Friday, February 4, 2011

Lists and Goals, Check!

Do you find having too many choices as paralyzing as I do?  Sometimes I can't decide what to work on so I end up doing nothing. 

Since listing those 12 projects for Judy's UFO Challenge 2011, I have been thinking about all the other PIPs (Projects in Play--my term), PIGS (Projects In Grocery Sacks), and leftovers with no plan that have been weighing on my mind.  Last night I went through every project bin, box, and bag in the Hoosier cabinet and revamped several lists I had already written in 2009 and 2010.

When looking for something else in a file folder, I came across two papers: one was a printout of an email to Lasting Piece, the maker of the kit for this month's UFO Challenge project, the Bear's Paw Pillow.  It was dated September 2000, which means it is even older than I thought I remembered in my post on Wednesday!  I had emailed the company because my kit was missing a bunch of pieces.  They graciously sent me the pieces and also a pin to wear, a miniature quilted log cabin.  Unfortunately I lost that sweet little item when my Aussie friend Susie and I were traveling in January 2001. 

The other paper I came across was a list from a different UFO Challenge I joined in 2008 with the online quilt group I belong to.  Of the 12 items on that list, only one was checked off as completed that year; I blogged about it here.  Pretty dismal for 2008. The Comfort Zone quilt is on there too, but my instructions to myself were to "cut, sew, quilt and finish" so it really wasn't a UFO, but a PIG.  Of the remainder, three projects are on my current UFO Challenge list, one was abandoned and the other six were completed between 2009 and now.  So my list completion ratio is pretty positive, if slow!

Last night's newly compiled list is an astounding 34 projects long. GULP.  Some of these were just vague ideas for leftovers, others much further along--project kits with completed plans or patterns as well as backing fabric, etc gathered together.  I spent time last night putting other kits together, labeling project bins, and finalizing plans on several leftover/bonus triangle projects.  It feels good to be more organized and know what I have.  Goals for the month were also written down and prioritized.  Bins were restacked, reorganized, leftovers sorted, and scraps put away.  Mini helped.


A box lid fell off my sewing desk and five seconds later when I got up to retrieve it, Mini was holding it down for me.  It has been kinda windy in SoCalif! 

6 comments:

Tamera said...

You've got a GREAT start. Getting everything organized and figuring out all that you have in different stages is a daunting task. I think that's why more of us don't do it!

Shay said...

Sometimes lists become a bit overwhelming when they have lots of things on them. But I too am a list gal, and cant stop making them.

Sounds like physically organising things at your place has given you a jumpstart on translating things to action. Well done Annie.

Mini is a cutie.

Marg said...

Oh yes, too many choices is definitely paralyzing. I'm suffering that now as I try to decide what to start on next.
It sounds like you are well and truly organized now, something that I need to address, congratulations.

Kate said...

Sounds like a very productive evening. It's so much easier to decide what's next when you know what you have.

Quilter Kathy said...

Sounds like you are really organized now! Sometimes I don't know where to start when I have sewing time, so I have a leaders/enders project that I start sewing until I decide what to do next...something always demands my attention sooner or later!

Laurie said...

35 projects! That's a lot. The last time I counted mine though, in 1995 I had 80. :( I've been too afraid to count them since.

Design Wall Monday--Catching Up

 Design Wall Monday --See more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog.  I disappeared for awhile, due to computer issu...