Do you ever give up on a project?
 

I have been working hard to complete all my UFO's and I am down to my last one. It is a Jacqueline de Jonge pattern with a difficulty level of 6.

I made a mistake purchasing this pattern it is much to hard for me and has been nothing but frustrating. It may not look too bad in the photo, but there are many troublesome areas. I can't even get the next piece sewn on because things are so out of line. Not to mention folds in the material from the circle piecing and areas that will never lay flat.

I put it away for over a year and a half and have just now pulled it out to finish it, but I am again completely frustrated by it because I lack the skills to complete it.

Can I have permission to stop on this quilt? It is no longer fun. Quilting is suppose to be fun and relaxing and a way to unwind. If I am getting no enjoyment from this project, can I use the rest of the fabric in another quilt and just stop with the frustration?

This is the first time I have ever considered not finishing a project.

Elise

It looks beautiful from here but no way will I finish something that is completely frustrating.And yes, I've abandoned some. Life is too short. Now go make yourself happy with something else. :)

I put one that I hated on the “Free to take” table at Quilt Guild. Someone finished it, showed it at “Show & Tell” and we both were happy !

Give yourself credit for getting as far as you did and trying something new, and then give yourself permission to let it go and move on to something that makes you happy. I think what you did accomplish is beautiful and more that I would have even attempted.

Quilting is my hobby. I do it for the pure enjoyment I finished all but one and I hated it so I trashed it. That was 2 years ago and I am glad it is no longer in my sewing room. Give yourself permission to either get rid of it or try again in a few years! That quilt looks really hard to do!

Ditto to all above..who hasn't thrown pieces in a pile of frustration and then given up...

How about cutting around the parts that you have finished, add some other 'blocks' or borders, and call it a table topper or wall hanging. you should be proud of what you have done so far.

If you belong to a quilt club, ask for help. Make it into a table topper, as was suggested. The colors are beautiful.

Gracious! My hat is off to you for even attempting that quilt! I say pass it on...even if it's through a thrift store. In fact, maybe someone else on this board might like to tackle it? (I really, really hate to trash anything that can be used by someone else....)

It is beautiful. Give yourself a big hug and permission to stop the project as you wish. If you think you might want to continue the techniques in the future, keep it and the coordinating fabrics. If it causes you stress to keep, then pass it along.

Best wishes with your decision.

Yes, says she who has a UFO JdJ kit below the bed in her sewing room. I put it in all in a zippered bag and slid it under the bed. Really frustrating. One day, I may go back to it or I may cut it up. It's in my batiks in my favorite colors. Once it's too frustrating, it's not fun. Let it go or wait. It's entirely your hobby and up to you.

What you've done looks stunning! Have I tossed stuff out? Absolutely! I tossed something out the other day, and I've been quilting for over 10 years ... just didn't like what it was turning out to be, and instead of even thinking of donating it I just walked it over to the garbage can and dropped it in! It was very refreshing!

It looks beautiful to me, but don't torture yourself if you aren't enjoying it. Take it and the pattern and pass it on to another quilter (maybe through this board or at a local guild meeting). Someone will love to finish it.

Permission! Yes... Only last night did I have an epiphany about 'permission' to discard a project. I had started a quilt of brightly colored spools on a black background, waaaaaaaay back when I was just beginning to get interested in quilting. I chose a very dense cotton, a too-thick batting, and the pieces had a lot of seams... and started hand quilting it. Impossible! I kept it for close to 30 years, still with parts of it pinned, and never could discard it tho I hated trying to hand quilt through all that resistant stuff. I didn't even like the look of it anymore... it was so primitive. So instead of tossing it, I folded it in quarters and made a cat bed out of it, pins and all-- in case I ever wanted to finish quilting it one day. ( :D ) Well, last night my cat gave me permission to toss it. I had noticed she wasn't sleeping on it anymore, and on closer inspection learned she was using it as a second litter box. Into the trash it promptly went! I feel free!

I have tossed easier things than that. Quilting should be fun. Don't make yourself miserable fiddling with that when you can move on to another much more enjoyable project.

I have gotten many started projects out of my sight. I never thought I should keep them. Why? Some I gave away and some I trashed. The colors of your quilt are beautiful problems and all.

I once heard a sewing related speaker say you don't need to finish everything that you start. I've tried to use that and not waste my time and energy on projects I don't like. I give you permission to toss this one and start on something you enjoy working on.

If it is no fun stop it and repurpose the fabric.

Yes, this came to my mind also.

I have started projects that languish in containers. Found a couple I forgot I even had. I have one that I only finished 3 rows so could quilt it but it angers me when I look at it (a long story) that don’t think I will. We are downsizing and I’m just getting rid of them.

You've learned you don't want to finish this quilt (it is lovely though). That's enough of a struggle.

So along with the others I say move on to happier stuff. Life is hard enough as it is without us making it harder by forcing us to do what we don't want to do for our hobby!

In my unfinished tops I have what I call the "Jerry Springer Wedding Quilt" short form of the long story is one of my hubby's nieces was getting married and he asked if I'd make a quilt. I don't know the couple or what they like but I agreed to make something I would be happy to make and maybe they would like... anyway, I got the top done but the bride-to-be called off the wedding, said her sister had slept with her fiance. Sister says fiance was only dating bride-to-be to get back at her. Anyway, terrible ugly daytime tv reality drama. I feel the top is cursed. My priority to finish it is pretty much at the bottom of the already long list and I've been debating on what to do.

from what i can see from the photo, it does look good.


however -

you have "my permission" to do whatever you want to do - or not do- with it.

Surrender!
Congratulate yourself on what you have done. Your work looks amazing but that does not mean, you need to complete this quilt. Either save your work by converting it into another project or find someone that is willing to complete it.
Rescue this project (or find a rescuer) and then move on to other projects that will give you joy.

You can send it to me and I'll finish it! :)

I was going to suggest putting it in a closet for a year and then trying again; this has worked for me and it's amazing how much better you get over time, even without taking any classes. But I see that you've tried this already, and it's still frustrating you, so it's time to move on. The next time you take it out to work on it, you will not have good feelings about it.

I would like to say that you've done a wonderful job on the part you did get done; it looks beautiful, lays flat, your points are perfect! Good job! Now go do something you actually enjoy!

Yes. Stop. Quilting is supposed to be fun.

You're a much better quilter than me...I wouldn't even have attempted this.

What you have done is beautiful. So quilt and bind it and use it for a wall hanging or a table topper.

That is a beautiful start. Sorry you feel so frustrated that you don't want to finish. It isn't fun to sew on something that you don't enjoy anymore. Maybe you could give it to a local quilt guild and it would be a treasure to finish for someone.

Oh my gosh, yes. Quilting is supposed to be fun. I have many things I’ve put aside. Life’s too short to be frustrated like that.

Oh oh....I just got the same kit. My first JdJ.
It's so pretty.
Your work looks very good.

So instead of tossing it, I folded it in quarters and made a cat bed out of it, pins and all-- in case I ever wanted to finish quilting it one day. ( :D ) Well, last night my cat gave me permission to toss it. I had noticed she wasn't sleeping on it anymore, and on closer inspection learned she was using it as a second litter box. [/QUOTE]

Ha, ha, even Miss Kitty disliked it! Methinks she got stuck with a pin in the wazoodle one too many times. :p

I think it is beautiful. I also would never consider making a quilt like that. I know my limitations.

I have never tossed anything. I just keep sewing and by the time it is finished I find I really do like it.

It's yours do whatever you want with it.

I'm with several of the others. Throw it in the trash and move on.

I was working on a simple quilt before Christmas. The pattern was easy, and was using mostly scraps....until I needed some more solids to balance it out. So, I went to the store. It was still not right, so I went back for more solids. It was still ugly.

Then, I thought about what I would spend on batting and backing and how much time it would take to finish it. It was trash day, so I just tossed it.

It was liberating.

bkay

I had one quilt, I walked away from for over 4 months, because I was so upset with it, I finally finished it, it now stays on my bed

Oh, please don't throw it in the trash. I'll take it. Or give it to someone else.

Please don’t trash it...Peckish has offered to give it life. You have put so much time and effort into this, and it would be a shame to trash it. I totally understand wanting to move on...I have one or two of those projects lurking about...hmmmm....maybe we can start a “please take this and save it thread”!

I also agree it should go to Peckish/Peggi! She will finish it and post the result and you can finally enjoy all your hard work!

Permission to toss something that you don't want!!? Certainly! Quilting is a joy, not a chore that must be endured.

I have a top that I tried to straighten out stuffed in a box in my sewing room. It is in hopeless condition. I'm going upstairs right now and tossing it into the nearing trash container and throwing in the outside garbage bin for the city dump to enjoy!

Your distress convinced me of the senselessness of hanging onto something that is causing me grief! Out it goes!! And it isn't near as pretty as yours.

Oh my! Your piece looks beautiful. Sorry it has given you so much trouble. I hope you can find it a new home, if that is your decision.

That is really beautiful. Are you doing regular piecing, or paper piecing? It looks like it would be easier to foundation pp. Of course I haven't done it yet, so I could very well be hallucinating. It happens even on the best of forums, amirite??

Girl, to paraphrase Paul Simon:

The problem is all inside your head she said to me.
The answer is easy if you take it logically.
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free-
There must be fifty ways to ditch your W I P.
Just dump that W I P, and set yourself free.

If I've done nothing else, I've given you an earworm to keep you company. :D

Not only her, but probably the entire quilting community:)

Women have way too much guilt about everything, imho. You don't need permission, you don't need to explain, you don't need to rehome it, you paid for it, you worked on it, you didn't like it. Enough said.

roflol!!!!!!!