Guild UFO Challenge
In January, our guild began its second year-long UFO challenge because everyone had such great fun with 2012's. Each member submitted a numbered list of all UFOs (or at least as many as they were willing to admit to) to the UFO Challenge coordinator. The UFOs had to be quilt project, guild workshop project, or something covered by our guild's bees to qualify; in addition, you had to actually have BEGUN the project - buying the fabric & pattern but not starting anything doesn't qualify for entry.
Each item had to have a good description which had to make sense to YOU. I added approximate dimensions ("60x60 without borders") because you never know when one of the prize categories might be "Most Square Footage Completed"! Every month during Show & Tell, you show the actual completed quilts (quilted and bound) - no photo submissions - identifying them by the number you assigned them on the list. The coordinator takes note of the item number on your UFO list,and puts your name on the back of a ticket stub - one for each completed quilt - which then goes into a big jar for drawing prizes at the end of the contest.
The contest is announced in January, with lists due the coordinator at the March meeting; submissions end at the November meeting, and prizes are drawn for the winning categories at our Christmas potluck/meeting. The three quilters who completed the most UFOs were awarded outright a UFO pin from pinpeddlers.com. There were additional drawings for as many prizes as were donated by members or quilt shops.
After each participant recovered from the shock over how many unfinished projects they had, their list was a real kick in the pants to FINISH things. It seems that the reason(s) why we put down the project disappeared when we picked it back up again to git 'r done. Things really moved quickly out of cupboards and off the floor to walls, beds and loved ones. People brought their UFOs to meetings to ask others for ideas on how to finish as well. Every month there's a lot excitement and pride in finishing those things that have been hanging around waaay too long. You really do "lighten up" with every one you complete, and your creativity and energy levels increase for finishing more UFOs on your list.
If your guild or group hasn't done a UFO Challenge, please do consider it. I can't remember when I had so much fun being productive. I also can't believe how many times I put something down with so little left to do to compete it - got me to clean up that behavior right quick!