Pat Sloan's 12 UFO Buster Tips - Tip 12 "Have you Noticed "

Have you noticed most of the UFO's you have are for you?

Well my last tip is not earth shattering, but it does require you to make a commitment. 

A commitment to yourself to add YOU to the list of people who needs a quilt.

Many of us work best on a deadline.. you know...
"The baby just arrived.. 4 weeks early!"
"Guess what.. we just flew to Vegas and got married!"
"Can you do a quilt for our charity, which is next week?"

We quilters are enormously generous with our time. As my one friend said, we may not want to get rid of our fabric, but we'd be HAPPY to make you a quilt with it!

And why is that?

It's because Quilting,

making things,

and sharing what we have made feeds our soul.

It makes us whole, it gives us immense joy, and it is our hobby!

 

So... back to the first question..

Why ARE there so many UFOs for YOU? 

*** Your Assignment ***

• Pick the top THREE projects that you want to finish for you (yes I like lists and I like THREE!)
• Set a deadline of when they need to be done.
• Do NOT move this deadline.
• Do NOT take on other work that makes you MISS this deadline.
• Now get the first of these 3 projects OUT where you CAN work on it. Don't leave it in a box under the bed in the spare room.  Put it front and center in your workspace
• Now work to finish something for YOU!

 
Is this Not TRUE?? As in SO TRUE?

Deadlines work

You tell me they do and I know they do

True Confession...

All and I mean ALL of my UFOs are for ME! 

I'll be working down that tub first... after all.. those are ALMOST done!

Tell me what your top project to finish for YOU is, I really want to know? 

And join me at the forum.. we have a permanent area for UFO busting chatter.. it's a good thing!

Let's GO SEW!

CLICK HERE to see some of the goodness that is posted at our FLICKER GROUP...  we have some Divas of the UFO's amongst us!

CLICK HERE to get in on the fun chat at QuiltMashup.... it's AMAZING .... do you know...

In my Newsletter and here at my blog

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My buddy Michele of Quilting Gallery  told me about a great use for orphaned blocks. She donates hers to the Global Quilt Project. While this year's deadline has passed, new blocks will be used for 2011. Michele did a guest write up about them a few months back. http://quiltinggallery.com/2010/07/31/the-global-quilt-project/

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  I had such fun interviewing Quilt Dad, John Adams, and chatting with Roseann yesterday!

 And John has an AWESOME giveaway.. woot woot!

 To get in the running.. to go my blog from yesterday and leave comments.. follow the directions to leave more comment....

CLICK HERE to comment... now go!

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The clearance section is PACKED with goodies, get on over as some are onies or low yardage

http://patsloan.biz/clearancesale.aspx

And I am giving you a short time Red Rose Farm 1/2 yd bundles at a 20% discount.. a VERY good deal until Dec 1! CLICK HERE for the bundles

 

 

 

Comments

[Mary C]

YES, you are so RIGHT! BUT, I am a very 'selfish' quilter. I make more fo me than for others. It's hard for me to give them away. Especially when I put 9 months or more into the project. Right now I'm quilting 8 for my quilt buddy to give me practice on my new toy, a Bernina Quilting Table. I will choose 3 to finish when I get my table extended to the full 10'. That will take the use of the other 11 UFO TIPS. LOL Right now I do up to 48" quilts on it. I'm having so much fun I have 5 waiting to bind.

[Stephanie in Michigan]

You are so right on this! That's what Lucky Charms was for me. One for Me and get 'er done! :-)

[Wanda]

Awe Pat how did you know. It took me until about 4 or 5 years ago before I had a quilt on my bed and I started it in 1992. Everyone else had one, my MIL, my Mother, my SILS, my niece, my nephew, both boys, even my hubby had a big nap quilt. Some even had more than one. Today I am working on binding one for me and one for a gift. Fair trade. trying your machine binding method.

[Shady Brooks]

You're so right on this one.... Every time I plan to make something for myself, I either end up deciding to give it away - or never getting it finished because it's "not as important" as the project I'm doing for someone else!! One good example: I have a "cheater panel" Christmas Tree Skirt that I bought 2 or 3 years ago to put together for myself - it's never even made it out of the bag!! LOL. Guess I'd better go do something about that! :)

[Quilter Kathy]

You are so right about the power of deadlines!
I finished the UFO that I committed to after you wrote the tip about rewards. Now I am ready to pick the next project and I'll make myself a deadline.

[Sew Create It - Jane]

I never thought of my UFO's like that before..but you are absolutely right. The one's in the box are the one's that are either for me or haven't been earmarked for anyone. Must get cracking on them!

[Little Bits and Pieces]

You did hit the nail on the head with this one! I hadn't realized that of course I was putting everyone else first. And without a set goal, how could that quilt for me compete against quilts made for others. To my sewing machine I go!!!

[helenmarie]

Yes, 4 of my UFOs are for me... one handquilted Rosewood Cottage, one quilt top a friend gave me for birthday that I have to quilt, sunbonnet sue, and a BOM. the rest are just things I wanted to do but never finished as there was no goal for them.

hm

[Karen Lieberman]

You're right Pat! My UFO's are 99% my own projects. I have a set of pillow shams to make for my uncle, a quilt for my mom, and a couple crazy quilt table runners. These are all Christmas presents. Once these are finished I can concentrate on ALL my own stuff!! I made a vow not to take any more "commission" pieces, I just hate them. I am declaring 2011 the year of "Finish My Own UFOs" Woohoo!!

[Jewel]

Hey... I read birthday cake in the newsletter. Is your birthday on Friday? Because... mine is too! Sohave a great big wonderful one!

[Shirley in Canada]

Did you "see" my UFO's or what? Yes, at least half of my 100 UFO's are for me! I've been busting them like mad and find it very hard to go down and even "think" of starting something new. Our guild has a challenge on for us to finish our UFO's and I pledge to have 4 done before our next meeting in January (yes 2011 LOL) but I haven't gone down and picked them out, so with the tip I will do that later today! Thanks for the great tips, the chatter, pictures and incentive to "bust at the seams" ;-)

[Mary Val]

Make something for myself? What an idea! lol!

[Sarah C.]

You are so right - I put off my quilts because I'm working on quilts for charity. I did get one done, because I decided it would be a great quilt for my hubby for his birthday, so it suddenly developed a "deadline"! I've still got one UFO that is for my house - I'll put it to the top of the list after Christmas!! Promise!!

[Lady Rags]

I should have added OUR quilt has been in the work for two years... fabric cut... some blocks made but not anywhere big enough to put on our bed.

Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Quilting

[Lady Rags]

PaT

THESE have all been great ideas. Could you put them in a simple list that we can print off so they are easier to remember.

Maybe we could take a pledge to follow though on them...

I like #12 the best cause I still do not have one of my quilts on my bed .... and my hubby keeps threating to buy a Chinese quilt from Wallmart.... So it looks like this is th next project.