Quilting ADD

[Gayle L.]

OK, as I work through projects I find myself getting really tired of the fabrice I'm working with by block 6. What do you do about that? Suck it up and finish? I'm so bored with it I can't stand it.

Also, because I get tired of working on the same thing for too long, I had a quilt shop owner tell me to have 3 projects in the fire...
1. Handwork (love applique - I think)
2. A fairly quick to piece project (to see results sooner)
3. The big quilt that will take a while to finish

Just wondering what you think of this philosophy and how do you avoid project boredom.

[Gayle L.]

Good grief I need to proofread before submitting! Sorry.

[Margo C.]

Melissa, I think the shop owner has a good point! I usually have several projects going at once, often with different techniques, but if I have a deadline I can hunker down and get a project finished. I think it also helps to have a written list of UFOs so that if I get really bored with what I'm working on, I'll go back and finish one of them rather than starting something new.
But keep in mind Ricky's philosophy that not all projects deserve to be finished! If you have learned the lesson that you needed to learn, let it go, and move on!

[Margo C.]

I have heard that there are quilters out there that start a quilt and work right through to complete it before they start a new project. I'm not sure where these quilters are, nor does it really matter (I think they would be boring). A real quilter has to have many UFOs in order to keep there enthusiasm alive. I have finished little wall hanging type quilts without working on something in between, but "little" and "wall hanging" are key words here. It is only natural to become bored when you are doing something that is the same thing over and over. Unless you have a deadline, you need to have at least two or three projects in progress at the same time. They don't have to be drastically different like going to hand work, but different techniques, or totally different color scheme, or whatever you decide would spice up your interest. I have an Artbin tote that I use to store 12 1/2" blocks that I make from scraps when I am tired of a quilt I'm working on and I don't feel inspired to delve into another involved project. One day I'll have enough blocks in this tote to make a quilt. I don't try to remember what is already in there... it is totally random. The only consistency is that the blocks are 12 1/2".

[Margo C.]

I find that if I have too many projects on the go at one time I get frustrated and messy and then I just plain quit. OF course at the moment I have 3 things going, but that is my absolute limit. otherwise it seems I never finish anything, they take too long.

[Margo C.]

i do have few projects with different techniques, as well 1-3 for TV time, or for the garden - by hand, 1-3 by machine and one i keep simple so i can finish it quickly and get the 'fuel' to continue the others.

[Margo C.]

When I first started quilting, I worked on one project at a time - and yes, each one got boring and I couldn't wait to finish. My work got messy and I didn't put as much care into it. Now I do work on more than one at a time. Your quilt show owner had good advice. By the way, no matter what I'm working on there comes a time when I hate the quilt, feel I made wrong choices with the pattern or colors. Then, magically, when I finished, they look wonderful. Jan

[Karen W.]

I also have several projects going on at one time. You usually do hit a tedious part of quilting on a large project so it is best to have other things to switch up once in a while. You can also give yourself permission to drop the project. I had one that I got halfway through and like you it just bored me silly. I finally did give myself permission to quit. I will keep the other blocks I have done and maybe make a smaller project or use them in something but it was not worth my time to keep going on with something that I truly did not like. You will have to assess whether it is worth your effort to continue on, i.e. do you like the finished piece, is it something that you can learn with, and so on. Evaluate it and then decide.

[Eileen K.]

When I was learning how to quilt, it was one project at a time. At that point, I needed to do it that way in order to learn the techniques. Now I have about 3 or 4 going. As a matter of fact, yesterday I found an old UFO that I never finished and I was able to do some work on it-got to try machine applique for the first time!
I've found that some people are piecers-they're very happy doing the same thing till they're done. Sometimes I envy them but mostly I like the variety. There's one blogger I read that only does several BOMs at a time-that way she's always doing something different.

[Eileen K.]

I always have at least 3 to 5 projects going at the same time. That way I can do hand work, machine work, of embroidery. Right now I am not doing any machine work. Since it is hard for me to do, I am taking my Bernina in for cleaning and updating if there is any updates.
Margarita in Auburn, CA

[Sherry B.]

For a long time I only had one project going at a time. When I finished the top, I sent it away to be quilted. But then I started hanging out with all my quilty friends and they have been a very bad influence on me lol Now I always have several projects going and I don't even want to count how many are waiting to be quilted.

[Hannelore N.]

Well, it feels a little like coming out of the closet, but I have to admit (and I do so happily) that I have too many started projects to count. There must be one for every mood I may be in. I love them all, they all get attention now and then, and they all will get finished. I would go mad if I'd have to stick to one project only. But other quilters feel like having a nervous breakdown if they feel like giving in and start project number two. We are all different. It's ok, as long as we enjoy what we are doing.

You may find that you can stick with one project for longer if it has several different blocks. Or if assembling the blocks gets a little monotonous, some funky music might help.

[Hannelore N.]

Maybe you should try a sampler quilt--every block different.

[Hannelore N.]

You guys are awesome. I loved your posts and had a few good chuckles. I feel better knowing I'm not breaking a quilting rule by only working on 1 or working on 3. Thank you for liberating me! :lol:

PS - I think sampler blocks will definitely be the way I'll have to go.

[Hannelore N.]

i HAVE 20 UFOs IN Project boxes... I just sorted my sewing area and counted them. The are now all organized with everything needed to finish that particular project.

I sorted them into hand work, machine work... almost done... I have 8 quilts with blocks done... middles finished .... just needing borders or putting the blocks together... for some reason I am great at doing blocks but I get bog down when I try and assemble a quilt. I now am leaving my weekend free available to finishing those half done projects.

I am now grabbing a different project trying to pick the ones almost done first.... but then if I am traveling or waiting for appointments I grab the hand work project box to take with me. I am finding right now I am very productive because I have re fallen in love with projects I had forgotten about or put aside for some reason.

Just keep plugging away.

As for the idea of not finishing a project.... I can not afford that philosophy... FINISHED IS BETTER THAN PERFECT... I DO NOT HAVE "DOGS" AS I only buy beautiful fabric... If a technique has stumped me ... that spurs me into I MUST MASTER THAT MODE...

HAVE A HAPPY QUILTING DAY AND KEEP PLUGGING AWAY AT IT.

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