For me it wasn't the size or difficulty of a project that was the problem. It was that I made it too hard on myself.
I found I needed certain things in order to enjoy the process.
- a dedicated sewing place or at least the ease of setting one up and being able to leave it for a few hours. Also, when my kids were younger I had to be able to monitor them without difficulty while also sewing/quilting, even if that meant the kitchen/dinning table. Heaven was when I finally bought a cabinet where I could lower my sewing machine and keep it off the great room!
- a comfortable chair at the right height and padding.
- good light.
Those were the needs, besides time. I used the old 10-20-30 Minutes to get going if time was a concern. There are lots of things I can do that don't take huge amounts of time but will advance whatever project I am working on: preparing the process by knowing the directions and rewriting them if necessary; possibly making a trial block if I feel it would help my process; and prewashing, ironing, and sorting fabric.
I DO NOT cut out all my material at once. This makes the project seem daunting. It does get boring too quickly that way. I have committed to a certain size as far as the material goes. I only cut enough for 10 or less blocks. To me that means I get the wonder of making the project quite a few times and my interest doesn't lag.
Yes, I do have some quilt tops that I haven't quilted yet. I try to do that when I have a larger span of time.
Those projects that I don't really enjoy I do donate to one of my quilt groups/guilds for charity quilts.
Each of us is different. For me, as my skill level increased so did my enjoyment of quilting. I am more than glad I took the time to challenge myself and learn more. The journey is really enjoyable.