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

  67. Because I have lupus, my energy levels wax and wane, as does the amount of time I spend creating. I spend a lot of time each day thinking about quilting, though, which I think helps me creatively and emotionally. That is one aspect of quilting I love: even when I'm not at my machine or working with fabric, I'm growing creatively.

  68. As of right now my creativity has all been with school work. I am back in college and carrying 18 credits! LOL I have been doing little projects and those are working for me. Would love this book as I workj alot with crumbs and scraps.

  69. In an ideal world..at least 15 minutes per day after work but then I make more mistakes during the weekday. I think this 15 minute of play would be a great way to spend my 15 minutes per day of quilting -making it a productive week.

  70. i wish I could create every day, but since I can't, I'm at least planning ever day. I'd like to adopt the 15 min a day idea, but haven't made it work yet.

  71. Wow- I could really use this book to "jumpstart" me-it looks amazing and playing is right up my alley. Most of my pursuits involve creating in one way or another-I wish I could somehow make exercise appealing and creative as I need that and hate it. I want to win!
    I love and adore color and it looks a good way to do some playing with it before total commitment.

  72. I spend a few hours each week trying to create something, even if it's just rearranging fabric and projects. Thanks for the giveaway!

  73. Sometimes it's easy to let the day slip away without taking that 15 minutes to be creative. I started keeping a set of pencils and paper by the bed so that if nothing else, I can sketch out a quick idea before heading to the land of Nod. 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!

  74. I spend a little bit of every morning before I go to work in my sewing room. Sometimes all I get done is setting up for the next time I can sit down and sew.

  75. I am always in creative mode. I see possibility everywhere and have taken to keeping a small journal on hand to write down the inspirations I have.

  76. Unfortunately I don't get a lot of sewing time during the week….although in my mind there is creativity going on. I try to get a couple of hours at the end of the week. This looks like a GREAT book!
    Thanks for the opportunity to win!

  77. I aim for some creative time every day — I get cranky if I don't get at least something accomplished!
    I'd love to win a copy of the book.
    Thanks ~ Jeanne

  78. I commute 1-1/2 hours each way to work. I sew on the weekends and whenever I need to "calm" down. I have 15 minutes a day, if I had some help… like a book by Victoria.

  79. I sew as much as I can every weekend and on weekdays if I have a day off. If I'm not sewing, I am hanging in the sewing room thinking about it.

  80. I spend some time creating nearly every day, although not nearly as much as I'd like. I keep hand sewing projects with me for waits in doctors offices or school pick up lines or during my lunch break, so that usually gives me about 15 minutes per day. On really good days, I also get an hour or two of time in my sewing room.

  81. It depends on how much the baby is sleeping! But it definitely helps to have my projects broken up into little chunks where I can see progress each day.

  82. Now that I'm retired I'm finally finding more time to quilt – some days for several hours, others only an hour or so. But creative play – I've always considered myself to not be very creative, so perhaps this book is just what I need! Thanks for the giveaway!

  83. I am trying to sew everyday. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't. I would like to spend at least 2 hours a day in my sewing room. Victoria's book looks inspiring. I have been following her 15 Minutes blog. Thank you for a chance to win her book. Janita

  84. Thanks for the chance to receive on of Victoria's books. I learned about her type of "play" from an on-line donations quilt group – love it!

  85. Thanks for showing some great photos from Victoria's book. I make sure to do something related to my creativity every day. Could be from a few minutes to several hours. But, it's important to get at least some time in.

  86. It's hard to say how much time I spend creating….does it count when I'm dreaming of quilting while I'm at work? 🙂

    Hope to win this great book!

  87. I work in my studio everyday but need to make more time to actually sew instead of just thinking about sewing. Love the idea of the book. Sounds like a greta way to start off the new year.

  88. I'm very creaive in whatever I do (decorating for parties, gifts, cards, etc.) but I don't spend any dedicated time for just playing and i REALLY want to start. I think that'll be my New Year's resolution for me!

  89. I usually spend 4-10 hours a day in my quilting room. I am a longarm quilter so most of the time I am working on customer's quilts. Maybe this book would encourage me to sew a bit every day for me!

  90. Currently I am spending a few hours a day working on creative gift ideas for Christmas, but normally it is not very much time at all.

  91. Not as much as I want to! Just a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday. But I'm working on it…..perhaps this book will help with that dedication.

  92. I've been out of it for a few months. But hoping to get back now that basketball season has started. My husband watches the game and I sit and sew 🙂 I'd like to try out 15 minutes of play!

  93. Not as much time as I'd like. I work full-time and have a toddler I miss like crazy when I'm gone, so we play until she goes to bed. I often get only an hour or two a week to craft. Thanks for the chance to win!

  94. I try to spend about a half hour most days being creative in one way or another with my quilting. I'm fairly new to quilting as I waited until I retired to start. Other than cooking and cleaning and other things around the house, quilting is my only outlet. I spend a lot of time looking through things having to do with quilting on the computer. I would love to win the book & have some time away from the computer to read about my favorite topic! Thanks for the chance to win.

  95. I try for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week but find that I can stretch it to an hour or 2 now and then! Looks like a great book.

  96. Thank you for the chance to enter this contest. I sew in the morning for 30 minutes if we don't walk on the trail by our home. For sure after longarming all day either before or after dinner. Fav is Quilt Cam with Bonnie Hunter; I get so much done!! Have a Merry Christmas!!