I find that when I go back to finish a ufo it usually is the last thing done to it was somehow wrong. When I back off that last thing, I like it again and change it to what benefits the overall look of the quilt. I also get many donations for charity to finish up and it is because they get frustrated at some point and give up on it. It turns out to be a lovely quilt when it is finished. Once a top was so odd but beautiful at the same time. I cut it up into a tote bag and it was very popular at the silent auction there was a bidding war over it. Let me clarify, because there are so many generous lovely souls who make and donate lovely tops with nothing at all wrong with them. I was speaking of unusual occurrences.

If you really are going to give up on your pretties, give them to a charity quilter in your area. I am sure you can find a worthy cause to support who would gladly accept them and feel good about releasing it from your hidden place.

[QUOTE=RedGarnet222;7502486]I find that when I go back to finish a ufo it usually is the last thing done to it was somehow wrong. When I back off that last thing, I like it again and change it to what benefits the overall look of the quilt. I also get many donations for charity to finish up and it is because they get frustrated at some point and give up on it. It turns out to be a lovely quilt when it is finished.
QUOTE]
Thanks RedGarnet. Some of these were abandoned because of my bad habit of moving on to the next exciting thing before I'd finished the previous one. Others I was finding boring to make, or I just lost interest in quilting for a while or was too busy to quilt, and when I came back to it wanted to move on. Or I was running out of one of the fabrics. But some of them are also associated with a difficult time in my life, and I think that's part of why they've been left. Now that I've learned to see a project through (at least I hope I have!) AND my tastes in quilts have changed quite a bit, I think it would feel a bit of a punishment to make myself go back and finish all these first. I will be going through them carefully, and will keep any that I still feel enthusiasm for, but as you say, the others can do some good if they're donated for someone else to finish and give to a good cause.

I think you are wise to go through and see if any spark any joy still. Keep those. The rest, get rid of them. I will be different from most of the above posters and say -- don't spend undue time and energy finding just the perfect recipient for them -- you don't have to control what happens next. You just take care of clearing your space, get them out of your home, and trust that the right person/organization will come across them at the right time and they will be put to some good use. Seriously -- set a limit on how much time you are willing to spend in divesting yourself of these things that make you feel sad and guilty -- like 3 days. And feel free to stipulate that anyone who wishes to take them has to take them all , being free to do as they wish with whatever they don't choose to keep.

Maybe I am projecting here, but I have family members who make the donation of unwanted items into the most amazing odyssey -- a huge, dramatic project fraught with all kinds of misery. So I encourage you to make your parting be swift, decisive, and guilt free.

You might contact this member--she is part of a Project Linus group in the UK.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ml#post6412763

What wonderful comments from the board members on this subject!

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Yes, it's been very helpful and has made things clearer. I'll let you all know what happens when I get all those UFOs out this weekend!

I quite agree! Key to all my decluttering has been getting the stuff out of the house as quickly as possible, to keep the momentum going. Anyone who volunteers to take the quilts will have them on their doorstep ASAP!

Hi Anniesthreads, I think you need to forget about time and money already spent on these UFOs. I totally relate to how they are holding you back creatively. At the beginning of the year I decided I wouldn't start anything new until I finished my UFOs. I only have 3 and yet I've done hardly any quilting at all this year and I know it's because I don't want to work on them. I would suggest if you don't have a LQS that does a Charity Quilt day, then just go to a car boot sale and sell as much as you can. Then put the rest into your favourite Charity shop, if they can't sell them they will sell the fabric by the pound. Obviously no one will recoup what you have paid but some good will come of it.

I have a different problem. My sister (102) went into a nursing home and her daughter sent me a bundle of quilts she had picked up at estate sales in Iowa. They are hand pieced and typical of quilts from farm women with limited resources. Some are more attractive than others. Should I machine quilt them---and then what? Would they be suitable for donations. They might not be sturdy enough.

It's your space and if the things in it don't give you joy, then you can give yourself permission to let them go. Do you have a guild in your area? Most guilds have a community service. Sometimes churches have groups that do good works for their community. Sometimes charity shops take projects that they can sell for a profit. If you want to bundle each project with all the remaining pieces and label it, you could pass them on. Enjpy