Pat Sloan 12 UFO Busting Tips - Know what you Have is Tip 1

Start at the Beginning..

You need to Know what you have.

If you have NOT done this lately, then do it today .... I hear you making excuses.. but really if you put it off you never make ANY progress. And I know you WANT to make progress... so

TODAY...

COUNT your Projects in Progress... you know ... the UFOs! 

Yes I am serious, very serious.

You need to haul out ALL the projects that have been started.

Just the STARTED ones.

And we are going to sort them.

 
Sort them into these groups 

• Group A - Almost done – not much left to finish it AND I LOVE the project and WANT to finish it
   
• Group B – Almost done but .....This is the group that you have lost interest in and really don't feel like working on it any more..  GIVE THEM AWAY.. yep.. you'll feel MUCH better
   
• Group C – Patially done AND I LOVE the project and WANT to finish it

• Group D – Partially done but....Do you REALLY want to finish them? I think we often have more in these piles than we think we do

• Group E – Barely started – do you want to keep or not?

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I'm not only going to give you 12 tips to tackle your UFOS

One per month, with bonus encouragement during the month.

I'm going to LIVE these tips with you.

Let me show you what this sorting can do for you.

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These are some of my quilts that are in various stages of the quilting process.

I have One just needs binding!

Group A - Almost done - now list them..

And put them in order of importance

 Group B – Almost done but ...

From your list above I bet there are some you REALLY don't want to finish.  I always have quilts that I'm no longer in love with and don't want to spend my time on them. 

Point here is.... you do NOT NEED to finish everything you started.

If you no longer love it...

• give it away
• sell it
• but do not keep it

 Group C –

Partially done AND I LOVE the project and WANT to finish it

The photo above are some of my tops. I have gone through them MANY times, added to them since this photos.. and started more (yes MOER!) 

Right now I THINK I want them all. But the longer I do not quilt them... the more chance I'll have out grown them. That happens doesn't it?

Now list your Partially done.. I'm just listing my tops today

And put them in order of importance

I'm working on my list to share later this month

Group D – Partially done but....

From your list above take out the projects that you really have outgrown, that you never liked that much, that are giving you Guilt.   GUILT is our enemy!

At this point I'm usually totally SHOCKED I have so many tops in progress and so many tops unquilted.. I know I still have one that is VERY VERY VERY old... like 15 yrs and I STILL love it.. BUT... really ... seriously.. I need to quilt it and enjoy it!

Group E – Barely started

And the last group for you to sort is this one, the ones you have BARELY started. I have those too... they are way down on my list (but I'll share in future posts!). Here are some questions to figure out status of this group

• What is in this group anyway?
• Are they NEWLY barely started? 
• OLD Barely started?
• You must have done SOMETHING to put it in this pile. 
• COLLECTIONS of fabric and pattern do not count (YIPPEE!)
• Take a GOOD... HARD... RUTHLESS look at thsi group and be sure what you leave in this pile are projects you REALLY want to continue

NOW WHAT?

Between today and the beginning of Feb get everything sorted

Be RUTHLESS... need support?

Join me HERE at my Quilt Group where we can all hold hands

Shead tears for old projects

And give support for getting rid of DEAD WEIGHT

Post photos to share at our flickr group

Chat on Facebook.

I'm here for you!

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Can you do it? I KNOW you can because I have!

Tell me what your Oldest UFO project is .... I want to know!

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11 More Tips will be coming.. ONE PER MONTH.

But if you can't wait.. you can CLICK HERE to read the original posts. That link takes you to my first post from the last time I did this UFO busting thing here at my blog.

When you visit my Quilt Group be sure to sign in then hit 'NOTIFY' at the top right

http://quiltmashup.com/index.php/topic,2507.msg75054/topicseen.html#new

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Comments

[ellen k]

I sewed boarders on a UFO yesterday, a Pink/brown baby quilt i don't even know why i started. so am I only counting tops? not the piles of blocks in bags, that are haunting me too..

[Elizabeth]

Pat I just need to put the last border on one of my ufo's from 2008 or 2009 that I pulled out after reading your story on ufo's. I am ready to do as many ufo's as I can before I start a new project. If someone in our family has a baby soon I will figure out how to make one of the ufo's work. For some reason I seem to always put a quilt that I am working on for me in the ufo's but can finish a quilt that I am wanting to make for a new baby in no time at all.

[Mary Colgin]

I cleaned my sewing room right after Christmas and made an inventory of what I had in order to get ready for "more shopping" at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show. Some of my UFOs went in a pile of "who was I when I bought this?"!!!! For those, I found new homes with quilters more their type!!!! One good way to clean your UFO pile!

[Debbie]

This was one of my goals for the New Year. I plan to finish 1 UFO per month. I started by having mine in clear boxes. They are stacked and ready to go.I'm working on my 1st one right now. Just have the last 2 borders to put on, then Miter the corners, then 1 off my list.

[Terri in BC]

How timely - I've been going through this process lately! My oldest UFO is 34 years, from when I took my first quilting class at the age of 18. Poly/cottens - ugly as sin. I'm now using the blocks to learn Free-Motion Quilting on my domestic machine!

[Karen Field]

I've got a good suggestion for the quilt tops or half finished quilts that you need to get rid f but feel badly about. My quilt chapter in northern Va, suburbs do DC, has an auction every April. The auction always has quilts and projects that someone didn't want to finish. when given they will continue on to another quilter and get finished as well as bring a chapter monies from the sale so they can invite speakers t come. I've enjoyed this myself. I didn't have the money to get the project started so I would find something at the auction that I was excited about and I had a new found project to do! Most of the chapters in my area of our larger area do this.

[liz willis]

Boy! what a challenge. But I'm up for it. I have to because it doesn't make sense to keep starting projects I love now and not have time to finish. BTW, my oldest UFO is 36 yrs, a hand pieced clamshell started with scraps from my daughters dresses. And it's a king size. And yes I want to finish it. This is the year! Thanks for all the encouragement and ideas.

[Stella Nemeth]

I need to do this. I also need to get out the cross stitch and knitting projects and just discover what is out there.

[Linda H]

I did this last year, before moving. What great motivation moving is! I purged and donated, and put the remaining 18 UFOs on a spreadsheet, in priority order. I AM working from the top down, but honestly, I probably will never make it to the bottom. But I STILL can't give the last one away! It's a hand-pieced, hand-quilted project made in 1977-78 when all quilting was done by hand, without rotary supplies (which weren't yet invented!) Fabrics are our daughter's baby clothes and drapery swatches. I just can't let it go. And let's be real, I'll never hand quilt the borders, which is all that's left to call it done. Sad, huh?

[Sue Cryderman]

Thanks, Pat! I've been sorting my UFOs at the start of this year and letting all guilt go by the wayside. I'm getting rid of those that no longer interest me and setting myself FREE! YAY!

[Diane Swett]

thanks Pat, I have started listing my wip's, ufo's ect. all those unfinished projects that I have. WOW I am surprised with how many there are. Well off to finish going thru my stuff. and finish my Jan project.

[Jane Martyn]

I have done this for years in a spreadsheet. I have 26 tops finished (projects) that need to be quilted. 44 unfinished projects in various stages of "uhnfinishment". That doesn't count the kits, etc. I try not to get discouraged but there is always that "new" one to work on. I'm going to rank them like you suggested and see if that helps!

[Beth]

My list is in different categories, so I will redo my list. And see if I can purge. I am trying to finish some of my UFOs to keep my cousin quilt project going. All of my first cousins will get a quilt eventually.
I will take Debby's idea and decide who will get some of the other projects that are here and there. (and everywhere)

[Susan K]

My oldest UFO isn't a quilt - it's a backpack that I started when I was in high school in the 70's - maybe I should finish it or recycle it.

[Lisa Burgess]

But But But , the UFO's are all tucked in the closet of shame :\ If I pull them out to make a list won't that just make a big mess?? I know I know I'll do it Pat :p

[Sharon Louise]

This is a good idea and would help me to know what to work on next. Been so busy on holidays and then my Mom have kind of forgot all thoes in the tots that need my time too. I am now working on one quilt that has been cut out and just laying there waiting to be finished and I know there is more. Thanks

[cindy]

This was how I spent Christmas vacation! I was more ruthless this year than ever before and it feels great. I did it with ufo's and my fabric stash! The start was hard, though. Every piece of fabric or project I touched had a story....a memory....attached to it. I felt quilty...like I was abandoning a living thing. Had a good long talk with myself (yes, I do that!)...put my big girl panties on....and purged. Wow. So much weight removed. ALL the fabric went to a new quilter who was over the moon to get it. Some of the ufo's went to a fellow quilter who makes charity quilts and some to a friend who is selling them for a fundraiser for her daughters mission trip. Anyhoo. Great encouragement, Pat. We all need to lighten the load.

[Kristen]

I have a double wedding ring quilt I started in 1992....yikes that is 21 years old now. I suppose I should put the connecting pieces in and quilt the thing as it all together except for those. And I STILL LOVE IT! :)

[Pat Sloan]

I am working on my UPDATED list... stay tuned!~

[ann hein]

What a great idea. I did make a list a while back when I redid my sewing studio and I have been trying to finish projects. I feel overwhelmed! Plus with the new job I've been making samples to take with me and it seems these projects just don;t fit the bill for that. So I am going to take time this week and sort and organize. And wait for tip#2. Not sure I can purge I am so attached to these projects. Many were purchased or started while I traveled with a dear firend so there are some great memories attached to them. There will be some soul searching going on here!

[Christine]

Great idea, sorting the UFOs! I will do that as soon as I finish my Valentine wall hanging. My oldest UFO is a log cabin quilt (in mauve...eek) that I started at least 27 years ago. lol

[Debbie]

Pat, I have not sorted and counted, although I have been trying to follow the finish 5 start one rule. Of course, this is my rule and can be adapted if necessary. LOL! Thanks for the tips.

[Wanda]

Pat perfect timing. I was just working on this list this morning. Reviewing my list from last year and moving things forward that I want to finish.

[Elizabeth]

Pat you asked what the oldest ufo is in my stash it is a top that just needs to be quilted and it is about 23 years old

[Pat Sloan]

Excellent Debby! Shirley it's painful but we KNOW worth it!!! Melissa I know what you mean.. I will talk about those 'future' projects sometime this year.. I have to weed those out too!