Never again!!!
 

In a weak moment I decided to make quilts for 3 of the grandchildren for Christmas. They came back from the quilter on Dec 1st. I have to have the bindings on all 3 before Dec 14th as they are being shipped out of state. I finished the binding on one today, two more to go. Christmas decorating & baking will have to wait until these are done. Lesson: Three quilts to complete at Christmas was a not so smart idea.

I did the same thing last year. 3 quilts before Christmas ... this year one quilt before christmas .. Binding is on and ready to go in the mail. I had been where you are!!! I do feel your pain.

2 Christmases ago, I like some dumb person that I was that year...made 7 yep you read that right 7 quilts for Christmas gifts....NEVER AGAIN. I started them on October 28, finished the binding on the 7th one ON THE WAY to the Christmas Party. Learned a lesson there. Glad you got your done. :)

I once made a queen sized quilt in one week from start to finish for a graduation gift! That was a close one but I had to tie it because I didn't have time to hand quilt it. I wasn't about to quilt a biggy on my regular machine. NEVER AGAIN!

I too am in the 3 quilts before christmas boat! I have one top done, the other top cut out and the other quilt fabric still in the bag! I have a very tough class this month so it doesn't give me time during the week to quilt so I have to sew frantically on Fridays and Saturdays. Fortunately, only one is going out of state, I have until Dec 25 for the other 2! I will get them done but gotta pass this class too!

I am working on 14...two Kings...and 12 throws (almost twin sized)...have one king top finished other half finished and 7 of the throw tops finished...will have all but the last king top finished by sunday...and then on to marathon quilting...luckily we have a mid arm, so I can get them on and off asap...but the bindings are the part I like least

I did the same thing about 3 years ago. We had a 7 hour car trip to get to their place and I was hand-stitching the bindings all the way. It was worth the effort as the three grandchildren loved their quilts.

every year I swear I'm not going to get so many Christmas projects going--------every year I start even more.
Sounds like overextending ourselves seems to be a trait common to all.

We all have to remember how busy this time of year is and try to allow ourselves more time for things like finishing projects for christmas.

If it weren't for the last minute I would never get anything done . Always tomorrow till it has to be done by then then I hurry like a mad woman to get it finished

You go girl....you CAN do it!!!

I only had two to finish but getting knocked down by a car in September kind of put me behind the eight ball. I have finished one and have pinned the second. I have four days to quilt and bind. It's going to be close. They have to go interstate.

I hate to be rushed, you make more mistakes then, but I don't like the idea of making Christmas presents in July either though. Hope you have time to breathe.

Good luck with finishing your quilts in time. I'm glad I did birthday quilts for the DGKs; at least, I could spread them out, lol.

I'll have to borrow this phrase. I'm 62 years old and ever since I can remember I do everything last minute. My hubby is the complete opposite so it CAN get interesting here. While he is busy doing something worthwhile...I'm goofing off on the computer or talking to friends on the phone. I wonder at what age we start to grow up? LOL

Just think of the smiles your grandkids will have on their beautiful little faces and the love they will feel when they wrap up in a quilt made just for them by their grandma - Its a shame you cant be there when they open them - maybe it will be video taped or great pictures made!! It will be worth it all in the end.

I just finished 2 quilts and have 2 more to go that aren't even cut out!! taking a day off so I can spend a day sewing/quilting. I only have to mail one off and that's to my sister so if it's late she won't mind. Making her a quilt using some of our mother's clothing, linen etc. She died in August and when we were cleaning her closet etc out, the idea came to me. She often wore shirts with a pocket for her every ready pen(she was an artist) and I have enough shirt pocket to put in several quilts. Only planning on one before Christmas though.
Good luck with yours.

I started mine in July. Plenty of time. Pace yourself, write a schedule, I did all the tops first and then the sandwiches, and then the bindings. All wrapped and ready by Thanksgiving.

I only have one to do but it's been horrible. I took it to the quilter and when i got it back the back wasn't centered. You could see the back had to be centered so there was a border on all 4 sides, identical to the front. I had to take it back and she's wripping it all out and starting over. She assured me I'd have it back before Christmas. I can only hope. It's my son-in-laws big gift.

I agree, but I never get motivated to make Christmas gifts in the summer ! Believe me, your efforts will be worth it, and somehow you'll find the time to get the bindings on. Good Luck !

How big is this quilt? I cannot imagine ripping out the quilting on an entire quilt, no matter how small. I've never hired a LAQ to finish a quilt. Do they come back to you untrimmed? In other words, the entire back piece is still intact, right?

We live and learn. You CAN do it THIS year. Next year you will plan better, maybe.

I did it last year but this year I'm not giving quilts to anyone.

Been there and done that!!!
tomilu

Were you trying to teach yourself a lesson? If not, thanks for the word of warning to the rest of us. lol

I just finished 4 quilts for my sister's granddaughters. She had planned on making the quilts herself, but was unable because of her illness. I was able to go and spend her last days with her and she gave me fabrics she was going to work with. There was not enough for all four quilt tops so I added some of my own. On the labels I said the quilts were made by me with some of the fabric from MawMaw Diane's fabric. I just finished sewing the labels on and they are ready to be mailed. Normally I would moan and groan about all I had to do, but this labor of love eased the anxiety of all there was yet to do.

They will so love them!!!!! :)

I too am in the same boat. I have 3 quilts that I need to finish by Christmas. I finished quilting one of them last night. All the tops are done. Want to get the next one ready to sandwich tomorrow. 2 are larger lap quilts and the 3rd one is 90"x90". I'm leaving that one til last because it's for my daughter on Christmas Day. The first 2 are for my MIL and SIL and we will exchange gifts the week before Christmas. Plus my kid won't care if i have to take it back to finish it. So the house is a wreck, no decorations up yet and no baking. What needs to get done will get done. I'm behind every year. At least once before I croak, I'd like to be totally organized and together! LOL

Wish you were nearby...I would hook up my neat little Simplicity binder maker and we would shoot out yard after yard of binding in about 2 minutes. Then the trick...you may be of old school but if you are in a hurry, this is great. Stitch the binding to the quilt on the back side first, flip over and machine stitch to the front...you can even use a decorative stitch on the front...but takes longer. This makes a very strong quilt....i.e.; kids? So come on by, bring your fabric and I'll put on the coffee! :) Sometimes I think I work best under pressure...?
Michelle

The back is intact but I started trimming the edges from the front before I noticed instead of a 4 inch border on each end of the back, there was only 1 inch on one end and 7 on the other. (yes you have to trim the excess off the edges)
She's going to have to remove all the stitching. take the 1 inch border off, add a wider border back on, and re-stitch. I'll still need to trim the excess when it comes back and add binding. She said I should have told her and I said you could see it should be centered. The front has a border all around and the back was made the same. It's a lap size and I payed $100 to have it quilted. This is the 2nd bad job I got from 2 different people. The other one had rows of waves and the one row wasn't spaced like the others and it ruined the whole quilt. For the expense I've about had it.

It is really easy to bite off more than we can chew... I do it all the time and wonder why I keep doint it! lol... eventually we learn

ah, the lessons we learn..the hard way..hehhe

I am feeling that pinch myself....good luck to you...

Merry Christmas

I am making 3 quilts for Christmas, finished one, made doll quilts and doll pillows to match, big pillow cases for them, still have 2 quilts to tie or run straight stitches on the machine to quilt. I hope to have them ready to go by this weekend. Of course I could have started them before Thanksgiving, but then I couldn't complain, Never again will I try to make so many at one time. Only 2 at a time and finish one before I start another. - J

What a bunch of busy little Christmas elves we have on here! I try to avoid the Christmas crunch for gift making. I saw a cool idea on a web site that said to work on your Christmas gift list on the 25 of each month for the whole year. (gift on the 25th.) Maybe next year?

Like you I planned 3 quilts for my 3 grandchildren. I have finished the boys (all but a part of one side of binding) but my granddaughter's is not finished. I am doing a Michael Miller Clubhouse and have to put the borders on the top and cut
the backing and get it longarmed before next weekend. I think I'll get it done but it won't have the scallops or binding done by the time they come on the 17th.

I'm sure if they are not finished by Christmas the kids will be just as happy to receive them if a little late. Its
like having another christmas a week or two late.

This is not quilting related, but my "never again" moment came when my children were in grade school..2nd, 3rd and 4th grade. After I took some basic cake decorating classes, all three children volunteered me to make their class a Halloween cake for their class party. I was up until 3am baking and decorating three cakes for 30 kids each!

Been there done that. One quilt was promised to be finished shortly after Christmas; two years later she got it ON Christmas.

I decided this year not to do that to myself. I think we are all "legends in our own minds" at times. :)
But, we all live and learn. We then have to decide to either be sane, or drive ourselves crazy. I have decided this year to be sane. I only have a couple of table runners that I am making. No quilts.

I have finally just put away the projects that did not get finished for this year and went a different way. I have decided that after the first of the year I will pick up where I left off and have them for next christmas or to finish them in order of birthdays and give them as birthday gifts. I am not willing to deal with the stress of trying to get them finished.