I am envious of all of you who whip out projects so quickly.
Am I the only one that takes days, months, and years to finish what I start. The piecing is not a problem or the putting together the tops...but then I get bogged down. Any quick fixes?
Thanks for listening.
Susan

Welcome to the club. I have a nice selection of tops waiting to be quilted, so obviously I have no advice.

Dear Susan,
I love to piece patterns, play with colors and shapes and it is easy for me. When it comes to the quilting part I have only done stitch in the ditch, which works well for me. Would love to learn free motion quilting someday. Have you tried stitch in the ditch? Kitsy Keel Smith

I am slow. I cut slow, I piece slow, I Fmq slow...no peddle to the metal for me. I set no deadlines so I don't have to rush. Any other way would take the fun out of it for me.

I think we are twins. Sounds just likwe me...

I have 7 quilt tops that were sewn a couple of months ago. So much time doing other projects that they sit waiting to be lined, backed, tacked, and binded. What can I say....... you have to be in the "mood" to do any crafting including quilting or mistakes are almost a guarantee. Enjoy your quilting when you're in the mood and it will go well.

Nothing wrong with enjoying the fun part, but better when finished and you get to do the Happy Dance !!

Good thing I don't care to Dance :)

No advice here as I have 3 or 4 tops done that need to be finished. This site is bad for me as I keep reading about different quilting methods e.g. tube quilting that I will be trying out next

I've resolved myself to the fact that I will have a bunch of quilt tops only. Unless I totally love it or it's a gift, I would rather make tops which is what I love to do. With fabric getting so expensive, I much rather spend it on fun fabrics and not the backing.

I'm slow, but I work full time also so hard to squeeze alot of quilting in on work days. I usually have 1 1/2 days a week to play. I wish I had more time. I think I spend way too much time trying to figure out what to do next. I just hate the thought of cutting fabric up and then deciding I don't like it.

Thank you all for encouraging me by letting me know I am not the only one...makes me feel better and releaves some pressure.
I love to create...and play...spend lots of time hunting for just the right fabric...but so far I have not been disappointed with a single thing I have ever made.
I know I am a "little" OCD....and ADD...
If any of you have some quick anythings...please share.
Thanks again for confessing and sharing...LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we must be almost twins! I just don't fmq--I handquilt which in itself is s-l-o-w...

I sure don't quilt fast. It takes me time to piece the top and even more to quilt them. I wait til winter to quilt. I piece all summer.

Glad to hear that I'm not the only one. Frankly, it doesn't bother me if
some can whip up a quilt in a day. I just enjoy the process whenever I have
the time and I'm in the mood. When I'm not in my sewing room I'm here
reading and drooling over what others have made. Maybe I should call this
quilting with my eyes. LOL

I usually get bogged down between planning and finishing the piecing.
A couple of years ago I took a top to my sister's friend when she started quilting for others. She was concerned when she couldn't get it done quickly (for medical reasons). I told her it took ten years from piecing the blocks to putting them together, another ten months to get the border on and buy backing, I shouldn't fuss if it took her ten weeks to quilt it! ROFL

Are you kidding?? I've been accused of taking the slow to China on some of my projects. I plod along, they get done, I'm relaxed. I figure I'm saving up the energy for those few projects that require a deadline. Then I'm Johnny on the Spot, as they say.

How about the 10 minute block? Once the squares are cut, it really only takes 10 minutes! Here is the tutorial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbTHlGGKMPM

I think in our fast moving time today we all forgot being patient somehow. I am also a very unpatient person! But I must say that hand quilting taught me to wait patiently until my work is finished and to stick to it. I enjoy the process as much as the finished quilt.

I know - many of you enjoy the designing, piecing, collecting fabrics etc. - but don't like the quilting. Piecing and quilting are two different techniques and both have so many possiblities and a wide range for being creative. But it takes it's time.

Oh my.....there's 2 of us? :-)

I am as slow as molasses in February. It usually takes me a long time to finsh my quilts. The ones I hand quilt are literally years in the making. It usually takes me a few months to piece a top (including the cutting). I like more complex designs. If I piece the back too I usually go more simple but that takes a few weeks. Now that I have a longarm I know the quilting part will go a lot faster for non hand quilted quilts. But even so, my first quilt has been on the rack for several weeks. I really only have time to work on them on the weekends. Sometimes I can squeeze in the odd hour during the week. My hand quilting is done when watching TV in the evenings but I don't always have the energy nor the motivation to work on it every evening.

I find some projects go really quickly and others not so much. I just don't worry about it and go at the pace that seems to dictate itself. My only rule with myself (and it sometimes makes projects last longer) is that I don't start a new project until I finish the one I'm working on. I'm stuck on a quilt for my gs right now...I just don't know how to wind it up. So it's percolating in my mind until something comes to me.

I'm a slow poke too, don't feel bad.

Now I don't feel so bad to know there is more then me who works slowly. I am retired, and spend a great deal of the morning on this site and answering emails and such. I sew a few hours a day. I am in no rush, I'd rather be careful then rush. I just enjoy what I am doing and even though it may be at a snails pace,who cares

I have several (many?) projects that are "long-term" and still not finished. All in various stages. Yet, I also can whip something out quick when needed. Maybe I need to drag out these UFO's and get them finished and outta here! :)

Are you kiddin' me??!! :shock: I'm the queen of UFOs!!!! :roll:

I'm a process person, so I am more interested in the process than getting the product done. (Those are product people) Nope, you are not alone. I have so many UFOs it isn't funny and right now I am forcing myself to finish some stuff. Even then, I seem to work at snail's pace "playing" with my bits and bobs. Just enjoy what you do. Even taking baby steps, eventually you'll git r'done.

I don't spend a lot of time piecing - I guess the ones that I make don't take a lot of time. I am retired so I could take as much time as I wanted. I have machine quilted some of mine but most of them I send out. I just enjoy the whole concept.

I'm afraid I like the planning and finding the right fabrics, too much. It seems to take me almost a year from the idea to the finished quilt! Oh well, to each his own I guess. My goal is to enjoy the process.

Share it where it is -- maybe something will drip out of QB to help you wind it up!

How about a UFO challenge to yourself? Give yourself a penalty if one isn't finished by a deadline! (This is an annual signed promise at my quilt guild -- If you don't get at least one UFO finished and into the October show, you owe the guild $10.) :cry:

Just think how much room you are saving. Tops are much easier to store than the ones that are finished. They take up so much room. LOL

sorry can't put that much pressure on myself.
but I will try to challenge my self.

The only time I can work fast is between now and Christmas. Lots of tablerunners and hot pads and bags. After Christmas I will slow down and finish the
Cal King for our bed, and all the OBW I want to make. Sit back and relax and enjoy!!

No, we're triplets! Been working on a mini bow tucks for 2 weeks! Took it comletely apart twice!