I am a little mix of both here ha ha I try to work on only one at a time and get it finished - - but there are also times when a get a new project idea in my head and I can't wait to start on it. So then I will be working on a couple at at time. There are also times when I sort of get tired of the project that I am working on (especially the big projects) so I have a second one to go to and get a break......

do whatever you want to do there is no really wrong way

Moira, I answered your question in another thread. I'll try to find it.

Here it is: :)
https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Moira in N.E. England https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images...post-right.png
I’m not being cheeky -just curious - but I often read about experienced quilters having a number of UFOs and WIPs.
So why do quilters make a number of tops? Why not just make one and complete it before starting another?
Is this a better way to work or just personal preference?
Thank you.



Moira, for me there are a number of factors since I always seem to have too many finished tops. I'm a hand quilter but learning FMQ and sometimes it's just too daunting to think about so I send it out to a longarmer.
Another reason is I sometimes get bored working on only one thing at a time.
Then there are the tops I was excited to start but ended up not liking too much :D

I love the term "cheeky". The British have such wonderful adjectives, nouns, and expressions!!! And it took me years to figure out that cushion means pillow :D

Currently my UFO's consist of several tops that need to be sandwiched and quilted. Thus far I have been a hand quilter exclusively. Most of my UFO's are because I can't figure out a quilting pattern for the given quilt.

I have one king quilt that I just finished sandwiching a couple of days ago and will start hand quilting it soon. It's a gift for BIL/SIL. I have 2 quilts of a friend that I need to bind. One now just hand sewing the the back; the other prep binding; sew that on. I have one more top to complete for her as well. She's no longer able to sew/quilt and these are for her family members.

I really need to learn to machine quilt so I can get the UFO's finished.

I work on more than one at a time. I do several different things. I appliqué by hand and I take my time because if I get tired I get in a hurry and make a mess. I machine piece most of my quilt tops and I take breaks again when I am sick of making so many blocks alike. For a quick break I make a mini quilt which I can finish in just a day or so. I hand sew in the evening and machine sew during the day. Everything finally gets done. Big quilts go to a LA quilter. I have 3 out now and will bind them when I get them home. I consider these WIP’s and not UFO’s. My U FO’s are in kit form! When I see a quilt I just have to make I put the fabrics from my stash together for it. I keep those in clear plastic zipper bags with the pattern. I note if I need any add’l fabric.

We all do what works best for us and this is what has evolved for me. I am a widow and this hobby has kept me busy and I have met some really nice people who love textiles as much as I do.

I have a large stash of fabrics because I will be working on a quilt and I see something new that I want to try and the WIP gets put away. Therefore-I have a ton of UFO's and I really need to buckle down and finish them. You are very smart to get the fabric, pattern and finish the quilt before you start on something else. Wish I could do that!!

I only wish that I could work on one thing at a time. I have many items that have been waiting a long time to get finished. I recently gave away two of them because I had completely lost interest. If you can avoid UFO's, you are much more lucky than me. :)

Lots of reasons for my UFOs and WIPs: When I was working, I often did not have the "bandwidth" to deal with the hassle of putting on borders, piecing a back, and figuring out how to quilt the top; but the cutting and piecing of the blocks was therapeutic. Sometimes, a deadline for a new project means having to set another aside; for instance, I have two weddings this years for which I want to gift quilts. Sometimes I'll choose to do a new, small project before tackling finishing a larger project - just for the faster satisfaction of a completion. Finally, now that I have retired and purchased a mid-arm, I want to get more practice by quilting donation quilts before I finish some of my own or gift quilts.

Moira, I also answered your question in another thread. Here's a brief summary of that one:

I have come to realize that my creative process involves a lot of experimentation and play, so I am always working on multiple projects at once. Sometimes I have lots of WIPs because I've committed to provide new pieces for shows, sometimes I have a lot because I'm in the process of trying new techniques and making samples to decide whether new techniques, materials or threads are something I want to incorporate into a larger piece. And I have multiple machines so I can leave them set up to work on different things as the mood suits, or as a deadline calls. I also use some techniques (like fabric painting) that require drying time so it makes sense for me to have other things I can work on while a piece is drying.

I also always have and always will have UFOs. Most of these are things that I got started on and either got to a place where I just couldn't figure out where I wanted to go with them- maybe I couldn't decide if I wanted a border, or what kind of border, maybe I couldn't decide if I wanted to do some surface design work on them, etc. These get set aside and I let them percolate in my subconscious (similar to being forgotten about) for a while (like maybe years, sometimes:D) before I hit on a solution. I also have a few UFOs that are partially pieced tops designed by other people where I just got really bored doing the piecing and couldn't make myself finish- my Bonnie Hunter ORL - the mystery from last year is a prime example of this and I don't intend to work on finishing the piecing any time soon- though it will eventually get done- probably several years from now :eek:.

Rob

I didn't think I had a lot of WIP's/UFO until I started shopping my stash for my current project. I have my farmers wife. I came across a Xmas wreath HST about half done. A small set of herons, and sandhill cranes about 2/3's done, and what appears to be two different projects, bagged and blocks of various sizes cut. Unfortunately, there is no pattern in either bag, and my memory is a bit cloudy on "What was I thinking!!". I found a Halloween wall-hanging I should finish. I found three bagged and ready to go projects. My story is that I"m limited to working in my dining room. That means I pack everything up every time we have anyone over, which is once or twice a month. I also get bored/distracted easily. Show me a "shiny bauble" and I'm off working on a different project. I don't have the intensity that many quilters here on the board have. I also have other hobbies I do. Family, grandkids, friends, committees, health issues all get in the way. I think I spend a lot of time working on my projects, I just don't seem to get much done!