As excited as I am to start using my Quilter's Planner in 2017, I am not excited to actually put all of my current WIPs into it. I wrote down the list of the WIPs that haven't actually been finished in the time since we moved to Maryland (2.5 years ago!).
The list is long and embarrassing so I figured the best way to deal with it is to put it here on the blog. I am going to attempt to get through at least a few of these between now and January 1st, but some of them I've included are QALs and Bees that won't necessarily be able to be finished right away. I've included them just so that I can keep track of all of my projects. I also guarantee there are things I am missing on this list, that will hopefully be added the next time I update this list.
1. Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2016 Farmer's Wife
Status: The blocks are all done. I need to sash them together and finish the quilt top. I'd like to have the top completed before the end of the year.
2. Meadow Mystery QAL
Status: I am up to date on this QAL. It lives neatly in its project bin.
3. Pineapple Stash Bee Blocks
Status: I am going to be adding more blocks to this project this year in the Stash Bee. This project is effectively in a holding pattern until it is my turn to be Queen Bee in June.
4. Traveling Quilt Bee 2016
Status: Unless I want to add additional blocks to the current quilt that I have, this can be mailed to the next person. I will have the next quilt from mid-December to the end of January, and then get my quilt back at the beginning of February. At that point, I'll have to determine how much more quilt I want to add to my top.
5. Coast to Coast Bee 2017
Status: Not started? I need to make my center and mail it around December 26th. I have my fabrics/color scheme settled on (a layer cake of April Showers) but I am not sure what to use as my medallion center. Thoughts welcomed and appreciated.
6. Summer Solstice Quilt
Status: This quilt top is completely finished so it just needs to be quilted! I think that I could reasonably finish this before the end of the year.
7. Summer on the Coast Quilt
Status: I am planning on sending this out to get pantographed. This is supposed to be a baby quilt, but there isn't a baby yet on my list for this one.
8. Stash Bee 2015 Star Quilt
Status: This thing is partially FMQ-ed just sitting on a shelf. I got frustrated coming up with different FMQ designs, but I think I just need to bust it out and finish it up. This could potentially be finished before the end of the year.
9. Monthly Wall Hangings
Status: June hasn't been started. July needs to be satin stitched and quilted. September needs to be appliqued, satin stitched, and quilted. I also need to buy more fusible web. This project is not a priority and probably won't be worked on until some of these other bigger projects are finished.
10. Allison Glass Sampler Quilt (QCQAL Quilt from 2014)
Status: this quilt top has been sitting essentially finished for a year. I want to spiral quilt it but I am intimidated by the process. Any advice and tips on this would be appreciated. Not a quilt I plan on trying to finish this year.
11. Sew Kitschy Blocks
Status: I bought/downloaded all three sets of kitchen-themed blocks from Quiet Play. I have one set fully complete, and then started on the second set. These blocks are good for a paper piecing fix and not a priority for finishing any time soon.
12. Romantic Garden Quilt.
Status: The center of this quilt is complete as well as the first three borders. The next border is all paper pieced square in a square blocks. I need to print out like 100 foundations and just get cracking. This isn't necessarily a priority but it isn't one I want to have languishing forever either.
13. Mini Monthly Wall Hangings
Status: The backgrounds are done for a few of them, but since I changed jobs, I don't really have a place to hang them in my new cubicle. On indefinite hold, unfortunately.
14. Wild Houses blocks
Status: I haven't worked on these in ages. These are a good scrappy project, but again, not a priority with all of the other things I have been working on.
15. Top Spin leaders and enders project
Status: Plugging away at making HSTs. It's a leader and ender project so I don't forsee it moving very quickly (or needing to move quickly) unless I find out I need a baby quilt for a girl soon.
16. Leftover 12 inch Bee blocks
Status: I gave some of these away, but I plan on making some of them into a table runner and other ones into another baby quilt with the addition of a few more blocks. Not a priority at this time, but good to have as an option if I want a smaller project to work on.
17. Birthstone blocks
Status: I have seven blocks done and five to go (January, July, September, October, December). This is another project for when I need a paper piecing fix.
18. May is for Makers patterns
Status: I bought four patterns during May is for Makers last year and my idea was to do one pattern each quarter in 2017. With all of these WIPs, I think that I might not allow myself to start one until I cut through about a quarter of this list, which I think could be possible.
19. Various planned projects that I have been wanting to do
Status: As noted above, I really can't justify starting anything new until some of these things are completed and/or I get to stopping points on a huge portion of them. I have fabric set aside for a Double Wedding Ring quilt. I also have some other fat quarter bundles that I have won/purchased that are just waiting for projects as well.
20. Various projects in limbo
Status: I guarantee that there are older projects and orphan blocks that I have forgotten about. Once I get a good chunk of these things scratched off the list, I am going to sort and reorganize my sewing storage to try to see what else might be lingering in my stash.
So there it is. Essentially 17 real projects, a few planned projects that I haven't started yet (and won't start now that I look at this list), and wiggle room in #20 just in case I find something I had forgotten about. This list is entirely too long and I bet some of you didn't even read this whole post (and I really can't blame you!)
These are the projects I plan to work on for the month of December:
1. RSC Farmer's Wife -- complete the quilt top
4. Traveling Quilt Bee -- mail current top, complete section for December/January
5. Coast to Coast Bee -- make center for my quilt, mail by December 26th
6. Summer Solstice -- layer, quilt, and bind
8. Stash Bee Star quilt -- finish FMQ, bind
These 5 projects plus my leader and ender project are totally reasonable to complete by the end of December.
How long are your WIP lists? Did I scare anyone? How do you keep focus on a smaller number of projects?
Thank you for honestly sharing your WIP list. It's amazing how quickly they can grow. It seems you are set up for a string of finishes, though, which should be really satisfying.
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a list to tackle. Maybe I should share all my WIP's on my blog. It would hold me accountable to get some things done...
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Alison! Your list reminds me a lot of my list, lots of fun and wonderful quilt blocks/tops started but set aside for whatever reason waiting for the right time to finish them. I do like your idea of listing them on your blog. I am making a list of mine to finish throughout the new year, that will be placed on the wall right next to my sewing machine. Thank you for sharing and great success in accomplishing your goals! Have a fantastic creative day!
ReplyDeleteWriting it all down is a great step to getting organized. I did this a couple years ago and it was just as long as yours. But having it written down really helped me focus on getting through it. 3 years later I still have some items from the original list to get done but I feel like I've made huge strides in getting some old projects out of the way. It will feel great when you can start checking items off the list.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes I read to the very end. It makes me feel like I'm in good company! I love the house blocks you have started! I started making some house blocks too, but only have two made so far. But I LOVE them! They won't be turning into a quilt any time soon but I sure do enjoy looking at them on my design wall. You know, I think I will make two more blocks for a four block mini quilt and call it a finish! :D
ReplyDeleteSo many of your WIPs look so close to being done! I especially love the Birthstone blocks. I saved up over 13 years for a longarm, and that put me in fast forward to finally getting some WIPs finished. There are still some that I'm stalled on. That's life!
ReplyDeleteLeast ways, your WIPs are somewhat complete! Mine are still in the "sewing the blocks". A few of mine are BOMs, I have so much to catch up on, and the majority of mine are EPP.
ReplyDeleteYour honesty, has given me a push to list my WIPs, but they may be for my eyes only!
Happy Christmas and 2017. Thank you for providing an enjoyable blog to read.
What fun you will have working on all of those!!! Let us know how writing them down, both in your planner and on the blog help you.... I'm always looking for organization tips!!
ReplyDeleteDon't be ashamed--look how close you are on some of them! My list is equally long, and I have a ridiculous list of things I'm still planning to start. (Why do we do that?) By the way, your Birthstone blocks are absolutely stunning!!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of wips that I'm going to try and work through next year too. You said number 8 got left because you were having trouble coming up with fmq designs, you could try Leah Day's website, she has over 400 design videos.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to count mine...good luck, friend. I think you have some awesome stuff here, and I bet you have them all done (or mostly done) by March or so! Totally doable, right?? :)
ReplyDeleteYes, you have some beautiful projects started! I have about 12 WIPs myself. And then, about 18 other quilts for which I have bought fabric and may or may not have a pattern in mind. My sewing room overwhelms me, but my plan is to Not buy anything else (!) that would add to the aforementioned-30. I am going to keep plugging away and get my sewing storage down to a reasonable level so I can then evaluate and maybe be creative again. It motivates me to keep all of my plans on a spreadsheet and then see them moved to the DONE column!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAbout spiraling - I did one recently and it was awesome! First, I read a couple of tutorials online and then summoned my courage...I marked the beginning in the center and at first, it was hard moving the quilt around every few stitches, but it got easier as the spiral got wider. I did have to go back and re-do the center, using a FMQ, but then it all looked great!!
ReplyDeletethat's really not so many WIPs, don't be embarrassed! I know there's a blog link up coming up asking for plans for 2017 and I intend to do my to-do list... it will be huge!
ReplyDeleteThat's not a bad list to start with. Several of your projects are pretty close to being finished. I have 22 WIPs/UFOs at the moment. I'm hoping to have that down to 21 by the end of the year.
ReplyDelete20 is totally fine!!! Mine is...bigger... :-/ And yours are all in good progress/properly planned/essentially done. You can smash this out!! I believe in you :-)
ReplyDeleteE xx