I have been giving a LOT of thought lately to my long list of WIPs. Every January I say "this is the year I am going to finish them!" While I do make progress in reducing their numbers, the list remains far too long.
So this year, I am trying something different!
One of the reasons I have so many projects going on is I enjoy a lot of different quilting techniques. And I like to have the option of being in the right mood to work on each. So I decided to break up my list by technique and see what happens.
Hand Quilting: I have not hand quilted for over 5 years! But I do have an antique family hexagon quilt top I was given and have it about halfway finished. Thankfully I don't have any other project in this category.
Hand Applique: There are currently three projects in this category. My Quilty 365 is the project I am working on right now. But I also have a bunch of previously made flower blocks and some birdhouse blocks that I need to get back to or choose to abandon.
English Paper Piecing: When I have the energy to hand sew in the evening, I have been working on these fun stars. Sadly, I seem to have lost interest in an older EPP project using 1" hexagons - hence the loss of interest! So there are only two projects in this category.
Paper Piecing: I have two active projects here. I REALLY want to finish my Sew Kitschy wall hanging. But I also have my basketweave stars project that I work on occasionally. Time to move my kitchen wallhanging back to the top of the list!
Bucket List Quilts: Currently, my Park Bench Quilt is the active project in this category. I have a long list and a big stack of fabrics already purchased for future quilts. I have two projects in this category that have been started.
Scrap-A-Palooza Quilt: I just finished my 18th quilt of this series and have pulled scraps for the next one. I will be sharing my plans soon. I can reveal I plan on using my low volume scraps and some odd shaped triangle scraps.
Rainbow Scrap Challenge Quilt. Somehow, this category got a bit out of control. I not only started the Column Along but I am making both Piglet and chain blocks each month. I am happy to say I did finish the RSC15 quilts!
Sew my Stash or Leader/Ended Quilts: I am tempted too often by scraps, Orphan Blocks or ideas for sewing up my older stash. These tend to be impulsive and are finished quickly. Right now I am focused on sewing up this stack of fabrics that have been sitting on my coffee table since I pulled them many months ago.
Quilt Along or Modern Quilts: I enjoy working with new fabrics or joining in on Quilt Alongs. Right now, I am not participating in any QALs so I am going to work on a project that I started cutting years ago when I belonged to a group that met at my LQS and made projects using Kaffe Fassett fabrics. The group disbanded and I never finished my quilt.
Publications and Secret Sewing: These projects rarely get shared before they get published either in magazines or as patterns. Right now I have 4 in the works that fall in this category and I cannot share a single one right now. So no pictures :(
Crafty Sewing or Commissions: I have three active projects in this category. My kitchen curtains, a quilt for my sister's camper and a Christmas tree skirt. The oldest project is the curtains for my newly renovated kitchen - that is now 3 years old.
So what have I learned? I will ALWAYS have about a dozen projects going on at any time. Now I realize I can not be so hard on myself when I see that I am starting the year out with 23. What I do need to do is whittle down or abandon some projects in each category. I think THAT I can work on!
So I am going to claim the projects pictured above for each category and actively work on it until it is finished. I will not start another project in a category until all the projects in that category are finished. We shall see how many projects I chose to abandon!
If you are still reading, thanks for sticking in there. I needed to get all this down for my own sanity. I have found in the past that setting goals through Finish Alongs have helped so I am going to participate in a few again this year.
I am going to make completing the Sew my Stash project pictured above my January One Monthly Goal with Red Letter Quilts. I know I will want to move onto something else soon!
And for my first quarter goals with the 2016 Finish A Long, I am going to list my Sew Kitschy wallhanging, my Park Bench quilt and my kitchen curtains. That means I will have all three of these items finished by the end of March!
Now that I have a plan, all of these projects don't seem quite so daunting. Rather than have a list of 23 items, I now have a smaller, achievable number in each category. Now it is time to get sewing!
Linking Up:
Red Letter Quilts (OMG)
A Quilter's Table (2016 FAL)
15 comments:
Yes, there is a plan... and a good idea too to separate things out a bit, I'm impressed! And lots of yummy projects! Look forward to following your progress over the year.
It looks a lot more manageable when you separate the categories, doesn't it? (And why on earth would you think 23 is way too many projects, anyway? )
A workable plan as I see it. I like variety so things don't get boring.
Ongoing projects are a fact of life for people with a creative spirit. I think a workable number of UFOs so different for each of us. Good luck finding what will work for you.
You DO like variety. Can't wait t see what you do with the Sew-my-stash fabrics.
I know what ya mean...sometimes getting in all on paper and organized helps so much! I like variety too....and will find myself sorting through my WIP myself this weekend. I may just adopt your category idea....I do know I already have a project ready for "adoption". :)
Great idea to divide the projects into different categories. I like to have several projects on the go too, some in different categories and some just in different stages so I can quilt or piece depending on my mood. Good luck finishing things up!
You...have...a lot...of...projects! I love that you have divided them up in to categories and in order to start another you have to finish one first! Smart thinking! I want to make those EPP stars so bad! Will you tell me again what size they are? I have one EPP I'm working on now, but naturally I need to add to the list for later!
I love how you categorized your goals and your purposeful resolve about completing projects in each before starting another. I already shattered my resolve not to buy fabric in 2016, but I've justified it by the fact that two color groups in my stash are low. ;) The OMG linkup looks interesting...
I'm so happy you've got the kitchen quilt at the top of your To Do List! I thought you'd finished it already and I just missed the post.
I also like your organization and thought processing. I should be so lucky to gather my thoughts, make a plan, and start marking off projects as Complete!
Im just going to say GO YOu!! and sit back and watch you go!!! This may be the first year I have not made lists.... hmmm.....
It's a great list for Q1, you should be able to do it for sure! Thank you for participating in the FAL, on behalf of the 2016 global FAL hosts.
What a list! I love the fabrics making up your antique hexagon quilt - I need to finish one I started over 30 years ago:)) Maybe this year.
Somehow I missed this post from last week, so I am enjoying getting caught up today. It's fun seeing all the different kinds of projects you have going! I am a big fan of your Sew Kitschy wall-hanging, so of course, I think you should make it a priority! Lol!
You have some lovely projects in progress. How is organizing the projects by technique working for you?
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