One of the hazards of a UFO
 

When I make a quilt my least favorite part is the cutting, so I try to cut out all of it at one time. Well, about 5 years ago I did just that. The top is complete, I hand quilted the star (it's my first attempt at a lone star quilt). I was not pleased with the way the center came together so I folded it and put it way. Well, since then we retired and moved from Missouri to North Carolina. After I unpacked my quilting supplies and put them away I decided it was time to finish the darn thing. Ok, so all I need to do is FMQ the borders and put on the binding, yay! I know I made the binding, I even remember (I think) seeing it when I unpacked my stash. Do you think I can find it now? Nooooooo. So now I have to find a coordinating fabric and CUT the binding and make another one. And you know as soon as I do that the original will magically appear.

Oh how I feel your pain. I have learned to keep all fabrics AND the UFO together until it is finally finished. Of course all bets are off if one of those fabrics happens to be JUST PERFECT for your current project! Walk away and have a cup of coffee. Who knows, that binding might just jump out at you when you come back into your sewing room. (Or you could look upon this as a 'necessary opportunity' to add to your stash.)

Spend some time looking for it right before bedtime. Sometimes your brain will continue to work on a problem while you sleep. It might work, or you might find it while you are looking. I have solved a lot of problems by using that technique. I just wake up with a good solution.

Keep looking before you buy fabric for another! I did this with a quilt back. I knew in the back of my head I had fabric for it, but wasn't quite sure if/where it was. Bought more, took it to LAQ, and within a week I found the original back.

I usually forget what the pattern was or where it is, then I have to go searching.

Catholics have a word with St Anthony...He's sposed to help find the lost. Works for me.

I feel your pain. When I decided to join the UFO challenge, I wanted to count how many UFOs I have. In my counting, I found two UFOs that are cut out and have no patterns/directions with them! They do have a picture at least, so I'm hoping I can figure out what to do.

That is a lesson I learned the hard way also - now all my projects are kept together - even including specialty rulers. Saves the pain later.

I feel your feel your pain.

I was digging through my UFO's a few years back and almost had a heart attack. On one of my projects I still had lots of the main fabric to use (to finish it) .... but it was not with the main UFO ... oh no how will I finish it?!? I was lucky, I has set it aside in a place I would have never found it.... SO whenever something is 'set aside til later' it is ALL put into one bag! Now I know I can pull out any of my UFO's and all that I need is one place. whew

I know the problem and that's why I hate it when I have UFO's.
I always need to search for fabrics or patterns, or I don't remember how to do the techniques
Or, when I don't work from a pattern I need to do all the measurements again because I've forgotten all about....