that you unpack the thing, look at it and say "What the BLEEP was I thinking when I did _________."

Then you find the baggie of mystery pieces and the inevitable thought of "What in the world is this piece of fabric for and why is it cut in this peculiar way?" is soon to follow.

Finally you realize WHY this is a UFO. You pour yourself a glass of wine and grab the instructions and a seam ripper.

Did you visit my sewing room???? LOL.....Totally know what your saying

That sounds familiar. :)

At that point, I'd stuff it in a ziploc bag and move onto another project! LOL

i think we have all been there too many times

I sometimes give them away.

I have found that if it is a UFO, there is usually a reason for it, so I don't even go there.

I would but I started this almost a year ago for my hubby. I have made probably a dozen quilts since and not finished "his". Every time I finish another one, he looks at it, smiles, says how nice it is and asks is mine next.

Problem is that it was a kit and I messed something up and now have to re-work it short fabric. That's why God made wine!

Yup....I've been there.

LOL!

LOL I'm with you on the glass of wine ! I have just finished quilting a UFO, pieced years ago and had the same thought when I pulled it out. The border fabric is definitely not what I would have used now and I had mitred 2 corners and the other 2 were straight...must have had too much wine that day :)

Anyway it is finished, binding is about to go on and then I can give it away to someone who will love it.

I am finding that the first quilt i made is not that good...now that I know how to quilt. Also i am starting to think of harder patterns....

Have you been snooping upstairs at my house??
I heartily second the glass of wine, and recommend chocolate to follow. I wish you as much luck with youur errant ufo, as I'm having with mine. It's coming together slowly, but surely. Of course, if all else fails, it won't be a ufo, it'll become landfill!! :thumbup:

uuh huh

I skipped the wine and went straight for the chocolate martini! I have one UFO that I need to figure out where I left off and how to get all the blocks to fit....UGH! I should have finished it way back when.

lol! I got a UFO out recently and went through the same sorta thing. Only I didn't undo anything, just added borders and am calling it good. Should've had the wine, might have found some enjoyment in working on it.

I FIGURED IT OUT!!!! It's only 11pm. One block was upside down which is it looked so funny. Then I miscut the light which is the background and I technically dont have enough. Some time along the way I stole some dark fabric from it for another project but I can replace it with something that works. Third, if I made it one row shorter and the border a little wider I can have enough fabric. Instead of 64 by 80. It will be 66 by 74. It is a lap quilt. He wont know that it was supposed to be few inches longer and it will be DONE.

Yep!! Been there and done that :D:D:D

After finding some UFO's that I had to think about I have started to leave myself little notes so when I pick it up again I know where I was and why I put it aside. Sometimes I need a fabric or sometimes I need a skill. Sometimes I was just frustrated with it at the time. Now some of them go so quickly because I have learned more.

I've apparently lost my mind and that's why I have some of my UFO's. I found some 12 inch blocks the other day that I cut a couple of years ago and I have no idea what they're for.

Yep, I've done all that, except for the 2 things after the glass of wine. I just stop at the wine :roll:

Yep, know just what you mean. I give many of them away because there is a reason it was a ufo, I did not like it.

Glad you figured it out!
The opposite happened to me once. I found these really nice Dresden plates started with Christmas fabric. Hand sewn and I have no memory of having made them. That was a pleasant surprise. Should probably finish them one of these days. :)
The hand sewn part did make me think what was I thinking? Doing this by hand?

Many of my ufo's resulted from taking classes and not finishing the project afterward. Many just need borders and many more need to be sandwiched and quilted. I really want a longarm system, but have to wait until DS and DD get married. DS in May.

I agree Puck. Just about every class I take results in another UFO. I have a new favorite teacher and one thing I really like about taking her classes is that you either finish in her class or she takes you far enough that you want to finish the project quickly. I'll only take classes from her now. (She's a retired Special Education teacher and really one of the best I know).

I have totes full of that stuff..:o

HAHA...I find, unfold, fondle, think, refold, and restore...diff defn if you know what I mean.

This happens to me when I buy the complete fabric for a certain pattern, then go home to put it away for years later. I'll mess up on a pc of fabric, need more, only to find out they've retired the fabric! How many times does this happen to me? All the time! I have kits from almost 8 yrs ago so I anticipate UFOs. Argh! It will take 50 yrs to sew thru all my fabric.
Many older kits I rub my head wondering what I was thinking when I purchased it.
I still love, love, love, quilting!

This is where I am right now. I was up at 5a.m. trying to figure out a UFO that I dragged out last night. And thats exactly what I said"what was I thinking" Hope I figure it out soon because I love the fabric. I just cant remember why I bought so much. What was I thinking?

Well I am up this morning and excited about this project again. I hear what you all are saying. Some times I just give them away too. Or, eek, just throw them out.

The class thing is a problem...I have two of those right now.

Yeah and the extra fabric problem. I have one chunk of orangy coral batik fabric that I bought for backing. The LQS helped me figure how much. We must have been on drugs because I have three yards of it left over AFTER I finished the project. It is pretty but there isnt that many things you can use orange batik for. It will become backing again someday.

I have a few like that!

Thanks for the chuckle! I know just what you mean :-P

Think it was time to put it in the stash for a doggy bed. LOL

Thank you for sharing--I felt like I was the only one that did this!!!!

I've packed them up and put them in a garage sale..

you would be surprised how some ladies are so happy to get things already started..

almost as happy as I am to see them going......

Ah, you've found the dark secret of the UFO's. When you put them away, like in a closet, they come to life when you go to sleep. They gang up together to wreak havoc on our minds by losing their pattern directions, getting mixed up with other projects, hiding their major block pieces, and breeding indiscriminately.. that's why they're always such a mess when you find them!
BTW, socks join in on the conspiracy!

All my UFOs but one are finished tops waiting to be quilted. I recently took out one of the oldest to quilt it and realized how much better I've gotten at piecing. However, I will quilt it and my DS will love the stuffing out of it.

Yep! There is a reason for UFO's. But that doesn't mean they won't bring someone warmth and pleasure. I am trying to finish as many as possible this year, but this site takes so much time. lol. time to get off here and get goin' sewin'

I guess I am different from everyone else. I can't start another project until I have finished the one I started--partly because of the size of my one sewing machine, and the area I have to work and store my stash (not very big compared to some I have seen on QB) Now, if by UFO you are talking about projects you have in YOUR HEAD--I have a lot of those. Just saying.....

I think you have been reading my mind. How many times I have had that very same conversation with myself.