Thursday, January 07, 2016

UFO of the month


Here is the UFO closet as 2016 begins. Don't look down... there are boxes and bags of stuff that are an unorganized mess!
There are a lot of great quilts hanging here, just waiting to be finished. I went through the closet and re-evaluated each one to see if I still wanted to finish it, or if it needed to be adopted by another quilter to finish. I discovered that I still like all of these, so they are staying here until they get some stitching TLC. The project on the left is the most exciting for me at the moment, as I have started to sew together my spool blocks from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and hope it will become a quilt this year.

My UFO management is not the "out-of-control" problem it used to be because of three changes:
1) I am more careful about beginning new projects (since I realized that I won't have enough hours in my life to finish all the quilts I want to make!)
2) the new projects I tend to start these days involve more hand stitching and take much longer to become a quilt top, thus accumulated less UFO's, and
3) I have finished many quilts over the last few years.

In 2016 I will maintain my practice of attempting one UFO finish each month and will join with Heidi's OMG link up. This month's project will be the same attempt as the one from November and December of last year. Each month this quilt saw some progress, but not a finish.
One of the ways to motivate myself toward a finished quilt is to prepare the binding. I found the perfect fabric and got right to work cutting and sewing the binding.

And here is where this UFO begins the new year...in a pile with it's backing prepared, it's batting cut, and it's binding just waiting to be sewn on the edge.
The next step will be pin basting, and quilting. Which design should be quilted is the next decision to be made. Quilting/life is all about making the decisions!

20 comments:

Sarah said...

Good plan! But you are right it's all about making decisions ...... Today at this moment it's shall I run the Hoover round or do a few more rows on my socks! Have a good day. 🙂

scraphappy said...

Good luck on continuing to work toward finished quilts. It is so muche easier to start than to finish. But nothing is ever finished that wasn't started first.

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

You can get 'er done! :)

Samplings from Spring Creek said...

WOW! You have been busy. Happy you are still happy with them after giving yourself time to evaluate

Teresa in Music City said...

You are so well organized Kathy! I plan to join OMG as well. If I don't have a plan for the UFO's, they tend to get forgotten in the everyday creative chaos. Good luck on your goals!

Janet O. said...

When did you get a photo of my UFO closet? *LOL* That looks SO familiar!
Looks like you are on the right track for another good year. I love following your progress and riding on the coattails of your feeling of getting things under control (since I'm not doing it myself).

Bonnie said...

I've decided that finished tops should not be considered UFO's. Ok, who am I fooling but myself? As I figured out last year's UFO list I realized I hadn't really counted any quilts in the closet to be quilted. I think this year I need to get a list of what is waiting for quilting.... Time will tell.

Heidi said...

I'm afraid those hangers look all too familiar ;)
Good Luck tackling your goals this year, I look forward to seeing more of your January Wreath!

Terri in BC said...

We must all use hangers, mine looks the same. I like your plan of cutting the binding before you've quilted it. I'm going to take a look at my closet tonight.

LuAnn said...

You are brave to put the UFO closet photo on your blog. It looks just like mine. By reading this post, you just stopped me from starting something I just saw on another blog. I'm going over to see here you are linking to, and maybe I'll try and finish some of mine. Happy New Year.

Diane said...

Quilting/life is all about making the decisions!

Exactly!!! Love seeing all those pretty tops waiting patiently.

Deanna W said...

Having and making a plan is always a good step...however following through on those is the problem many of us have!!!

Ivani said...

You have a great plan. Good lucky on your quilting decisions.

the girlfriend gap said...

Looks like it will be lovely as I see the backing peeking out. January is a great time to finish a Christmas quilt. Janita

Flickenstichlerin said...

Wow, so many finished tops. Wonderful galerie.
I like the part about the handsewing, and not so many tops accumilate.
I am thinking in this direction too and have only 3 finished tops that are waiting for quilting.
Greetings,
Sylvia

Dogwood Lane Rambles said...

I've joined the OMG party and happy to cheer you on toward your goal! We can do this.

cozykoza32a@gmail.com said...

You should be so proud of yourself with your decision. I have already decided to make two different quilts since Jan 1 and talked myself out of them. I want to finish a couple of quilts that I started last year and I really want to finish my Dear Jane. I am making my Dear Jane from my stash. I love scrappy quilts.
Kathleen Mary
https://kathysnest32.wordpress.com/

Mary said...

Good for you to keep trying to get this one finished! OMG is a good reason to do it. I will be happy to just make another Flimsy this month. My BOW and BOM blocks will also get done for the month.

Ellen said...

You are organized, you have a plan, you have lots of UFOs and you have the desire to get them done. You can do it!! Although I understand the 'making decisions' problem - that always seems to hold up so many of my projects too.

Kate said...

You picked a great project for the first month of 2016. Good luck getting it to the finished line.