Moira- I often have many projects going at once (WIPs) and a number that are stalled (UFOs) and I used to worry about it but have learned over the years that for me, this is just part of my creative process . I’ve listed some of what causes WIPs and UFOs in my studio below
I have WIPs because: 1. I like to be able to work on a variety of different ideas at once, otherwise I get bored (especially when piecing a top). 2. I use some techniques like fabric painting which require drying time before the next stage can be worked on, so it makes sense for me to have something else to work on while waiting for a painted area to dry. 3. I am an actively showing artist who is reluctant to say no when an opportunity to be in a show presents itself, so most of my current WIPs (two collaborative quilts and a bunch of paintings) are things that I have promised for art shows so they’re being actively worked on. 4. I also frequently spend time working on small samples as a way to try out new ideas before committing to a larger piece.
Things that get put in the UFO pile do so for several reasons: 1. I might have gotten the piece to a point where I can’t decide what to do next or there’s a technical problem that I haven’t been able to solve and need to set it aside for a while and let my subconscious worry about it while I work on other things. This happens fairly frequently with my art quilts and improvisational quilts. 2. Sometimes I just get so bored piecing a top that I really can’t force myself to keep plugging away - my Bonnie Hunter ORL from last year fits this category.
Sometimes a project does get started and worked on straight through until it’s finished, but that’s a rare event for me.
Rob