How Many is Too Many?

This week’s blog is moving into a really gray area:  How many ongoing quilt projects are too many or is it better to finish one quilt project at time before moving onto to a new one?  I realize there are quilters who squarely fall in one or the other camps.  However, as someone who has quilted almost forty years now, most of the quilters I associate with have numerous projects underway at the same time.  Whether this is just “the way quilters are” or whether it’s just the crowd I run with, may be difficult to define. 

Honestly, I have never given this thought too much of my brain-space.  I have numerous projects currently and consecutively under my needle, but I always have.  While the number used to be two (one for machine work and one for handwork), the number grew just a bit as my life changed – the kids grew up and I had more time for me.  I assumed this was just the way things were, and I am just fine with it.  Until a few weeks ago at my regular weekly Sit and Sew when someone mentioned that she had read that having numerous projects underway at the same time is actually bad for you. 

Mentally, this made me back up just a bit and go, “Huh?”  And since the person who made this comment wouldn’t have made it if indeed she hadn’t read it, I felt I needed to research this area to see where the truth was – did it apply only to certain circumstances or certain types of quilters or was it kind of a universal truth which had just come to light? 

My first point of reference was the 2024 Quilters Survey from the Craft Industry Alliance.  Every year this CIA (not the other CIA) distributes a survey to hundreds of quilters of all levels – professionals to the hobbyist.   Information is gathered, gleaned, and posited out for industries affiliated with the quilt market, as well as for quilters themselves.  The 2024 Quilters Survey shows that the average quilter starts eleven projects a year, completes nine of them and they work on these projects an average of six hours a week.  Granted, the size of these projects can vary – most of them are small to medium sized, with a large quilt or two thrown in.  However, this still indicates most quilters are probably working on more than one project at a time and successfully completing 75 percent of them. 

So it seems quilters are quite adept at handling more than one project concurrently.  However, the question which remains is this: Does it cause any issues?  Well, sure.  It’s possible.  Any action taken has the ability to cause an equal and opposite reaction.  Below are a few probable issues which could crop up when dealing with multiple quilt projects.

• Having too many projects underway at the same time could make you feel overwhelmed.
• Too many large projects can also make you feel overwhelmed and perhaps even bored.
• If a number of these projects require a great deal of attention, you may feel drained.
• If you haven’t accurately determined the amount of time needed for each project each week, you may feel frustrated or anxious.

After scouring the internet and other quilt resources for a few days, I didn’t discover a source designed specifically for quilters which would help us decide how many projects are just enough, how many are too many, and how few are not enough.  But what I did discover was this:  a project, is a project, is a project – no matter if it’s part of a corporate restructuring, a project contributor, a project organizer, or a quilter.  A project – any project – is anything which can be broken down into steps to be accomplished.  So with that in mind, let’s take a broad look at what it means to have multiple ongoing projects and to have only one project in process. 

The one word which kept cropping up with the above bullet list of issues dealing with multiple quilt projects is overwhelmed.   It can be easy to become overwhelmed with nearly anything in life – more than likely most of us are well-acquainted with the feeling.  Call it overload, overwhelmed, or over-committed, there are some tipping points which make us feel that way.

• Resource constraint: When you don’t have enough time or materials needed to complete a project
• Complexity of tasks:  Projects involving intricate tasks or requiring specialized skills.  In our case, it may be a quilt, and while it is absolutely lovely, it may need a skill set we’re not proficient with yet. 
• Tight deadlines:  In my mind, quilt deadlines can be “soft” or “hard.”  Almost every project I start has a deadline – I want to be finished with it by a certain date.  This is a “soft” deadline.  It really exists only in my head, and I can alter that deadline with no major consequences other than the fact I may be irritated at myself for missing it.  A “hard” deadline would be a gift date – such as a birthday or wedding – or the date the quilt needs to be finished so I can enter it in a show.  These deadlines are not in my head and are pretty non-negotiable.  A tight, “hard” deadline can definitely make you feel like you’re overwhelmed.
• Lack of prioritization:  I may appear as a fairly laid-back person (and in many ways I am), but there’s a lot more type A personality in me than you may realize.  Everything – I mean everything – I do in my life generally has a priority sticker on it.  Without it, I feel as if I’m walking in total chaos.  For this reason, I’ve been a stickler of a list maker since I was in middle school.  If I don’t put some kind of priority on at least three of my quilt projects I get kind of lost in my studio.  It all is so much fun and so pretty, but what do I really need to settle down and concentrate on first? 

For some quilters, this would seem to suck the joy out of quilting.  And you may be one of those folks and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the way you feel (remember: there are no quilt police).  However, I feel if I’m working on what’s important or what’s almost finished first, it helps me feel less overwhelmed when I look at the next five projects I have lined up.

• Constant Interruptions:  Interruptions can disrupt workflow, no matter if you’re working on a corporate budget, cleaning the house, or making a quilt.  And these interruptions impede the progress of existing projects. With most of us, I am assuming we’re not “professional” quilters – we don’t make a living from producing our wonderful works of art – we are hobbyists.  So, generally our quilting takes place during the time we carve out for it.  Since that time may be limited, any interruptions can reduce the time we have to put in some stitches and that, my quilting friends, not only can make us feel overwhelmed, but also frustrated.   

Right now, let’s all enter into Sherri’s Zone of Truth.

Stop reading this blog.  Right now.  Just for a few minutes.  Stop reading and go to your quilting space and take a long, hard, non-judgmental look around.  Ask yourself how many projects you currently have in process and how many do you have tucked away in project bags/boxes you plan on completing?  Now let’s both of us honestly answer the following questions:

Does looking at all of these make me feel overwhelmed?

Can I prioritize these projects?

Can I finish these on my “soft” deadline? (don’t consider any projects with a “hard” deadline).

Am I having difficulty focusing or concentrating on one project at a time because I have so many?

Does looking at all your projects increase your stress levels?

If the answer is “Yes” to three of these questions, you may need to reconsider what the “comfortable” number of quilting projects is you need. 

How Many Quilting Projects Should You Handle at Once?

This is one of those quilting preferences which is entirely up to you.  In a corporate setting, most project managers dislike their employees to handle more than three or four significant projects concurrently.  But that’s a professional setting and a lot depends on corporate structure.  Quilting is your hobby and hopefully your stress-relief.  You may feel quite comfortable handling between five to seven or more projects at the same time.  Psychologically, working on multiple projects simultaneously can increase productivity and foster creativity.  But there are those who also argue that focusing on one project at a time leads to better quality work and less stress. 

So who is right?  What is better?  Let’s explore both sides of the argument.

Advantages of Working on Multiple Quilt Projects at Once

• Switching between quilt projects can keep your mind fresh and prevent the boredom which can come from focusing only on one project.
• Working on a different project can broaden and develop your skill set and expose you to different challenges.
• You can make progress on multiple projects simultaneously, potentially speeding up overall project completion.
• If one quilt project is stalled, you can shift your focus to another project and keep on making progress.

Disadvantages of Working on Multiple Quilt Projects at Once

• Constantly switching between projects can lead to decreased concentration and productivity on each.
• Handling several quilt projects at once can be mentally taxing and may lead to feeling overwhelmed and stressed if not managed properly.
• Splitting your attention across multiple tasks may result in lower quality work compared to focusing on one project at a time.
• Sometimes – especially if there are multiple “soft” deadlines in your head – it can be more challenging to determine which quilt project deserves more priority and attention at any given time, leading to delays.

Ultimately, whether it’s “bad” to have several in-progress quilt projects at one time depends on you – your ability to manage them, prioritize them, and still balance productivity and quality.  And let’s be honest.  Some quilters are better at this than others.  There is no shame in either game.  All quilters are people and all people are different.  I have quilting friends who can easily manage five or six projects at once.  I know award-winning quilters – those who really live for the ribbons – who wouldn’t think about working on more than two projects at once, if that many.  And when I look at myself, I see a quilter who at one time could handle four to seven projects at the same time, but as I’ve aged, I’m much happier with three.  Just out of curosity, I asked my daughter, Meagan — who has a MSML in Organizational Psychology and is VP of Operations for NFI — how many projects does she give the employees on her team and still expect them to keep up with the rest of their work load?

“No more than 30% to 35% of their time should be dedicated to projects,” was her answer.

Go figure.  With quilting, as with a lot of things in life, it pays to know yourself well.  We have 24 hours in a day. Eight of these (generally) are for sleeping. If you are employed, deduct those hours, too. The remaining time is yours. And perhaps only 35% of that should be invested in quilting. The following chart may help you decide if you’re a multiple project quilter or a solo project one.

Working on Multiple Quilt Projects Simultaneously Can:

Offer more variety and stimulation

Promote higher efficiency and skill development                  

Have better resource allocation

Risks of Working on Multiple Quilt Projects Simultaneously Are:

Fragmented focus

Increased stress

Quality compromise

Difficulty in prioritization

Working on One Quilt Project at a Time Can:

Increase focused attention

Keep clear priorities

Reduce stress

Better adherence to both “soft” and “hard” deadlines

Risks of Working on One Quilt Project at a Time Can:

Increase risk of monotony

Can delay finishing other important quilt projects

Limit skill exposure

Limit adaptability

At this point, I hope you have some idea of what kind of quilter you are – either you’re comfortable handing multiple projects at once or you strongly favor the one-at-a-time process.  Taking into account that according to the CIA’s Quilt Alliance 2024 Survey, most quilters work on more than one project at a time, next week we will delve into a few ways to possibly prioritize projects and keep them moving along at a reasonable rate. 

Until Next Week,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix