If you’ve been reading the blog lately you know I’ve been in a cleaning and organizing kick.  Ever since I read  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
I’ve had two boxes of fabric sitting on my dryer for over two months waiting for me to have a nap time stretch of peace with nothing else to do so I could cut out a quilt. Â All the fabric was collected. Â Much of it was even already cut into strips. Â I just had to cut the quarter square triangles…but did I do it…nope.
I had told you all that after going through the childcare things the next thing on my list was to tackle the laundry room….I first thought I would just carry this all back upstairs but then decided- nope. Â I would be easier to just take care of it all now. Â Then the excess fabric could be put away and the project could be set aside as a UFO (unfinished object).
So one night….that’s what I did. Â I cut the quilt out….and now I have another UFO.
I’ve had people tell me that there is a better acronym (name) for a quilt that is just cut out and not a stitch sewn in it…Someone will have to let me know what that is.
You can see that I have a pile of triangles there too. Â I use them all the time when sewing string blocks. Â When I get to the corner, rather than continuing the sewing of strings I stop and just sew a triangle on instead. Â It typically saves one extra pass. Â I like it and it works for me.
I have wanted to make this quilt ever since the book first came out.  Partly because I like string quilts.  Partly because I like the colors.  Partly because I have a bed similar to the one in the picture and partly the name of the quilt, Pfeffernusse.  Hubby’s mom used to make pfeffernusse cookies all the time for Christmas.  I’ve always loved the cookies.
It will be awhile before I tackle this quilt though. Â I have so many quilts here waiting to be quilted….I just got another charity quilt in from Elly…the quilt top is so cute. Â I can’t wait to get it quilted.
The tidying continues…this is now going upstairs to the quilting room to find a home in the UFO cabinet. Â I hope it doesn’t stay there too long. Â I’m a little afraid it might because it’s for me and me quilts typically aren’t on the front burner.
I don’t call a quilt a UFO until I have actually started sewing it together. I cut out blocks and I call it a QIW, quilt in waiting. I like to work ahead on scrappy projects. Several years ago I sewed 2 1/2″ strips together and made 9-patch blocks. They are in a bag waiting for whatever project I decide to make with them yet. They aren’t a UFO, they’re a QIW. It works for me. Have a great day. Blessings, Gretchen
Hmmmm Maybe I will cut out Wonky Wishes when I cut out Scrap Crystals! It wouldn’t be a UFO, it would be a Quilt in Waiting!!! ;) I love it!!!
I like the term FBQ (future beautiful quilt). If could be a short wait or a long wait for the future quilt, but I know it will be beautiful when it is done. :>)
That’s my favorite one Mary Jo.
Jo, when do you ever rest? You are a whirlwind. I thought of PIP, Plan In Progress for quilts at the initial stage but have not met the sewing machine. Also, PUDDLE, Plan Undecided Due to Distinct Lack of Energy. Thoughts and prayers for your upcoming health trials. Oh that could be TAP. Thoughts and prayers. Enjoy your day.
I call them WIPs, works in progress, or BBWIPs, back burner works in progress (or BBWs). They are BBWS if I have started but then stalled for some reason; can’t decide on border or backing, or some other reason, and it is set aside and waiting. I think it is more positive than UFOs, or so I tell myself. ☺
How about these that I found on Bella Online:
UFO Unfinished Object. I sometimes wish my UFO’s would be taken by Martians, never to be seen again!
WIP means work in progress and I’m guessing that we all have a lot of that.
The above acronmys are the simple acronyms that most quilters use regularly. Now I’m going to take you on a journey of discovery of acronyms that are used by the wider quilting community, and they are very clever, I think.
HSY Haven’t Started Yet
PHD Project Half Done (does that makes my title, Judie Bellingham PHD.)
MGBTQ Must Get Back To Quilting
WIVSP Work in Very Slow Progress
IWQIS=I Will Quilt IT Someday. I call cut out and waiting “Iwookies”. (yes, like the character on Star Wars).
My favorite is PIGS. Projects in grocery sacks. Whatever you call them, I’m sure we all have way too many. I like the way you keep yours so organized. I think that is why you manage to get so many finished.
Most people refer to them as WIP (works in progress). At least that’s what I see most on quilt blogs ;c)
My friends mock me because THEY determined that a UFO is anything the fabric is cut for. I have quilts CUT that I haven’t had time to sew yet. I have quilts that I have started piecing on. I have tops that are waiting to be quilted. BUT I am determined to get them all under control.
The last teacher work day is May 19. LOOK OUT BASEMENT!
My attack of the quilting room has already started!! Good luck. Don’t get a new job too quick Nell!
It’s sort of a kit that you’ve made up yourself, so I’d have the word “kit” in it. Home Made Kit? HMK doesn’t have a lot of pizzazz, though. Self-Made Kit (SMaK)?