UFO's? Nonsense! They don't exist!
 

.......or so I thought! When I first started quilting and I found out about everyone's UFO's, I couldn't understand how someone could NOT start and finish one quilt at a time. Well, a few days ago, while counting the quilts I had completed, I noticed that there were 8 lurking UFO's! How did that happen?:shock: I have:

• Two baby quilts unfinished because I need to embroider some of the appliques
• One baby quilt unfinished because I ran out of one of the fabrics and haven't found more
• A quilt for myself unfinished because I give priority to quilts I make for others
• My class quilt unfinished because I don't like the colours I chose
• My grandson's quilt is finished but needs a label so I haven't given it to him yet (ashamed):o
• Two single bed quilts unfinished because I keep getting distracted by buying more fabrics instead of actually sewing!

So, I take it back, UFO's do exist and they're hovering patiently in my sewing room. I'm curious to know what reasons everyone else on this board has for their UFO's? Am I just making excuses for myself? :):):) What are your 'reasons'?

I prefer to call them "WIPs". Makes me feel like I have a chance of finishing them.

-One queen-sized quilt that I am FMQ-ing, so I just keep coming back to it and picking away at it and then when I have had enough, I do something else for awhile.
-One single sized quilt that just needs binding, (which I have), but I just don't care for it so I haven't gotten around to it yet.
-One single sized quilt that I need to buy a new sized needle for before I can continue with the FMQ-ing.
-One baby quilt which I just finished basting and I will,(Any minute now!:D) begin hand-quilting.
-One stained glass wall hanging that I've been working on for over a year that just needs an eye sewn on.

That's about it.

Watson

My UFO's come because of distractions- you know tyranny of the urgent! But, I am chipping away at them by trying to schedule my time better and setting goals. I need to learn to tell myself 'NO'.

I don't tend to work on more that one project at a time, however, I will say that I look at the process as having 2 distinct phases: piecing and quilting/binding. I know it's 'not a quilt unless it's quilted' but I don't consider my unquilted tops UFOs. They are completed tops. If I don't know what I'm going to do with the quilt when its done, I tend to store the top as is. Takes up less space and when I need a gift I grab one and quilt it. When I piece a top, I don't work on anything else until it's done. Same thing when I quilt it. Don't work on anything else until it's bound.

I am a Gemini and I get bored easily. I work on numerous quilts at one time. Sometimes it is because I need additional fabric to finish the top but I am getting more UFOs done than started. :)

i design [read make up as i go] most of the quilts i make. often times, i have to give the next step serious thought. so i start other quilts before continuing the first. it took me 8 months to make my DGSs quilt.

Iam better at piecing than at quilting, so once the top is done, I move on to another before quilting. I also start projects for gifts that must be completed by a particular date so others fade into the closet for later. And one more problem is I tend to spend more time looking online at quilts than actually making them...like now! I am currently making two wallhangings for others, one that needs to be mailed off by the ends of the month and one needed by the end of May. I am avoiding fabric purchases and new starts until I have these completed and at least one completed top quilted and bound. Wish me luck.

I do the same thing as Paper Princess, finish one before starting something else. I've broken my rule recently..... I have a quilt for each of my grandsons and haven't finished them yet... Shame on me.

I blame my back for my UFOs. I can only sit for a short spell at a time. This is ideal in the sewing room -- pin a little, sew a little, press a little -- up/down, up/down, etc. To make any progress on quilting, one must sit and sit and sit. So that's why I progress more slowly with quilting than with piecing. If I need a standing break, I can always start cutting a new quilt!

I always have one on the machine being pieced, one next to the TV to be quilted, one in a travel bag to quilt in the car when hubby yells "road trip", one in my head thinking what fabrics would go with it. I also have several kits I bought at quilt shows, but are too small, like throws that need to be "enlarged" for bed size.

Why do quilters call them UFO's? They are either Unfinished Projects, or Unfinished Quilts, but I don't like to think of them as Unfinished Objects! I'm with Watson -- lets just call them Works In Progress! And yes, I have lots of them. Just since the first of the year I have four or five small quilts that I have started, one on hold for applique and some I rotate between.

I prefer to say I'm working on my PHD - projects half done.

I had to decide what would be a definite UFO and what would be a work in progress. I have come to the conclusion that I have one UFO that I am going to finish this week (finally found a backing fabric I like). I have a pieced top for our queen sized bed that I am dreading the "shove thru the Juki" and get it done phase. I have four WIP that I occasionally work on in the evening when DH is watching tv. I have one pieced top that's panels with dogs and I just can't decide whether to quilt it or put it on the sale page. So I'd say two true UFOs, soon to be one! Last year after my forced retirement I decided that I would complete a quilt within a month of piecing the top. So far I'm doing well with sticking to my plan.

I have gotten back into sewing clothing and little purses and such for my little niece. She loves them so much! It is so much fun but, it does take time away from my quilting. I also have two separate stashes, one is charity donation and one is personal projects. It is like having two stacks of ufo's. I try to finish them in order of importance. But, sometimes I have to do something just fun and for no reason. It makes for a demanding schedule on my part. Because I know the charity ones are so important to do.

I also have old embroidery pieces from my mom's life I want to re-make into modern day pieces to gift to her grand children. She was very prolific!

Only so much time and money. What is a gal to do?

I have so many unfinished knitting projects I decided when I started quilting I wouldn't have any ufo's. I started a class hand quilt though and hated the colour combination, I bought the fabric online and they didn't work so I couldn't find the enthusiasm to finish it and my quilting ground to a halt. A couple of months ago at the last minute I signed up for a rag quilt course, I'm so glad I did as completing a quilt in a couple of weeks got me back into it and I finally finished that UFO on the weekend, I still don't like it, but it feels so good to have it done. Next quilt is planned and I'm excited to get going.

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Love that hexagon quilt, so bright and pretty!!!! Gives me a good idea, but then i'd have some UFO's too till i finish it.
I have some EPP projects I'm working on. both stars, same pattern. the first is a 60* star, pink and purple stars held together with a soft buttery yellow, I put it on hold to make my bed quilt, same design but in aqua and whites. they aren't ufo's yet, just in progress.

if they are laying around too long, the I donate the tops. Oh, and lets not forget the premie minis i'm making for AnnaQuilts. But i gave myself till the end of the year for that.

One of our quilt shops had a contest a couple years ago -- I won a prize for completing over 50 projects (these were projects that were sewing related, and included making flannel receiving blankets with crocheted edges.) Since that time I have completed 8 more projects. Four will be entered in this year's quilt show. My rule for myself is if I find a UFO when looking for anything in my sewing room I have to finish it. Somewhere I have a double wedding ring half finished, and an applique quilt half finished. Of course there are many hidden in there that I can't even remember! I've taken great pride in the fact that in the last two years I have finished every project I started. In 2014 I created just one UFO.

The reason I have quilts that are unfinished is simply due to losing interest. I have one for my husband that needs to be sandwiched and one for my daughter that needs a border. I have one quilt that I started but lost interest quickly because I did not like the colors I picked out or the pattern. I also started a scrappy quilt for myself that has yet to be worked on. I also have a bag that the pattern has been cut out but needs to be sewn. Yeah, I have more unfinished projects than I thought!

I also lose interest sometimes after I start something and it's not as exciting/pretty/fun as I thought it would be. Life's too short for me to spend time on projects just to get them done, in my opinion.

I don't like putting the sandwich together so I have MANY flimsies (finished tops) piled high. I am also a little timid when it comes to FMQ (but I'm getting more adventurous) which is why I have some sandwiched quilts waiting for me to have the time.

difficult directions, lack of confidence/skill for project, time and energy as these 2 seem to go hand and hand, small child that is clingy and a mamas girl, the internet(new patterns, fabrics, distraction)

I also couldn't understand how I could acquire UFO's but I did. I'd finished making the tops for 5 quilts and/or wallhanging and then got the "winter time blues" so nothing got done. One year I'd only started and completed one over sized baby quilt. I'm now glad to say all my UFO's are done, done, done. I've now started 5 quilts to date. Got all the pieces cut and sections assembled for the Bonnie Hunter Mystery started back in November 2015, a BOM at my local fabric store called Sangria so that one will take the entire year to finish, a quilt for the next couple in line at my congregation and a set of twins' quilts for my massage lady due in late July. I have the blocks done for the couple's quilt and have the 1st row of blocks put together, I'm up to date on the BOM and I'm sewing all the strips to the twins' quilts one strip a day for 80 blocks. I'm also making up 2 over sized pillow cases for 2 last 2 UFO's I finished recently. Plus I'm quilting 3 quilts for friends though I rarely quilt for others. So I guess I have a full plate. I also have 11 more projects lined up for this year or maybe even next year when I get what I have started finished. I'm going to try not to end up with UFO's anymore..................I wonder how long that will last????

Too many ideas = can't keep up. Translation: I get bored part way through a piece and all those other ideas seem much more interesting so they get started LOL.

Does that mean I'm fickle or just ADD????

I do eventually finish my UFOs.

Rob

I have 2 UFO's (something I said I would NEVER have when I started quilting...:)) One is a king size top for myself but as it went along I became scared to death about having to quilt that thing in my machine. Also, here in Texas where the weather is mostly hot I think it's going to be too heavy for me. So, I've put it away before I decide just what to do with it. I'm thinking about no batting at all & maybe just tying it instead of quilting it. It's just too daunting to even think about it...plus I haven't even finished the blocks yet!

The second one is mine also...a lap quilt that DD & I are sort of making together. She's helping me with the colors & I'm piecing the blocks. We were using a freebie quilt program (sort of like E7) and she was making the color selections from it. My laptop computer crashed & I lost the little free program & she got busy & we haven't gotten back to it.

Other than those 2, I've finished everything else I've ever started.

I do the very same as paper princess. no ufo's

My mojo comes and goes so I usually have one or two UFOs because I don't start that many.

Three Saturday Samplers (blocks are done, just need to decide on sashing and borders. One King-size quilt that has all of the blocks and setting blocks made, need to add sashing and borders. One little quilt that is from an appliqué class that I never finished. One wall hanging that needs to be quilted. And one quilt that needs binding. Wow I'd better get busy!

I have a few UFOs that were started in classes, and after the classes were over, I lost interest in them. Most of the time, though, the problem is that I hate the quilting part and am not excited to do that job.

Leslie

I have more UFO's then I want to admit! Here is my reasoning. One day fabric will be so expensive that no one will be able to afford it! That's when I will be grateful for all my UFO's so I can still keep sewing!

I have 4 UFO's. They are completely finished tops. I have been hand quilting my tops, but have fallen behind because if the length of time it takes to hand quilt. I need to find someone to custom machine quilt these four tops. I have been on a longarmer's waiting list for several months, but just found out she is moving out if state, so my search for someone begins again. I wouldn't mind buying the machine necessary to machine quilt my own, but at my age, I don't think it would be a good investment. I have backing and batting for each top, even the binding ready. I must send them out soon.

I have a friend that joins lots of BOM's every year and works all year on the blocks. So using that as the model, I'm "joining" lots of different projects each year and working on them throughout the year. Yea, that works--except for the fact that some of those WIP go on for more than a year! That being said I have no guilt about having many projects in various states of being--some days I want to quilt on the long arm, some I like to sit and piece, some days I want to work inEQ7 and sketch designs, some days I want to cut, etc. Although I do have to admit that Sunday I spent 3 hours cleaning and organizing my sewing room--actually I was looking for the binding for a quilt waiting in line for the long arm. :)

Why do I have UFO's? Hmmm
1) My favourite part of quilting is combing through my fabric and creating blocks and the quilt top
2) FMQ quilting on my DSM can be frustrating and I find it becomes monotonous quickly, so I procrastinate on that step, all my UFOs are quilt tops waiting to be quilted.

I've joined the QB UFO challenge group - it has helped me focus on finishing, so far this year I've completed 11 quilts/quilty things with their encouragement. I've also committed to not buying any more fabric or starting any new quilts until the UFOs are done. It is very satisfying to finally be finishing projects that have been idling for years.

I LOVED reading all your comments! :D

skhf - I also spend more time looking at quilts than actually sewing, ha, ha!
quiltingcat - I agree with you, Works in Progress sounds much better! That's what I'll call mine too.
twinkle - I think that top is absolutely beautiful! I love those bright, happy colours.

I love the whole process of quilting but some days I feel like cutting, some days I feel like piecing & some days I feel like quilting so I do have several started at one time. Also I have several tops made that are in bins so I always can quickly make a gift if I need to. Also I get distracted with new techniques or patterns I have to try. It is all fun though & it works for me. I would like it though to not have so many going at one time though & to finish more of my tops.

I think of mine as WIPs also... I have had one quilt that (when I started it 3 years ago) was a bit over my head. I have finally finished the top and have cut the borders to attach. So technically, I'm still working on it. LOL

I have two other projects that get my attention every week so they are still WIPs. Like a few other members, I discipline myself from starting a new project until I get at least one of them done. One of the two is my Allietare...

Most of my UFO's are finished tops that I need to quilt or finish quilting. It takes me a while to decide what to quilt. In some cases, my quilting plan is so ambitious, I'm afraid to start.
Here's the list off the top of my head.
1. Queen Radiant Star. About half quilted. Borders are marked for cabled feathers. Must be completed by August.
2. Full/queen English Paper Pieced star quilt. Basted, can't remember what I wanted to quilt on it.
3. Baby quilt- Oh, Baby! from Anka's Treasures. Need a baby boy name to appliqué on it.
4. Quilt top for SIL. Just pieced the top in March at retreat, so I'm in no hurry.
5. Queen sized 'Fresh' quilt by Camile Roskelley from her book Simply Retro. Used Marmalade fabrics. My quilting plan is very ambitions and probably will require me to learn to use rulers on my DSM.
6. 5 Table runners. All Anka's Treasure designs. Three of them even have backs.
7. Panel Sailor Dog Baby Quilt. I'd like to have a baby boy name to embroider on the hat before quilting it.

So, yes, I have UFO's. I also have 4 quilt tops in progress. WIP's
1. My leaders and enders project Goose Creek from Quilters Cache. The blocks are complete and have been trimmed to the correct size. Just need to lay it out and sew it together.
2. My Sew Club project is Lattice Squares, the blocks are about half done. I like that it's a compact project that I can grab quickly to pack for my once a month quilt days at church.
3. Lori Holt Bloom Quilt along. I'm a week behind, but have the pieces stitched and turned with the interfacing, so assembling the flower on the blocks doesn't take much time.
4. Gypsy Wife Quilt along- Doing this quilt along with a Facebook group from the quilt camp I attend. I'm keeping up, and soon will start assembling. I'm amazed at how long it takes to make each block. Choosing colors and figuring out each block as opposed to making dozens of a single block. It's been eye opening.

I just finished a quilt top yesterday morning -- one which I began in a wonderful class two years ago!! I had everything already cut and in baggies with labels. It was just a matter of sewing everything together. Why had I waited so long to finish it? I had other projects which intrigued me more: quilts for a family reunion, Christmas gifts, baby gifts -- and two musical comedies which I helped costume. It's done now, though, so it will go into the boxes which are marked "Finished Quilt Tops." It will be in good company there. Gee, I wish I liked quilting as much as I like piecing!!

I get all "gung ho" about a new project and halfway through, I see something else I want to try. Things get put aside and wait sometimes for quite a while before they are finished.

An intelligent answer!

Alas, I have about 6 almost finished tops, 1 for a granddaughter who was dating a guy about 6'6" tall and I made her quilt extra long. I just need to sandwich and quilt. 1 from Linda Fiedler class about 20 years ago which needs to be put together; the blocks are finished.d Another is a guild-mystery quilt. Again, the blocks are finished, but need to be put together. 4 is a large block modern type top for my granddaughter who works for the forestry department and camps out a lot. A string quilt to be put together. Get the picture? I seem not to be able to finish anything, but I am 80 and have a bad back and constant sciatica. I have given away my stash and most of my tools But I do hope to finish them before I die! Oh! one other--a kit from the 50's. Groan.