In doing some weeding out and folding up of fabrics last week, I came across too many unfinished projects. Probably not as many as some of you - some of you are Queens of the Unfinished, I hear. Many of you have been quilting longer and also probably making larger quilts. But still. Each unfinished project tugs at me because I remember how much fun it was planning, playing, cutting (okay, NOT so much fun cutting), piecing and dreaming of how to finish it. It would be really nice to have some of them done, I thought. But I never seem to get there.
Small Quilt Challenge to the rescue again! I started a challenge in my Yahoo group this month to finish a few of them. Or at least just one. Better not get ahead of myself too much or nothing will get done.
Eeny, meeny, miney moe . . . grab a top and let it go.
Deadlines are good. Here's how it goes - We're posting photos of the projects we want to finish for all to see (to keep us accountable, you know. "Hi, I'm Kathy. I'm an . . . Unfinisher." ) and then, in a month, pictures of the finished small quilts. Some are darn near finished already - they may only need the binding - so it won't even take that long.
What's the problem? Is it like a book we love reading and can't bear for it to be over? Am I hanging onto some of these tops because I'm afraid they'll be forgotten in the pile of Oh So Many Little Quilts Lying Around the House? Or is it because the finishing is simply not as much fun as the making? Or maybe I'm just neurotic and need to stop analyzing EVERYTHING.
Whatever it is, it feels good already knowing that I'm on a deadline to finish this one. Silly, of course I can finish it. I started it last December for a Christmas Challenge. I remember putting it together rather quickly because I had already made the little hourglass blocks several years ago - Ha! - and tucked them into a bag, unfinished. So I can sort of call this a Double UFO, unfinished twice. Not successful the first time, so I'll try, try again.
I need to finish my 50 signature blocks for a signature friendship exchange first. I also have several out of town lectures and workshops planned for the rest of this month and next so I'm kinda busy to promise I'll finish two. I know my limitations. But if I finish at least one UFO now, then I know I'll be able to do another in the next month or so. Piece of cake, right? Wish me luck - I think I'm on a mission . . .