Our youngest daughter, Kalissa, graduated from high school at semester which was December 21st. We hosted an open house party for her here at the house on the 29th. We have the attached garage along with the house space and knew we’d be filled to the brim with people. That was okay…the problem… I had to do some cleaning. If you’re a regular blog reader, you know cleaning and I just don’t mix.
I started with my sewing room….I have to organize all the stuff in the cupboards so the rest of the stuff can go in the cupboards…UGH.
That has brought me to a conclusion….the UFO’s have got to go!! I mean it. No pretending to join a group on finishing UFO’s only to drop out. This is it. I mean it…the UFO’s have got to get under control.
They are taking up all of my precious space.
Here’s my list:
Perkiomen Daydreams-1
Perkiomen Daydreams-2 Finished in July. See it here.
A block of the month Finished in August. See it here.
Star Quilt Finished in June See it here.
Nine in the Middle Finish in January See it here.
TumblerFinished in March See it here.
Blue Ridge BeautyFinished in October. See it here.
Criss Cross ApplesauceFinished in April See it here.
American Patchwork and Quilting Quilt
Cactus Patch Finished in May See it here.
Wool Project-A Gentle Life
Wool Project-ChristmasFinished in September. See it here.
Uptown Girl
Pineapple Blossoms Finished in January See it here.
Stars over Shallotte Finished in November See it here.
Rectangle Wrangle
Blue Skies
Turkey Tracks
Smith Mountain Morning
Virginia Bound
Hand me DownsFinished in April See it here.
Hawaiian Sunset
Pineapple Crazy
Tribute to Judy
Hip to be SquareFinished in May See it here.
Oh I have other projects too..but those are just packaged together and not cut out.
I looked and looked at the list trying to figure out why these quilts are in limbo and not finished. Here’s my conclusion. The majority of the quilts listed are quilts I know I will want to keep. I am constantly setting quilts aside and putting other projects in front of projects for me. Graduation quilts, wedding quilts, donation quilts all take precedence over quilts I am making for myself…what’s a quilter to do?
I know lots of people have many more UFO’s than I do and that’s okay for them…for me, this UFO situation just isn’t cutting it. I want my space back so I can fit everything in. It’s not a space problem. It’s a lack of control problem on my part.
I am going to make a commitment to have 6 projects off my list or I won’t go to Country Threads’ big event in July. That’s only one UFO a month and very do-able…I’d love committing to more but I don’t want to set myself up for failure either. Then I’ll just quit.
I am going to work on two different blocks of the month this year doing a couple blocks each month. Then at the end on the year, I will have some quilts that can be donated for various events without cutting hugely into working on my UFO’s. I am doing our Pieceful Nights and Open Gates BOM. Hopefully that will give me a few projects I can donate and give away while still getting some of my own projects finished. I am also going to keep working on Judy over at Patchwork Times is hosting a “Get it Done Challenge for 2013” . That’s a lot to commit to but honestly, these UFO’s have got to GO!!!
I was just saying this very thing at my LQS yesterday while talking with the gal who was cutting my fabric. My goal, made that night, was no more fabric until I have finished some of my UFOs!
What is it with us quilters and our UFOs? I’m the same way. My small quilt studio is crammed with projects calling my name. Some projects need backings, some borders, some major decisions, and some a bit more TLC. I decided not to take a class or do a BOM this year in an effort to get some of these projects done. Of course, if Bonnie Hunter teaches near here I will throw that decision out the window! And you’re always doing something inspiring that I have to try! I thought having a daughter (or someone) to quilt with would mean I’d be more caught up but I see that isn’t necessary the case either!
i have some UFO’s as well, but because my storage space is limited they are the only thing that actually helps me to not buy fabric for even MORE projects. I’ve found that if there is space available for more fabric, i will usually find a way to fill it up.
My goal now is to convert that storage space that is filled with ‘future projects’ into finished quilts, taking it one UFO or one project at a time.
come look at my UFO parade, and maybe you won’t feel so overwhelmed. I was looking for a UFO challenge to participate in, but none of them met my needs. I have a goal of 20 by the end of the year. I really only quilt 10 months, so that is 2 a month. I am setting monthly goals based on the ones I want to work on. So far, it is working well. I almost have my January goals accomplished. Storage became an issue for me too! I am up close to 100 tucked away in every nook and cranny. I did not count projects waiting to be started – I am sure that would have put me over he edge. I don’t feel overwhelmed, I feel inspired.
Oh, when I first found quilter’s blogs and blogging I thought I needed to do all the quilt and block alongs and ended up with 52 UFOs. I dedicated a year to 3 ‘get it done’ groups to get the majority finished and then went thru and sent some of the flimsies off to Sarah’s group. That year really cleaned house for me as I cleaned all those UFOs off in that year.
Wow, Jo….I thought my UFO list was bad? :) The projects that you take on are no small tasks either. I can’t believe how many Perkiomen Daydreams quilts you have made or are making. I did one. That’s enough for me. I loved the process, but want to move to other things. I’m currently working on the Bonnie’s baby pineapple blocks and a Rectangle Wrangle. When I get tired of one, I switch to the other. There are some other things in the UFO pile that I save to work on at quilt camp.
I totally relate and believe this is a problem for creative quilters…lots of ideas, not enough hours in the day!
I came to the same conclusion when cleaning up for Christmas! I have joined in on Country Threads UFO game this year hoping that will motivate me to get one per month done!! There is just so much fun stuff out there to do that I keep starting more projects!!!
That’s an impressive list of UFOs. I can see why you are overwhelmed. I find I have to finish a step whether it is cutting, piecing blocks or a finished top before I can put it away otherwise it is too hard to remember where I was on the project. I usually stay on task for a quilt until it is a top although I do have many sets of blocks that need to be set into tops. Right now I am actively working on three quilts. My backlog happens when they reach the top stage. I currently have 35+ unfinished tops.
You and I must be related! I, too, keep putting “gift” quilts or charity quilts in front of the quilts I want to finish to keep. I don’t think I have quite as many in progress, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Good morning Jo! I have followed you for quite some time. I have a suggestion for you as I am the UFOChallenge Coordinator in an online group. Since you have a longarm which is far quicker than quilting on DSM, and because I follow you I know many of these are finished flimsies, stack these next to your BFF long-arm in desired finish order. Commit to quilting off 1 per week and/or every other “new” project. Now I know you, like me, make big quilts and quilting these off is an ALL-day adventure yet I know you like me, can do it!
I learned early-on, that loading a quilt was my roadblock so on a refreshed morning or right after dinner (while DH does the dishes-sexy huh?), I’ll load one up and then I can walk by and do a pass now/then over the course of my week and I find I almost always finish in less than 2 days because I just love being able to “swing by and do a pass”. :-) No muss, no fuss.
I look forward to viewing your quilty finishes this year!
I know exactly how you feel. I am trying to get a top done that I started about 5.5 years ago! Crazy! It’s just so fun to plan and start something new. The UFOs are driving me nuts so this year they go! That mens that my fabric allowance will be spent on quilting by checkbook, something that I have resisted until now, or they will never get done.
I feel your pain! I have 5 tops that need to get quilted, 3 that are in progress, 2 that need labels and mailed out, 1 that needs a binding, label and hung in my bedroom. Then I have a black garbage bag full of scraps, I have made 3 tops from that bag of scraps and I’m hoping that a Pineapple Crazy quilt will “eat up” the remaining tiny stuff that makes up this bag of scraps!
Well I thought I was bad. But you might have a couple more than me. LOL
That is some list! I say “You go, Girl!” You’ll do it. I look at it as more opportunities to see Ruby on more quilts! :)
When I was a new quilter I gave my mom a hard time about all her UFO’s – she has been a quilter for 20 years. I made a comment about all her unfinished projects to someone at her local quilt store; the woman smiled and looked at my mom with an amused look and said “She hasn’t been doing this very long has she?” Now I too have my fair share of UFO’s. Great goal Jo, I think I’ll try to do the same – one a month for six months!
Somehow, I find it very encouraging that I’m not the only one with what feels like an outrageous number of unfinished projects! (It’s a little disheartening when people make a “list” of their UFOs, and the total is a whopping 3. Ha!) I’ve got so many … I’ve found I work fastest with deadlines, so most of the “gift” quilts and baby quilts and things get done, but a lot of the “me” projects get put on the back burner. Working on it!
I am also in the same boat…..addicted. Sorted all the fabric, partially done, just fabric cordinated for that special time to do, and keep on adding to the stash. The new designs are too appealing. Keep on going……….
Lyn
Well, you did make me feel better, I do not have quite as many UFOs as you do! I think I have 14, but that number coudl be higher as I go through everything. But your post is giving me new motivation to get better organized this year, to help me finish up these projects. So I also now have the goal of going through my stash and projects, and committing to working on them for some time each week. Perhaps this will help me be better prepared for this year’s Christmas season!
Yeh, I have the same problem! I joined up with Judy too, but it’s already the 22nd, and I think I bit off more than I can chew this month. However, some progress is better than no progress and making a list is the first step. If we had nothing else to work on, it would be very doable, but like you said, all these new projects keep popping up.