UFO's Finishing - or not?
 

I've been working really hard on finishing UFO's for a couple of years. They got WAY out of hand. I love seeing a project bin empty.

Not, But, I really want 2023 to be my year to finish a lot. The list is very daunting. But, I did a huge purge in my sewing room this year. I only kept the ones I really wanted to finish. I applaud that you stayed the course to finish up your UFO's! That's amazing. I want to be able to start new projects with a clear conscience.

I may be a strange one, but I've never had any UFO's. When I start a quilt, I work on it until it is completed, whether it takes a month or so, or a year if it is more complex. I've always been that way. I have a lot of projects lined up to make, having the fabric and all, and a lot of ideas floating around in my head, but none of them have actually been started. One project at a time from start to finish.

Sometimes I make a double project (two quilts exactly the same with different fabric because they were requested) at the same time, but that is rare, matter of fact I've only done this twice. A double project I just finished and one I just started. But, as before, they get finished before I start a new project. And when I do the double project, I work on the 2 quilts simultaneously, doing each step with each quilt before moving onto the next step.

I really enjoy the feeling I get seeing a quilt project complete, of putting in that last stitch and just holding the finished quilt in my hands. Having a, I did this, I made this, feeling. I find that it's relaxing and enjoyable.

It would bug the heck out of me if I had a lot of (UFO's) unfinished projects just gathering dust in a box or cupboard. I like to enjoy the complete process each time I make a quilt. It would feel like I had a bunch of old projects laying around that I got tired of and feel like I'd have to force myself to do them or get rid of them and wonder why I made them to begin with, if I wasn't going to finish them from start to finish, when I started them.

I guess it is to each our own in how we like to quilt. Nothing wrong with any way we do it, as long as we are doing it the way we like.

Quiltsfor, I am the same exact way. Plus I have only done the double quilt thing twice, because I cut too many blocks. I even did it the same as you did, working on one step at a time on each quilt. Strange.

Those without UFO's fit into the Wonder Woman category. I have gone from more than 20 a couple years ago to only 9 hanging in my closet. Covid was a wonderful time for me to get them done and out the door! Planning on finishing one a month so next year this time I can declare freedom from UFO's for at least one day in my quilting life. Tee-Hee-Hee!

I, too, am in the "finish what I'm working on" club. I do have several projects waiting in the wings. I don't usually follow a pattern, but rather make up my own. If I don't complete the quilt, I'll forget what I was thinking!

I prefer to finish what I start, if in the process if making a quilt I decide I no longer wish to proceed, I find it a new home. I do have quilt tops waiting to be quilted, but I do not consider those UFO’s.

I too finish everything. I have two projects going. One for home and one to take to sit and sew. I don't really have a stash either. My quilting friends scratch their heads!!

that is what i loved about being in Swaps all the time. I had to finish! no procrastinating! Now, if it is for me it can wait. and boy does it? yep, UFO's galore. I'm trying to catch up now. Still have some quilt tops to quilt!! :confused:

Sample blocks
 

My ufos are usually sample blocks from classes, trying out a technique but then not really wanting to make a whole quilt (or even a mini). OR, cutting too much. A couple years ago I pulled them all out, and made about 25 bowl cozies out of them. Gifts! I do also have unfinished projects laying around, but they are mostly just “not quilted.” Your post is making me realize that they will be the first items that go under the new stitcher I just bought yesterday. A wealth of projects just waiting to get out of my house!

I'm still trying to finish my goals for 2019, won't get them done for 2022 either but I did finish 2 completely from 2019, finished one just in the block stage and got it quilted so finished 3 this year. Put another one on the frame only to lose my mojo, then when I felt like getting back to it, I got the lousy Covid so back to no mojo but this past week, I'm at it again and may get some orphan blocks and scraps made into a quilt flimsy by the end of the day. Pulled out another UFO container to see if I could maybe get started putting the blocks into rows at least today. If not, there is always Monday. My goal for 2013 is to finish the goals for 2019. Let's see if I make it this time.

Quiltsfor - this is truth! Quilting is as much of a process (sometimes even moreso) as it is a product and there really is a great deal of joy and satisfaction in finding the process that works for you. :-)

I have only 3 in my "really UFO" pile, but I have an embarrassing number of "bought the fabric and need to do the quilt" projects - PIGs: projects in bags. If nothing else - I look at that list and it keeps me out of the fabric store. My stash is outgrowing it's assigned space.

I had the week off of work and just plowed thru a bunch for charity (Project Linus).

​​​​​Now I can go back to my love of piecing.

Somehow I can't manage to have zero UFOs, but I sure would like to have fewer! I hope to finish up more in 2023 just to get more space in my sewing area!

I am a finish what I start kind of quilter. I love "shiny objects", so I'm always buying patterns, and fabric. I keep changing up what I want to do next. Some of the patterns/fabric I've had for so long that the shine has left the object so to speak. I often raid a particular projects fabric for use in a current project. Once the holidays are over, and everything packed away, a two fabric bargello is currently at the top of the to do list.

I love that how we each chose to quilt is OK. Everyone goes at their own speed, and does their own thing. Do what makes you happy!

I do like to finish things. It may take a few years to get around to finishing. I currently have about 18 UFO’s. This year I really tried to check off as many as possible. I ran into one of those “6 years to finish” quilts. It’s slowed me down. Hoping to finish it this coming month. I put up wooden quilt clips on the living room wall. They have screws to tighten. I’m finding that looking at all my hard work done and hanging up on the wall greatly rewarding. Grandsons help me change quilts with the season.

I went thru my sewing room a while back and got rid of a lot of projects that I was never going to finish. I have one quilt to finish hand quilting, and I keep an EPP project going for traveling. It's easier to transport. But I have an embroidery machine and will make up tea towels, or bookmarks for my daughter's students, with a major quilting project going. It seems I always get about halfway done with a quilt and I don't like it anymore. So I do some embroidery or crochet or hand sewing to distract me. I do buy projects to make though. (I have so many Accuquilt dies.) But I try not to start something major unless I finish the other one.

Like the orphan blocks microwave cozy idea.

I’ve 2 UFO’s on my radar to finish. Both became UFO’s when we moved. There’s lots more UFO’s, but they’re not even a thought. This brain can only hold so much. See, forgot already, there’s a tote in the garage labeled UFO. It can stay untouched in 2023. I give myself permission.

I'm glad to say I was able to finish a small 46 x 57 quilt for a friend's dog yesterday, not quilted but now a flimsey instead of orphan blocks and scraps. That makes 2 quilts oversized queen quilts quilted, plus 1 assembled and quilted and one made from orphan blocks and scraps made into a flimsy by yesterday afternoon. Now to decide how to quilt this last one and maybe get back to the Irish Chain still attached to the frame. Still have lots of quilts to be quilted plus quilt projects made up to block stage waiting to be assembled though.

I'm down to about 17 UFOs from a high of over 30. Every year I manage to whittle it down a little more. Right now I'm concentrating on finishing the 5 quilts that I have going right now. I don't consider any of these to be UFOs since I've been steadily working on them:
1. art quilt-just finished the quilting and am in process of auditioning binding so it's currently on the Design wall.
2. art quilt- needs more quilting- currently on the Sweet Sixteen
3. Sunflower Illusions paper pieced project I started last spring in a class- finished the paper piecing, just waiting for the design wall to be freed of 1. above so I can figure out which inside fans I want to put with which outside arcs and piece the blocks.
4. Around We Go- once a month class- piecing is about half done- we have three more classes then the flimsy will be done and ready to sandwich for quilting.
5. Debby Brown's Oct. 2021 quilt along quilt- all sandwiched, just waiting for other things that have more pressing deadlines to be finished so I can quilt it on the Sweet Sixteen.

This is typical for me. I usually have several WIPs in different stages of completion and a bunch of UFOs that I am letting percolate while I figure out what I want to do on them to get them finished. I'd like to get the number of UFOs down to 10 and hold steady there.

Rob

I know I have a dozen or so unfinished projects packed away. I’m hoping to get the house in order soon and be able to start sewing again. I’ve decided that whatever size my UFO’s are, they will be finished at that size and given. Exceptions will be for the nieces and nephews graduation quilts. I want them all to finish queen size. Then I can start some new projects!

I love seeing a project bin empty too - but it doesn't stay empty long in my house!

Really hard with my adhd but have been trying to finish the quicker smaller projects. I love the creativity of my adhd brain but hate the constant piling up of unfinished projects that comes along with it

Last night got brave, real brave, and looked inside a white tote. I knew I had kits in there but no idea what. Well, it's filed with UFOsWIP. I sew porimarily for PLroject Linus and decided that for each quilt I finish for PL I will finish a quilt and either donate the whole quilt to charity OR cut it down for backing for PL or another quilt. This plan sounds realalist (sp) to me. Stay tuned to see what happens the end of Feb.

Oh and I do have a UFO/WIP on my design wall. Wonder what will happen. I'll be just surprised as you...lol

Ha! waiting on my eyes to clear after my appointment this morning. Still working on finishing this year's mystery. Lots of UFO's including at least two previous years mysteries waiting in the wings.

Quiltsfor, I am also one to finish each project before I start a new one. Just me.

I have one UFO that I will be finishing for Vicki and Matthew. I thought I would never be finishing it but Vicki called and told me that Matthew would still like to have his son's quilt and he was afraid to tell me to please finish it for him. It will be the work on in between quilt as I have 3 other quilts that need to be finished asap. Vicki said she also had wished I would finish it so it will be quilted. I also have a cousin to that quilt for a donation quilt to a charity to auction off for the families of the fallen Officers in their department. So I will work on with them.