Like you 2023 is a clear the decks year! I’m cleaning out the UFO”s, preparing to move my quilts and sewing space into my renovated small barn studio...time to take stock and enjoy getting my sew-jo back😊
Good unfinished project tracker. I have been sewing and quilting less the past year. Life sometimes pushes hobbies to the side for a variety of reasons. I bought a small inexpensive quilt kit and cut and pieced the project this past weekend. Only the top done and I plan to let someone else quilt it for a quick win. Bitter cold expected this weekend so I will stay home and take inventory of projects using tracker and choose one that is close to done. Excited to retire in 3 months and working on restoring my Sew jo and making plans for travel, gardening, and sewing quilts and bags. I look forward to your videos.
Thank you so much!!! This is so helpful and really hit a nerve with me! This is brilliant! Thank you for the spreadsheet also. All the best to you. I can totally relate to this. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and yours. ❤️ 😃
Tom, you just saved my sanity! I have quite a few quilt tops finished, some just cut out, some in progress, and one large quilt that I started quilting, but like you, I have to pick all the bad bits out before I start over on it. Your PDF is exactly what I needed! (It sure beats my method of sticky notes) Thanks so much for sharing it, and I´m looking forward to seeing how we progress.
I found (for me) that if I start a quilt, I finish it all the way thru. If mid-project I find I'm not in love with it, I give it and all it's fabric to the "church ladies" to use it for donation quilts. I also do the audit once a year and put in a notebook, cross off what I finished and write down all the new stuff I may have bought and what I'm making and what I need to finish (backing, batting...) then de-stash the rest.
I really enjoy hearing your perspective on getting bogged down mentally by unfinished projects. I have so many UFOs at this point (probably 25-30). I can crank out the tops but get slowed down after that. Also, I moved cross country and it took several years to get my sewing space back in order. I have started keeping a hard bound quilting journal where I put a mini photo of the finished quilt top on a page (using a mini HP Sprocket printer). I can use it as motivation by flipping through the pages and remembering all the UFOs. Once I complete a project, I take more photos of the quilt and backing with close ups of the quilting and label. I can also record who I gave it to or any other fun facts to remember. It's a messy system for sure---not nearly as nice as your spread sheet!
I have 3 WIPs I *need* to finish!! ugh. Today was the first day I actually got to sit at my machine and made some progress. Helpful video all good tips
I think I’d like to only have three WIPs 🤣🤣🤣 I’ve lots of ideas of quilting that I’d like to make, but I’m trying to clear the decks before I start any more 😳😳 This is not helping my ‘creative’ need, but I’ve got another one ready to bind and the binding is cut 🎉🎉 Finishing this quilt will take another job off my list 🥳🥳 Good luck 🤞🇬🇧
I have 3 because I have a terrible problem with starting something and not finishing it so I typically don't start another until the current one is finished. One was supposed to be done in September. Another I finished the blocks in 21 for a gift in 22. Another is an idea I have the "parts"mostly for and was to be for a December birthday. We aren't going to talk about all the ideas...😆
We moved house last August to a property which needs a lot of work, so husband is in his DIY happy place. But I haven't had time or space to sew until a couple of weeks ago. 2 days ago I actually set up the machine and sewed borders on a Quilt top. I was so happy 😊 got plenty of WIPS to crack on with but instead will be stripping wallpaper. 🙄
I'm in the same boat lol. Right now I have 3 tops needing backing quilting and binding. AND 6 quilts I've been commissioned to do that I haven't even started. It gets overwhelming.
It does get overwhelming fast, and I have to stop myself from moving on to something else that has fresh energy because it's new. Good luck with your pile!
That is quite a list,but I'm sure you will plow through it. I love your thought process. My problem is I have a ton of fabric and keep buying more. I need to pick patterns and get to work! And stay out of the fabric shops. Easier said than done.
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful. I use this sort of stuff in my day job to manage my team so I thought it could help in quilting too. There's no such thing as too much fabric ;-)
I usually get my quilt tops finished, and move pretty fast from the sandwiching stage to finished. But like many people, I get stalled at the quilt top stage. I keep an Excell spreadsheet of my unfinished quilt tops. I have columns with the sizes, whether I want to add borders, if need to buy anything, etc. I hate to tell you how many are on that list!
I have to unpack my quilt room which has been in storage for about 7 years. Not sure that I have much in progress. Think most are not yet started. Been waiting to get my quilting mojo back, maybe I'm really looking for my sewjo!
Tom, I so enjoy your videos as I identify with all of them! however I had to stop listening to this one as I’m old and can’t listen to you and the background music/ noise at the same time…..so sorry
Love that you are doing things in quick 15 minute blocks - you’ll be amazed how much you get done like that!
I know, I always seem to tell myself I can't do it because it will take ages and then 10 minutes later i'm done lol.
Like you 2023 is a clear the decks year! I’m cleaning out the UFO”s, preparing to move my quilts and sewing space into my renovated small barn studio...time to take stock and enjoy getting my sew-jo back😊
Sounds great, enjoy your new sewing space!!
Very helpful! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Good unfinished project tracker. I have been sewing and quilting less the past year. Life sometimes pushes hobbies to the side for a variety of reasons. I bought a small inexpensive quilt kit and cut and pieced the project this past weekend. Only the top done and I plan to let someone else quilt it for a quick win.
Bitter cold expected this weekend so I will stay home and take inventory of projects using tracker and choose one that is close to done.
Excited to retire in 3 months and working on restoring my Sew jo and making plans for travel, gardening, and sewing quilts and bags.
I look forward to your videos.
Thank you! I hope you stay safe in the cold! Happy sewing this weekend if you get round to it.
This strategy could actually work!
Here's hoping :-)
Thank you so much!!! This is so helpful and really hit a nerve with me! This is brilliant! Thank you for the spreadsheet also. All the best to you. I can totally relate to this. Peace and good fortune and good health to you and yours. ❤️ 😃
Thank you, I hope it's helpful!
Tom, you just saved my sanity! I have quite a few quilt tops finished, some just cut out, some in progress, and one large quilt that I started quilting, but like you, I have to pick all the bad bits out before I start over on it. Your PDF is exactly what I needed! (It sure beats my method of sticky notes) Thanks so much for sharing it, and I´m looking forward to seeing how we progress.
Glad I could help! Best of luck with your projects, and let me know how you are getting on!
I found (for me) that if I start a quilt, I finish it all the way thru. If mid-project I find I'm not in love with it, I give it and all it's fabric to the "church ladies" to use it for donation quilts.
I also do the audit once a year and put in a notebook, cross off what I finished and write down all the new stuff I may have bought and what I'm making and what I need to finish (backing, batting...) then de-stash the rest.
Thanks for sharing, that's good advice about finishing all the way through. I need to do an audit for 2024 of my UFO pile. Just need some time LOL
I really enjoy hearing your perspective on getting bogged down mentally by unfinished projects. I have so many UFOs at this point (probably 25-30). I can crank out the tops but get slowed down after that. Also, I moved cross country and it took several years to get my sewing space back in order. I have started keeping a hard bound quilting journal where I put a mini photo of the finished quilt top on a page (using a mini HP Sprocket printer). I can use it as motivation by flipping through the pages and remembering all the UFOs. Once I complete a project, I take more photos of the quilt and backing with close ups of the quilting and label. I can also record who I gave it to or any other fun facts to remember. It's a messy system for sure---not nearly as nice as your spread sheet!
I think it's a great system creating a book of memories of everything you've made. I like this idea of documenting it. Thanks for the suggestion!
I need to do this so I can clear my backlog of projects up as well
Good luck, hope you get the backlog cleared.
I have 3 WIPs I *need* to finish!! ugh. Today was the first day I actually got to sit at my machine and made some progress. Helpful video all good tips
You got this! Good luck getting them done!
I think I’d like to only have three WIPs 🤣🤣🤣 I’ve lots of ideas of quilting that I’d like to make, but I’m trying to clear the decks before I start any more 😳😳 This is not helping my ‘creative’ need, but I’ve got another one ready to bind and the binding is cut 🎉🎉 Finishing this quilt will take another job off my list 🥳🥳 Good luck 🤞🇬🇧
I have 3 because I have a terrible problem with starting something and not finishing it so I typically don't start another until the current one is finished. One was supposed to be done in September. Another I finished the blocks in 21 for a gift in 22. Another is an idea I have the "parts"mostly for and was to be for a December birthday. We aren't going to talk about all the ideas...😆
We moved house last August to a property which needs a lot of work, so husband is in his DIY happy place. But I haven't had time or space to sew until a couple of weeks ago. 2 days ago I actually set up the machine and sewed borders on a Quilt top. I was so happy 😊 got plenty of WIPS to crack on with but instead will be stripping wallpaper. 🙄
I do not envy you stripping wallpaper, I hate doing that. Great you managed some sewing though, hopefully more to come in your future :-)
I'm in the same boat lol. Right now I have 3 tops needing backing quilting and binding. AND 6 quilts I've been commissioned to do that I haven't even started. It gets overwhelming.
It does get overwhelming fast, and I have to stop myself from moving on to something else that has fresh energy because it's new. Good luck with your pile!
That is quite a list,but I'm sure you will plow through it. I love your thought process. My problem is I have a ton of fabric and keep buying more. I need to pick patterns and get to work! And stay out of the fabric shops. Easier said than done.
Oh same here! I keep buying fabric I like without a project in mind
Thanks, I'm glad it was helpful. I use this sort of stuff in my day job to manage my team so I thought it could help in quilting too. There's no such thing as too much fabric ;-)
I usually get my quilt tops finished, and move pretty fast from the sandwiching stage to finished. But like many people, I get stalled at the quilt top stage. I keep an Excell spreadsheet of my unfinished quilt tops. I have columns with the sizes, whether I want to add borders, if need to buy anything, etc. I hate to tell you how many are on that list!
That's a good idea, I like the idea of having all the sizes and everything in one place. Thanks for the tip!!
I have to unpack my quilt room which has been in storage for about 7 years. Not sure that I have much in progress. Think most are not yet started. Been waiting to get my quilting mojo back, maybe I'm really looking for my sewjo!
WOW 7 years, that's a long time. I hope you find your quiltjo/sewjo!
I haven't looked recently, but you could get many different designs for labels on Spoonflower. Maybe you find something there that you like 🙂
Thanks for the tip! I will check them out.
whew!
Tom, I so enjoy your videos as I identify with all of them! however I had to stop listening to this one as I’m old and can’t listen to you and the background music/ noise at the same time…..so sorry
Thanks for the feedback, music might be a bit too loud, noted for future!!