Shared ideas on Finishing ALL the UFOs

Edit:  I just read what I posted.  From the looks of all the exclamation points, I'm clearly excited to get started!!!!!!!!

I asked the Stashbusters group for advice on how to get all your UFOs finished.  I'm making progress but, I've been feeling a bit bogged down and hoped their words of wisdom would help me up my game.   I added this list of the projects I have left and posed the question "If it were you, would you work from the top down - or from the bottom up?".

• 9 tedious
• 1 decide on a new plan for the parts that can be salvaged
• 2 BOM's that I plan to work as a "block of the week" rather than month, both are barely started.
• 7 easy, mostly blocks need to be set and borders added
• 7 flimsies
• 2 to bind

I'm grateful for all the interesting replies and suggestions.  I could relate to so much of it and it really helped me come up with a plan to meet that goal.  Finish all the UFOs!  I had to crop out a lot of the good stuff to fit it here but I wanted to share the takeaways I took from their comments.  You can see how I've incorporated a lot of the ideas in the photos at the bottom of this post.

Here's what they said...

Nancy “Finishing the small, easy, or quick quilts first is a good idea. re. the more tedious patterns....You may find it easier to tackle them sporadically, doing a little each week.”

Good idea! The easiest to knock out will be the flimsies and binding. I think I'll alternate what's left, the easy finishes with the hardest,  and tackle them one at a time, a little each week. 

 Anne  “I wouldn't work from the top or the bottom, I would work all over, work on a tedious project one week and an easy one the next, do a bit of quilting every day” 

Space is an issue but, I think I have a solution to move between projects more easily so I can sew every day and mix some effortless sewing with the more tedious work. (See photo at bottom of post.)

Teresa “I have sewn up every smidge of fabric that I have had, numerous times. I see a pattern in fabric and know exactly how I am going to use it, and then I can't wait to start and finish the project” 

The one place I have improved a lot is that I rarely buy on impulse these days.  It helps both my sewing space and my bank account.  The mission to finish all these UFO's has taught me it's okay to chase squirrels but, only one at a time! 

Stephanie  “I would first do those bindings and cross them off. Then load up (or baste) one of the flimsies ready to quilt. Grab a tedious one to work on in short bursts JOT style.  Maybe downsize it to a runner to gift away, and stash the remaining fabric for another day.” 

 You'd have to be a fool to not listen to the people who finish a LOT of quilts! I'm going to take this advice and focus the next few weeks on getting all my flimsies quilted and bound!  If I feel like taking a break from it and just want to sit and sew, I'll try that JOT (just one thing) burst, then go back to finishing the flimsies.  And, now I'll be ready and know just what to grab!  (See shelf #3 below.)

Ellen “since you're pondering the kits, I would go through those first and make final decisions-disassemble or going to start it in the next 12 months.

Choose 1 day a week to progress those blocks.  Maybe half your stitching time on each so that they both move forward.

Choose 1 day a week to quilt.  Get one of those flimsies loaded up before bed one night so it's ready to roll the next morning!

Choose 1 day in the next 2 weeks to make bindings for those 7 flimsies so that you can trim and apply binding right away!  Such a big boost of success to do this!

Binding:  I'd be stitching on those each evening for 30-60 minutes.  They will be done in no time.  As those flimsies get quilted, you'll be able to continue with evening binding.

As for the tedious, it depends.  You could do 30 minutes each day, 1hour each week, 1 day each week or a 2 day weekend retreat each month.

So, this leaves you 4 days a week to do "whatever I want" in the sewing time you have available.” 

 I took the advice both Ellen and Nancy offered on kits a couple of weeks ago.  I have more to do but, I've made a lot of progress on reevaluating them.

The idea of assigning a task to a specific day is really appealing! When I have a plan. I have time to do the parts I like best, and still manage to accomplish the things I find less favorable (and tend to procrasinate on otherwise).

I do sit down in the evening and hand sew bindings down but.  I may need to add a little time first thing in the morning to keep up with all these quilts I'm going to be finishing!!! 

AnnG  “I don't really have a UFO list, because I start things and I finish them.  I think it has something to do with my engineer's brain, and my frugality that has prevented me from acquiring a huge stash.  I may have a half dozen projects going on at the same time, but I make progress on all of them, and they all get finished.” 

We all have very different perspectives of how we approach our craft.  I've never seen it articulated this way but, I really relate to the frugality trait.  I'm sure being frugal is one reason I'm also uncomfortable with having UFOs.  I downsized my stash 7 or 8 years ago and gave away quite a bit of fabric that I felt certain I'd never use. It was painful at the time but, I've never once regretted that decision.

Swooze “For each project I listed what steps were needed for each. Cut more pieces, assemble top, add borders, select backing, buy batting, select binding, baste, quilt, add binding. Then using that list I made a Fab 4 and worked on that list of small bites. If I had to shop I had a list and could take advantage of sales.” 

I did just take this first step recently.  You can see where I posted some of the UFOs I evaluated here but, I need to go back and be more specific about exactly what needs to be done.  Great idea!!! I also need to take time to look at the ones not yet finished for the first 12 UFOs random draw.    

Teresa near Denver  “When I was getting to work on my previous UFO’s, I tended to alternate an easy with a hard/tedious one." 

Now that I have them listed according to complexity/how close to being finished they are,  I'll plan to alternate too so I can avoid burn out.

Patty “If I were you with your list, I would finish the ones that are closest to being finished and work that way unless you want to mix it up. I would finish the 2 to bind and then work on the 7 quilt tops”  

I'm sensing a common thread here. Get those flimsies and bindings finished up and off the list!  You're right!  It's been a case of not seeing the forest for all the trees.  When you're feeling overwhelmed, you don't see the obvious.  Thanks for being specific and  (literally) clearing away the clutter!   I sure don't want to be pushing into the new year with some of the same flimsies I began with in January!

Gayle B “ I don't concern myself much with finishing. I'm here and quilting to have fun. Love, love love  planning and cutting and piecing. I don't need a boatload of guilt for a roomful of UFOs. That being said there is great satisfaction in finishing a quilt.” 

A great reminder to have fun with it!  Even though having UFO's make me anxious, sometimes I need reminding that it's not a job and I have no deadlines to meet.

I've had this rack next to my cutting table for the last year or so.  I use it to limit myself to 4 projects in the works at a time.  I decided to use it now to keep me on track with what I want to accomplish. I'll base my Fab 4 choices each week according to what I hope to get done with the projects on these four shelves each week. I attached the plan to the end of the cart - until it becomes a routine and I don't need to see it.

Wednesday through Friday will give me a chance to catch up in case something changes my plans on those other days,  start something new (which will stay in a bin on the end of my cutting table until it's finished) or, quilt a second top if I have another one ready.

Here's a side view of the same cart.

Saturday: The top shelf holds the next top to be quilted along with the backing and binding.

Sunday:  The second shelf will hold my current string or scrap quilt project.  I think always having a project with a specified day to work on it will help keep scraps from getting out of control!  I'm currently using short strings as leaders/enders but, Sunday seemed like the best day to work on quilts specifically to donate to those in need. I'll use that time each week to cut a few more scraps up or sew more blocks.

Monday: Shelf three,  This will be used for whatever UFO I'm currently working to complete.  Once they're all finished (I have high hopes!) , this shelf will be designated for whichever kit I decide to pull and work on.  Completing the kits lingering in my fabric closet is my next mission!

Tuesday:   The bottom shelf is for my BOM project.  I'd like to work a little on it each week, especially since this first one is a Christmas design.  I have two UFOs started as BOMs before being abandoned.  After I finish both of them, this shelf will likely be used for any sew-along I may decide to participate in or, the monthly precut drawing.   One thing I've discovered.. BOMs and mystery quilts aren't my thing! I don't like dragging projects out for as long as it generally takes to complete one.  (Unlike sew alongs where you have the pattern in advance and can decide to work at your own pace if you want to.)
 
Now that I have a plan, I'm anxious to try it out!