cathyvv

It's only a problem if you think it's a problem. Deadlines are artificial, so unless someone you want to gift with a quilt is near the end of life or the gift is for an infant, don't worry about the deadline.

Project choice is a bigger issue. If time and space are limited, try choosing less complicated quilts. My sister always goes for the complicated quilts, and has a stack of UFO's as a result. I, on the other hand, am impatient and won't devote the time and effort required for complicated or intricate patterns. And I still wind up with UFO's! Luckily, neither of us is a neat-nut, so neither of us really care about the mess.

Crocheting is, in my opinion, more relaxing than sewing and has the benefit of allowing you to watch TV while you crochet. I had to stop crocheting because of fibro, arthritis and tendonitis, and I do miss it.

In any case, don't feel forced to choose between crocheting and quilting. Do what makes you happiest and enjoy it. Otherwise, what is the point of either hobby?

DOTTYMO

Perhaps when you begin sewing after a long day at work you are too tired to register new concepts. Plan to do only 30 mins each day or every other day and reward yourself with your crocheting after.
i love knitting and crochet as well as hand embriodery on applique plus quilting.
i mix and match in timed sections I feel very productive and don't have any undoing which to me is soul destroying with any craft.

Laurajbr

Everyone has good advice here. As a new quilter myself I have also found the finding and starting of a new project is more fun than the mid point. About 1/2 way I have to break the goals down to smaller steps...getting 4 blocks done, get one line of blocks together, things like that. I have been choosing progessively easier projects, and it has also helped me learn what I like to make. I highly recommend jelly roll quilts. There are some great patterns out there for them, and they tend to be fast and forgiving of beginner skills.
(and the UFOs will later be surprise gifts, try to let go of the idea of those deadlines. Deadlines are for work, quilting is for fun)

coffeecozy

Life is way too short to waste time on a project that is not interesting you right now. I would pack them up in a way that I could easily identify them.
I love starting new things, maybe that is my hobby, lol. I do have days where I feel like working on different things though and then out comes that old project that I feel like working on again.
If you think you are picking projects that are too difficult you might want to look for smaller projects that you really like so you can learn the techniques before you become frustrated with them.

luana

I don't know if reading this post will help, but it gave me a new perspective.



http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...r-t262604.html

Mitty

Possibly you're crocheted so much that it's become a habit, integrated into your life, but sewing hasn't (yet). Or possibly you just don't enjoy sewing as much (I know, this is sounding completely unhelpful so far). Maybe a useful question would be, when you do sit down and sew, are you enjoying it? If you enjoy parts of it, which parts? Is there a way to structure your projects so that you're doing more of the parts that you enjoy? Some people only make the quilt tops and hire out to quilt them, for example.

If you enjoy it when you do it, then forcing yourself to do it might be a good thing to turn it into a habit, and then you'll have less problem with not finishing projects (although almost everyone does this - that's why we have the acronym UFO!) If you're not enjoying it while you're doing it, then: If the above isn't helpful, maybe this will be: I bought a Christmas tree skirt kit (one of those things with felt and sequins) in 1992 and got it about 2/3's done and haven't finished it.

I still swear I am going to finish it some day. Too bad I don't get a Christmas tree any more.

Mitty

Oh dear, right after I posted I realized how my post above looked. When I said, "If the above isn't helpful," I meant what I wrote, not the quote I included from cathyvv. I included that quote because I thought it was great. Sorry if I looked like I was being rude, it was unintentional. Sorry Cathy!

toverly

It's hard to make items for other people especially with a timeline. I would try sewing something for yourself and your home first. Then see if you want to start on anything else. I always have an easier time if I give a gift I have already completed.

cjsews

I run into this issue. Sometimes I make myself a list of UFO's in order of quickest/easiest to finish to hardest. This gives me a reminder of what I want to accomplish and try to put just a little time into it. Once I get started at the machine, I actually get more done than planned. I never do make it thru the whole list before another project catches my eye. But, at least I can say I do get some work done on previous quilts.

MarionsQuilts

Lots of great advice here ... and one other tip:

I find I can move along a lot faster when ALL my fabrics are cut and ready to sew.

So I do everything in stages. Also, I LOVE hockey, so have to set everything aside to either watch my team or attend the game!

Here's an example: (I say days, it could be steps, depending on how much time you have)

Day 1 - figure out what quilt you want to make - that's it you're done
Day 2 - go through stash and pull out what you already have, make a list for what you need
Day 3 - buy all your fabic / threads
Day 4 - wash / iron all your fabrics (OK, I don't pre-wash, but I definitely press them all!)
Day 5 - cut them all up
Day 6 - spend some time studying the pattern and figuring out the BEST / MOST efficient way of sewing the blocks together - I betcha $100 you can chain piece most of it!
Day 7 - chain piece as much as you can without getting confused LOL
Day 8 - press all your pieces, and start sewing again
Day 9 - ??? - keeping doing the above day until they are all sewin into blocks


Does this make sense? I think you are overwhelming yourself so it makes it not as fun ... and there's nothing worse than having your new hobby become a nightmare.

And you are going to make mistakes, and you're going to toss out a quilt top or two (or three or four) - or give them to the cats / dogs LOL ... we all do it ...

Good luck