Is finishing a quilt paramount to you?
- just asking for a friend {wink wink}
- this one is such a pretty top, it deserves to get finished
- a simple top letting the fabrics shine
I know I'm process driven and feel {almost} no guilt about my little pile of quilt tops and existing WiPs, but a recent post from Rebecca at rebeccagracequilting got me thinking.
And then there are those like myself, who jump from project to project, with the theory maybe that "I never get bored" or "I love being able to pick up something depending on my mood".
And going down a rabbit hole or even spotting a squirrel is so exciting that "I just had to stop everything and go with it". Hey, I've been there. Many. Times!
And so of course, yes, I do have plenty of unfinished quilt tops, and works in progress as well - a few false starts, trial blocks, & ideas that never really left the starting block - all demanding some attention. I guess sooner or later I'll have to deal to these quilt tops too.
But it's reassuring to know that I'll always have something here I can work on. Next year. Sometime. Maybe.
In my defense, I must say that I do seem to get things finished in the end. As I was scrolling through Picasa for photos today, I had to acknowledge that many of my projects this year are all finished. Done & dusted.
For me, it's all about playing with fabrics, mixing & matching until something works, sewing my stash and doing what makes me happy.
So hey, who else has quilt tops stacking up?
Love to hear your thoughts on this, Linda
I have several WIP's in progress that I intend to finish someday. When I do finish one, the sense of accomplishment is so wonderful! I do have squirrels all over my sewing room, other rooms too!
ReplyDeleteI always have one quilt on the quilting frame for hand quilting and always seem to have 4-7 quilts in the works, going from one to the other and usually have one top waiting in line to be quilted finished. I know I have about 3 months that I will be quilting the same top so I usually have time to get one top finished and waiting in line to be quilted - it works for me
ReplyDeleteI'm in an online quilt group and many are talking about this very thing. As many are well into their 70s and considering what will happen to all this "stuff" and what their heirs will have to deal with when clearing out their homes.
ReplyDeleteHence, finishing is on the list for many of us. Heirs going through finished quilts will be much easier than trying to decide about project bags and boxes. I am just 60yo but listening to my seasoned friends, I too am finishing.
I do enjoy your many projects. Happy Wednesday 😀
This was my "year to finish quilts" and I succeeded in getting 5 off the pile. I don't have a long arm so doing the quilting always takes awhile. Of course, I started several new ones and even last month started a Christmas quilt that I know will be a 2022 project. I enjoy the variety, and I can always go into the sewing room and have something to work on.
ReplyDeleteThe older you get (I'm 81) the more you just want to do what makes you happy. I have LOTS of unquilted quilt tops and several quilts in progress. I will quilt some more of them but some will remain in the waiting room. Many of our ancestors left piles of quilt tops when they passed and I know some who inherited feel obligated to finish them. I have already told my kids they don't need to get any of them finished unless they want to. No guilt for me or them.
ReplyDeleteI always seem to have 15 to 20 quilt tops waiting in the closet to be quilted. Right now there is 15. But, I make about 6-8 new quilt tops a year and keep hand quilting so it's stays pretty steady. I'm sure there will be unfinished tops around after I'm gone. I've always felt like my kids will give away the boxes of fabric someday but they won't give away the quilt tops. I knew a lady that had 75 unfinished quilt tops so 15 doesn't seem so bad.
ReplyDeleteI loved this post, Linda, and enjoyed reading the comments, too. I'm just like you - love the process of quilt making, the planning, the trying, the squirrels that interrupt you along the way, and so I also have lots of unfinished quilt tops. It's all fun! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI have multiple projects going, but usually work 1 stage each at at time. One quilt in actual planning, not to be confused with vague plans. One in piecing stage, one being quilted, one getting binding. Sadly the piecing finish to quilting doesn't line up - I'm glad I have plenty of company on this! I've had one on the frame for months untouched, and have 3 waiting their turn for quilting.
ReplyDeleteIt's the same with most of my projects whether hobbies or chores like cleaning the house. I don't like so many things in progress that I get overwhelmed with which should be worked on, or discouraged because it feels like I'm getting nothing is done. Not to mention wasting time remembering where I left off on a long set aside project. I also don't have much space to pile too many projects without danger of things being scattered and wasting time to find missing bits.
I agree with Wanda. I am sewing what I want to sew ...joy in my later years..nothing but sewing joy..
ReplyDeleteIf I get something to flimsy stage I'm in no hurry to finish because I love piecing! So my primary goal before I pass on is to sew my stash. Then when I run out of fabric I will making finishing my primary goal. Along the way some get finished - mostly donation quilts so they can move on. I like to hand quilt a lot of the ones I keep.
ReplyDeleteI have less unfinished quilts than I did at the beginning of the year and I’ve found homes for two finished quilts that were in my stash. However I do have some UFOs too, some been hanging around for far too long. I also make RSC blocks so I have several stashes of those too. And I will be making more for RSC 2022! Like you, I enjoy making quilts and it’s great to have others in the pipeline. Happy sewing!
ReplyDeleteI think the opening statement made by Wanda says it all for me! I'm only a few yrs behind Wanda in age and probably don't have as many tops/quilts waiting in the 'to be' finished line up. However, after making a quick count I have 31 tops waiting for quilting, four all basted ready for quilting and four projects being worked on!! I also have a number of projects on my 'to do' list. Planning, choosing fabrics, playing and petting are my favourite parts of our quilting passion. The actual quilting has to wait for me.
ReplyDeleteHmm. Not too many quilt tops here - only two that I can think of, and I've started quilting one of them. Though I don't work on one project at a time, when a quilt top is ready to be quilted, quilting (on my home machine) is always high on my priority list. For one thing, I have a personal policy that I don't Show and Tell a quilt until it's completely finished. Being in three guilds (at the moment), that self-imposed rule helps me get 'em done!
ReplyDeleteI don't get the feeling that you 'waste' much though. If a project doesn't get off the ground right away for whatever reason, it usually pushes you into something else that does! And btw, all your quilt tops deserve to be finished up, they are wonderful!:) I am a process driven quilter too with lots going on. And though I can impulsively dive into something, I always have a list of the current projects going. If it gets too out of control then my list helps me to focus on where and what needs attention! The completed quilt tops is where I struggle a bit because really, it would take me well over two years to plow through them and in the meantime I keep making... The thought of only working on final, wrap it up sort of finishes just kills me though. How boring would that be?
ReplyDeleteI’m definitely one of your mob! Several things on the go, and usually get them finished.....somewhere along the line!
ReplyDeleteUmmm... I've several times muttered to myself that I hope my descendants enjoy finishing quilts, because I'm probably going to be leaving them a bunch of works in progress...
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