Corralling Your UFOs (Part 2)

This week we’re finishing up our series on UFOS and how to manage them. Today we’ll take a hard look about what to keep, what to give away, and what to toss.

How Do I Decide What to Keep and What to Release?

This is a very personal question, and both the questions and answers can vary from quilter to quilter.  Below are some general questions I ask myself, to clarify what’s worth my time and energy. These may or may not work for you.  You may see the need to create your own evaluation standards.

• Do I still love this project?  Do I still get excited about it?  Does it still inspire me?
• Am I still willing to expend the time and energy on this UFO?  Be really honest with yourself when you ask this question.  You may still love this pattern, but do you want to spend all the time it would take to hand applique 16 blocks?  Do you really want to piece 67 four-inch blocks?  If you honestly, truly can’t see yourself expending the time and energy to complete the project, let it go.  Or at least set it aside and think about it for 24 hours and then re-evaluate the question.
• Will I hold off on any new projects while I complete this one? Again, honesty is key here.
• Will working on it bring joy or feel like a chore?  If it feels like an obligation, is the UFO really worth it?
• Does this project still make sense?  A baby quilt for someone who is now a teenager may not make the cut.  A quilt you began for your bedroom 10 years and three paint jobs ago may not work any longer for you. 
• Can I realistically finish this in the next six to twelve months?  Again, honesty is key when answering this question.  If you’re obligated to other quilts (such as a class, a guild project, etc.), answer this question carefully.  If you can’t see yourself either finishing or at least making a major headway on the quilt, you may want to let it go.  I think the exceptions to this rule are either hand pieced or hand appliqued quilts.  Those naturally take a bit longer, but if you’re consistently working on them, keep them.

Also, allow me to be completely transparent here.  There are some projects you will never complete no matter how many times you ask those questions.  Some unfinished projects create more stress than they’re worth.  So much so that they’ll never inspire any inspiration – they’ll make you want to shove them out of sight and out of mind again.  So if seeing a project triggers guilt or anxiety, or you’re avoiding it because of past mistakes, or if it feels like an obligation rather than a joy, rid yourself of them or allow time to soften your feelings.  That quilt I worked on when my dad was in Hospice?  I know I will never finish it.  It’s too difficult to work on. It brings up too many memories. Instead, I took the three blocks I did finish and had them framed.  I still can’t bring myself to hang them, but one day I will.  The applique quilt from that chaotic class?  I know I will finish it.  The fabrics are beautiful and as soon as I can dig the bin out of my storage closet, I will start on it again and I can see myself finishing it in a year’s time.  If the project is one you’re avoiding because of past mistakes, it’s probably a good idea to get rid of those, too.  This kind of depends on where you’re at progress-wise as a quilter.  When you began the project, it may have been too difficult for your skill level.  Since then, you may have learned more and conquered the techniques that were giving you such a hard time.  Now you may be able to complete the quilt just fine, but again, the question is will you? 

Finally, if the project remains feeling more of an obligation than a joy, it may be time to find it a new home or repurpose it.  We have enough obligations in our lives.  Quilting should be fun and not a chore.  The path forward is this:  Be honest with yourself (do you truly want to finish the project), assess your options (can it be repurposed or passed along) and let go of perfection (a finished project with imperfections is better than an abandoned one). 

Allow me one more helpful hint under the topic of what to keep and what to let go – it’s really great if you have another quilting buddy who can work with you through this process.  Someone who can look at your UFOs with fresh eyes can be super helpful as you decide whether to finish, rework, or release projects.

Give Yourself Permission to Let Go

Sometimes this is the most difficult thing to do.  We look at our UFOs and try to weigh the financial and time investments already expended against the freedom of releasing them.  So it’s important to give yourself permission to let go of them. Releasing them does not mean either the project or you are failures.  Allow yourself to feel the space for new creativity – clearing out the old allows for new inspiration.  And choose intentionally – only keep what truly deserves your time and energy.  This can be accomplished by making four piles of your UFOs.

Pile One – Keepers.  You realize you do love the project and will finish it soon.  Prioritize the projects which bring you joy.

Pile Two – The Maybes. You’re unsure if you’ll keep the project or let go of it, but the UFO has definite potential.  Maybe it needs a fresh perspective or a slight tweak.

Pile Three – Nope.  These UFOs are no longer for me, but someone else may love it.  Plan to donate it, sell it, or swap it.

Pile Four – Beyond Saving.  If it’s damaged or no longer relevant, let it go.

Try to move the piles three and four out as quickly as possible.  Immediately store pile one in bins, labeled bags, or clear, plastic containers to keep them organized and accessible.

Now let’s talk about that ubiquitous pile two, the Maybes.  This is where I step aside from it for about 24-hours and then return to pile two and make some decisions.  At this point, at least for me, it’s either a hard no or I need to keep it.  If it’s a nope, then I move these UFOs out of my studio as quickly as possible.  For the ones I want to keep, they get their own storage bin, labeled bag, or clear, plastic container.

I Have My Keep Pile.  Now What?

Momentum is key at this point.  I find it helpful to begin with the UFO which is the closest to being finished.  If the quilt only needs a binding or a small fix, move it to the top of the list.  Finishing a project gives you a quilting rush (it releases the dopamine in your brain) and makes you want to finish another one.  If a certain step feels overwhelming, consider swapping tasks with a friend.  For instance, in my local guild, we have a member who absolutely loves to bind quilts.  If one of us is in a pinch to finish a project, or we simply don’t like to bind, we ask her if she would like to do it.  And if you don’t like to quilt your own quilts or you simply don’t have the time, let a long arm artist finish this step for you.  There is no shame in that game.

Finally, even after you’ve looked through your Keep file, you’re still feeling a bit overwhelmed, rethink your projects.  Can some of them be downsized into a lap quilt, wall hanging or mini quilt?  If you’ve only made a few blocks, could these be joined together for a wall hanging, table topper, or bed runner?  And leftover fabric as a result of this downsizing can be added to your stash, donated, or put on the free table at guild meeting.  And a quilt top you don’t love enough to finish could be used as a backing for another quilt.  The important thing is to think outside the box as you push your way through your UFOs.

Ready, Set, Go!

Once you’ve perused your Keep Pile a couple of times, now let’s get organized and keep the momentum going.

• Begin with the easiest project or the one closest to completion to keep the momentum going.
• If you’re not sure what project to start with, write the names of each on a slip of paper, put the slips in a container, and draw one at random.
• Keep all materials for each project together in clear zip-lock bags or bins.
• Mark the progress on the pattern with notes to avoid confusion when you pick up the project next time.
• Keep a hand project near your chair, another in a tote for on-the-go sewing, and one by the machine.  That way there’ll be no searching for the next project.  You’ll be ready to put in some serious stitching.
• Dedicate 20-60 minutes a day (or whatever works for your schedule) to your UFOs.  I have found two ways to keep progressing on any project – UFO or otherwise. When I sit down to sew, I set a 20-minute timer.  This way I can commit to 20 minutes of uninterrupted sewing time.  You’d be really surprised what you can accomplish in 20 minutes.  If I have a particularly challenging quilt under my needle, I make a “date” with it.  This is a block of a couple of hours where I’m completely devoted to the project.  For me, this is usually when my husband goes and plays golf.  I’m guaranteed a few hours of uninterrupted time. 
• Track your UFOs.  Set a date you want a project completed and then keep up with its progress by logging it into your note section on your phone, a paper  calendar, or use an app such as Quiltful.  I use an Excel spreadsheet.  Mark off each completed step and completed project.  This is such a satisfying thing to do!
• Try to make it social and fun.  Partner with. a group or a friend for accountability.  Use a self-reward system – celebrate progress with small regards such as a new fat quarter, a notion, a class, or a fancy coffee.  Join or organize a charity quilt day for those UFOs you don’t think you’ll keep.  Giving back also spurs momentum and can be so motivating.  Plan a quilt retreat focused on finishing projects. Participate in UFO challenges (there are Facebook groups for this), quilting groups, or sew-alongs. Being part of such a group can be very encouraging and applies a bit of accountability.    Be just as creative with the finishing process as you are with every other step of this procedure. 
• Limit new projects.  Before starting a new project, commit to finishing at least one UFO first.  And if you do start a new project, write down your vision, deadline, and plan/schedule your next steps so it doesn’t turn into another UFO.
• If you do have to set aside your UFO for a while, be sure to make a note where you left off so when you pick it back up, you know exactly what to do.

By keeping things manageable, organized, and fun you’ll find you can finish more UFOs than you thought you ever could.  The sticking point – as much for me as anyone else – is starting the process.  After you’ve quilted over 40 years, you have more than a few UFOs.  I’m sifting through mine a few at time so I don’t feel so overwhelmed.  Hopefully I’m making wise decisions.  I encourage you to do the same (unless you have absolutely no UFOS and finish one project before starting another). 

Until Next Week …

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix

*This blog was inspired by Sorting and Letting Go of UFOs by The Art of Home.  Huge thank you to my quilting friend Sharon for sending me this information.