Why, oh why, did I wait til now to make this set of placemats??? They are supposed to be a Christmas gift for my mom. I kept telling myself "oh I'll have plenty of time to get them done." Well, time is running out & I still haven't even started them!

Procrastination hurts!! I worked my butt off yesterday working on 3 different toppers and coasters projects and a quilt that had to be done by 5pm, I was finally finished at 3:30pm. Now on to the things that have to be done by Sat.

We are only human - I mark my calendar for Oct to "get started" - never works.
Always doing some other chore or the required "stuff". Don't be hard on yourself because on Christmas Day - things seem to just work our fine and if your Mother's project "just needs to be finished a little", she will understand.
After all she is a mother. Merry Christmas

I have done this so many times that I am decades behind in the gifts I intended to give others -- and, now, most of them are divorced, so I guess it really didn't matter <g>
Having spent a lifetime telling myself that working "with my back to the wall" was more productive, I sympathize with your predicament.
I am trying to practice "Working AS THOUGH my back is against the wall" and see if I can't accomplish more in less time <wave>
Merry Christmas and Blessings for the New Year

When my kids were growing up, my family always got together at Thanksgiving and exchanged our family gifts then. So I got into the habit of making sure I was done with everything as far as gifts were concerned before Thanksgiving. That way I had time for Christmas cards and baking in December. I guess I still do it that way, other than I no longer bake, and don't send out many Christmas cards. So I have lots of time.

Working on 2 Christmas quilts so.......they are going to be quite late but pray they will feel they were worth waiting for !!

If it wasn't for procrastination you would not need dead lines.

I am not sure what pattern you are using, but maybe you should make quick and easy place mats. I made some using two fat quarters each. Use two coordinating prints, one for the top and one for the bottom, then they are reversible. cut them 14"x19" then sandwich, do some simple straight or diagonal line quilting with the walking foot, bind with another coordinating print, and done! They go together very quickly and look very nice. You can always add matching napkins.

Best of luck. :)

looks like a late nite up sewing! pressure presure, presure, presure! we do it to ourselves tho...good luck getting them done, we have all worn your shoes at one time or another.

Thank you all. Guess I'm not the only one who does this. I've already decided to change patterns. I was going to use one that had embroidered blocks in it. I've changed to one with no embroidery & is QAYG. I just finished cutting out most of the pieces so if I really set my mind to it I think I'm going to make it in time! I probably won't pull an all nighter (I MUST have my sleep) but will spend most of tomorrow at the machine. I think I work better under pressure anyway. Hope you've all finished your Christmas projects!

This holiday season has been the worst for me! Nothing done, most things not even started.
I'm really mad at myself :(

Make one & wrap it up with a note that the others will be done soon.

:roll: :roll: :roll: The story of my life. I think this happens to many of us. We tend to take on too many projects, get sidelined with special requests, try to make Christmas special for everyone...decorating the house, wrapping the gifts just so, baking every good treat we know, planning Christmas dinner.
Just take a deep breath, get started, hope everything goes smoothly, and if the worst happens, wrap up a picture of what you planned to make as an I.O.U. :wink:

I do it too. I made a pillow for my mom last night and she lives across the country so it still has to go through the mail. I sent it today, priority, so hopefully it'll make it by Friday.

Janet M, You have me figured out!!! I don't know when I'm going to learn to stop thinking so HUGE when it comes to projects. I set myself up for disappointment time after time!!

Yeah, sometimes I think we can be our own worst enemy. We put ourselves under pressure to do "everything". Maybe we need to remind ourselves that Christmas is to be enjoyed by all of us. We need to remember the meaning of Christmas, and focus on spending time with family and friends.
As to all the projects that won't get finished this year...Christmas comes again in 2011 :lol: :lol:

Believe me: I feel your pain.

I too did not start almost 40 XMAS stockings I had to make for the holidays until almost the last minute. Part of it was my own stupidity, I also had family drama going on and the other half of it was waiting on Joann's to get more of particular fabric bundle in stock so I could finish the last of them. My sewing room looked like an illegal sewing mill for the past week trying to catch up where I denied myself access to food and water in efforts to force myself to get them finished. On top of that I had several other projects that were gifts I had to catch up on as well for 8 other individuals. Let me tell you, this year I kicked my own arse with procrastination and poor planning (but I can forgive myself considering everything that's been going on), but I certainly won't see a repeat performance of this next year, that's for sure - it won't happen again! I'm usually not this bad, but this year we had lots going on with some significant family and financial issues so that set us back. Next year's XMAS sewing will at a minimum start in July and I'm totally going the Christmas Club route with our credit union in case we get hit with unexpected expenses at the last minute before the holidays! I wish Joann's and Hancocks had XMAS Funds we could contribute to, seriously. I'd be totally on that.

Here's hoping for you to become inspired to get things finished up, you still have a few days left so don't get completely discouraged. At least you only have a small number of them to do & not some ridiculous amount of them to bring to completion. After each one do a countdown - and you'll get them done in no time! Don't hold out until the last minute... where then you have to buy something to replace what you have not made. Not only will you save yourself money, but in the end, something thoughtful and made from the heart always makes for a better present, you can trust that! Don't forget to post some pictures when they are all done! Happy Holidays!

That crossed my mind

Let me make you feel better. I gave my son an almost finished quilt top for his birthday last January. The quilt is now quilted and ready to have the binding put on. I am hoping to get it done before Saturday and re-gift it to him in finished form.

We'll see. :wink:

Thats a great idea! I just finished the last of my gifts yesterday-bag holders for those plastic grocery bags. Next week I plan to sew for me!

Well, I have done that before. I wrapped the UFO and told the person I would finish later. Now quit worrying and enjoy the holidays.

Well, if you learned from this lesson, all is well, but if you're anything like me, it will happen again. I have known since summer that my daughter wanted me to make wallets for her secretaries for Christmas. OF COURSE, I have been scrambling, but got them done yesterday for her to give tomorrow. It wasn't the first time I've put myself under pressure. Would like to say it's the last, but probably not!

I think you'd better think fast and find something else to give. Maybe she can get the placemats for another occasion -- or just because.

I started my projects (20 aprons) in Oct., finished and mailed the last 2 yesterday afternoon. Even made one for me! I am already thinking about what I will do for next Christmas.

When my kids were young, I always made them PJs for Christmas, sometimes with matching jammies for their Cabbage Patch dolls. Well one year, I had the fabric but didn't get them made. So i wrapped them up and put a little poem in each box. They had their PJs to open and I didn't have to stay up all night to sew them. Then the next couple of days I sewed them up and all was good. Relax, your Mom will understand.

I asked my Mom to make me a black velvet blazer for Christmas one year. I was sure surprised when I opened my package and there was the fabric, all cut out and ready to sew! She ran out of time and finished it after Christmas.

I decided to design Lego quilts for all the boy cousins (7) for Christmas, and some other design for the girls (5). Well, 2 of the boy quilts are done. I will finish 2 more and mail them out on Monday. The kids will get them after Christmas, but when they are not overwhelmed with other gifts. The other 3 boys will get theirs in another week. The girls will get a chance to decide what theme/colors they want for their quilts and will get them by the end of January - relaxed me, content kids!

been there and done that every year

That would be a good idea for the quilt. She could see it in it's "early stage."

I do the same thing! :oops:

Always think "Christmas in July" ladies!! LOL!!

The one I am working on for my son for Christmas didn't get finished. What I did was take a picture of it and put it in his Christmas present and said he will get it early part of next year.

If it makes you feel any better, Mary and Joseph weren't ready for the first Christmas either!!!!

Amen

We oftentimes forget that it is most important that we get our hearts ready for the Christchild.

I cannot imagine thinking about Christmas in July. Christmas comes around too fast for me even when I think about it only in December - I can't imagine shortening the cycle voluntarily. :shock:

Thank you for the reminder. I still haven't finished all the placemats; I need to run to town to pick up a few last minute things, go to the grocery store, etc. But I got up this morning & remembered several cards I have been meaning to send to people who are in the hospital & not able to enjoy the holidays at home. All the other "stuff" will wait. I'm getting those cards finished & mailed/delivered this morning before I do anything else. Again, thanks for the reminder!

I made a quilt for my MIL she did not get it till last year was a ufo for about 2 years. I really had a bad case of procrastination trying to get it done. It needed to be chrocheted. I do not like that well this year I only made her a quilted tote. She LOVES em both (lives across country) dont beat your self up we all procrastinate. Me I am the worse at it,

Take it easy Happy Holidays

I'm a BIG PROCRASTINATOR! I really think that I procrastinate when I have a difficult task ahead of me. I'm not one that can just dive into something that I don't like to do or something that I find difficult. I think that if I can just build up more steam, then maybe I can tackle it. So I put it off hoping for a time when I will feel more self-confident. I know that is a very immature outlook, but it's how I am. OR -- am I just lazy?

:lol:

Christmas is finally here!! Soon our WIPs will be UFOs. Merry Christmas.