UFO's, WIP's and such

In order to keep track of your work, you occasionally need to 'inventory', as it were, what is waiting to be finished.  Following Pat Sloan's New Year 2014 blog, I had done this, and I think I blogged about that at the time.  But 18 months have gone by.

At one of my smaller guild's meetings recently, some people were talking about their UFO's and seemed quite aware of where they were at.  I realized, at that moment, that I had been sewing like a bandit for the last 18 months and hadn't updated my list.  I do finish a lot of quilts.  But piecing is always my favorite part, so once I start putting things together, it's easy for my interest to move on to the next thing.

Got out my quilting notebook, counted up, checking everywhere.  Now and then I'd think oh yeah!!!  What about that?  And find another.

They were everywhere!

Neatly in marked boxes

Hanging on a quilt ladder

Hangers on the back of the door (I just now added the notes of what they still need)

On hangers in a closet

The back of a barstool (This one is immediately being spray basted!!)

In a basket (Bonnie Hunter's 2015 ystery, Grand Illusions)

I have to admit, counting them up, seeing it written in black and white, did freak me out a bit.  Me, who has boldly said to others that I don't feel the need to finish everything, I'm OK with that!! (I say loudly and emphatically, maybe waving my hands around as I say it!!).

I guess the important thing is to prioritize, figure out which projects I am actually interested in finishing.  The others I could finish as charity quilts, put on the free table at guild, or use for an upcoming auction at Great Lakes Heritage Quilters, which I think will happen in December.

Once I figure out what I want to finish, I can let the others go.  Get them off my list.  Lists intimidate.   They make you feel like you have to finish.  You don't!  You just have to get them off the list, one way or the other!  Doesn't matter how.  If you love it, finish it!  If you don't, get rid of it.  It's as simple as that.

Let's focus on the positive. I DID complete:

6 finished quilts to charity
2 large lap quilts (almost twin) for two of my kids (3rd one will be made in the next year)
TWO challenge quilts. 
A lap quilt for my MIL
2 baby quilts for niece's baby boy (1 was car seat size)
2 baby quilts for DAMQG's Treasurer's baby boy (one car seat size) 
Baby quilt and pennants for niece's baby girl
Banner for GLHQ quilt Show booth & 20 zippered bags
A wedding gift table runner
swap gifts for my secret Sister at DAMQG including a table runner, quilted postcard, pot handle holder and pot pinchers.

And I'm pretty sure I sewed some other things that I forgot to list.  I try to write all this stuff in my log, but sometimes forget.  PLUS, I pieced some of those tops and blocks that are currently listed as UFOs.

OK!  I don't feel so bad about the UFO's any more!  See: the 'Look there's a Squirrel' approach to quilting DOES work!  It produces a lot of clutter, boxes and stuff on hangers, but it also produces stuff for people to love and enjoy.

And that's what it's all about!

P.S.  It all makes me pretty darn happy too!