How to get rid of a UFO without going crazy

/ quiltinggail

I’m working on Smith Mountain Morning from Bonnie Hunter’s book “Scraps & Shirtails II.” You’ve seen the odd picture in recent posts … It’s a UFO from 2015 that was started in a workshop with Bonnie at Camp Arnold – near Seattle. Washington.  The workshop was fantastic!!  The quilt will be fantastic!!  (visit Bonnie’s blog Quiltville.com for lots of eye candy and free patterns.)

I think I might be going crazy!  Who in their right mind starts a quilt with 3 million pieces (don’t count them, I just might be exaggerating! but not by much). And then decides that she wants to make it bigger?  YUP – I was crazy when I made that decision!

What I’m doing to keep myself from going crazy:

  1. I procrastinate – and write a blog post
  2. I’m sewing like a mad women with a focussed goal
  3. I procrastinate and sew 2 other projects at the same time
  4. I’m quilting another project
  5. I’m keeping track of how many blocks I have done
  6. I take procrastiinating breaks.
  7. Then I sew another block
  8. I take deep breaths
  9. I procrastinate  – I went to the market and bought tons of apples and made a HUGE apple crisp (and proceeded to eat a chunk when it came out of the oven)
  10. Then I sew another block
  11. I procrastinate  – I decided I had to wash the kitchen floor
  12. Then I sew another block

Is all this helping?  A little … but scroll down to see what I’ve done for my block totals in my TO DO list.

Design Wall

Piecing:

Several projects are now in progress:

  1. Smith Mountain MorningIMG_5631
  2. 52 blocks in 52 weeks … well I’ve only started on one block since last weekIMG_5630
  3. A secret project #1 is still in progress, but has changed from this picture! And has changed from last week as well. IMG_5621
  4. image.pngThe November Island Batik project is being pieced and is almost to the webbing stage!  It should be webbed and sewn together within a few days.  I’m LOVING the soft, gentle look of this quilt.  If you’re not sure what webbing is – I blogged about it HERE.  If you go to that blog page, you’ll get to see a video on how I web quilts together.    It’s my favourite way to join blocks.  However, it will not work if the quilt is on point. This will be Secret Project #2

Quilting:

Another secret project is being quilted. (Secret Project #3)

The squirrel from last week is about to be sandwiched:  (same as last week!)  It still needs to be sandwiched.  Why is it SEW hard to getting this little gem sandwiched????sad face

IMG_5612

Stash Report

Nothing finished this week.  No shopping …  I notice that last week I forgot to add in the purchase that I made  … the totals are correct now.

  • Fabric Used this week        0 yards
  • Fabric Used this year:         140.35  yards
  • Fabric Bought this week:   0 yards
  • Fabric Added this year:      68.05
  • Net Fabric used                     78.3
  • –
  • Husband’s Purchases           9.5

Stitchin’ Time

  • January – Sept:  205 out of 231
  • Oct: 27 out of 27
  • Year-to-date: 232 out of 258  =  90%

(Reminder, I’m only counting days that I’m home.)

For more Stitchin’ Time, you can check out Kate’s blog: Life in Pieces

PHD in 2019: Quilting UFOs and Finishing New Projects

 

No finishes this week.

 

Screen Shot 2019-10-13 at 7.18.43 PM

TO DO

I like to make lists at the beginning of the week, but I’ll still like up to Roseanne & Sue’s Home Sewn by Us on Tuesday.

Last week’s list:

  1. Start sewing November’s Island Batik Challenge  it’s more than started
  2. Prep 2 blocks from 52 blocks in 52 weeks  done  Week 29 & 30 prepped
  3. Sew 2 blocks from 52 blocks in 52 weeks    not done
  4. Finish at least 2 blocks from “Smith Mountain Morning”  28 blocks completed!!! whoot whoot!!  only 16 blocks left! 
  5. Quilt “Squirrel” not done – not even sandwiched
  6. Work on Secret project #1 – a little bit done!

This week

  1. Finish November’s Island Batik top (Secret Project #2)
  2. Prep 2 blocks from 52 blocks in 52 weeks  
  3. Sew 2 blocks from 52 blocks in 52 weeks  
  4. Finish at least the 16  blocks from “Smith Mountain Morning”
  5. “Squirrel”  – get it sandwiched (lowering my expectations!!! No illusions of getting it quilted!  🙂
  6. Work on Secret project #1
  7. Finish quilting Secret Project #3)

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting! 
Gail 

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23 thoughts on “How to get rid of a UFO without going crazy”

  2. You are making progress, so it’s all good, even the procrastination. You’ve almost finished this year’s PhD, so you are moving things along (though if you feel like I do about progress, it’s just not fast enough).
    Good luck with this week’s list.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Yowza, Gail! Your post is making me hyper. I’m so proud of you for working on that 2015 UFO. You are more than half done – you can easily whip that into the completion side yet this year. I love seeing the 52 blocks coming along as well. I do want to make those! ~smile~ Roseanne

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Boy, did your post put me back decades! I remember doing the same thing when I was a full time grad student at U of L, working full time, wife and a mother of two with multiple activities and church responsibilities. I, too, washed floors to procrastinate (avoid) class assignments. While doing that procrastinating, I was also thinking through some of the work and used that as an excuse to put off actually getting to my desk.
    You seem to be in a similar situation. There are so many necessary and important and maybe even more enjoyable things to do at any given time. Your list appears to be helping your determination to “get ‘er done!”.
    Connie

    Liked by 1 person

    • HA! I remember when I was a grad student and working full time – it was busy!!! But I also had an empty nest – so not as busy as you!!! I’m retired now and still put too much on my plate. Ah – such is a wonderful life!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

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  5. You are the queen of knowing what is on your plate. I just turn my head and start on something, and then turn it again to work on something else. This week is adding binding to a king sized quilt – TV football game sewing. Thanks for linking up with Design Wall Mondays, Judy

    Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Judy … I had to get organized … at one point I had sooooo many projects, no room to do them and it was driving me crazy!!! Good luck with finishing your binding! And THANK YOU for hosting Design Wall Mondays!
      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Like

    • Hi Gene!
      You need to join my PHD in 2020 program … the basic rules are to choose 12 UFO projects that need finishing … and to stop your UFO list from increasing – every project that you start needs to be finished in 2020. It’s working for me! And for a few others as well!
      Happy Quilting my creative friend! 🙂

      Like

  8. I’m smiling as I read this, totally relating to your little list to keep from going crazy. Haha! We could, just possibly, be related. Or at least we have a common thread! You’ll get that little quilt sandwiched when it’s time, and you’ll know when that is. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Pingback: Stash Report October 27, 2019 | quiltpaintcreate

  11. Why is it sew hard to get it sandwiched? Lol. Seriously? Could it be the dozen other things you are working on simultaneously? You are two CUTE (typo intended).

    When I was there for a visit you showed me a technique for borders. I would love if you blogged about it. (Yes, I forgot what you showed me 😔).
    Cheers
    Terry

    Liked by 2 people

    • Maybe that I have two much on my plate??? 🙂 (typo also intended!)

      Ah – putting borders on without measuring – yet having it work perfectly! Yes, that’s a good idea for a blog post! I’ll have to get someone to film it … hope to put borders on another quilt next week … will see what happens! Thanks for the idea, cuz!

      Happy Quilting! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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