2019 UFO & WIP Challenge
With the beginning of a new year, comes reflection and renewed focus. If you’re like me, you’ll find that you’ve started lots more projects than you’ve finished. So, I hope you’ll join me for my 2019 UFO & WIP Challenge. Each month I’m going to focus on one unfinished project (UFO) or work in process (WIP) and get it done; cross it off that list.
I like having a goal each month and a support group (you guys) to rally with me. A little motivation never hurts, so there will be a prize at the end of each month. I’ll open a linky party where you can share a photo of your finished project on the last Sunday of each month . You don’t need a blog or a website to participate. I’ll keep it open for one week and after the close, I’ll pick one winner. The prize each month will be something different (I’m working on sponsors), and I hope you all will play along with me.
Last month, I was forced to completely clear out of my sewing room to prepare for our house renovation. Actually, every room in the house had to be emptied and wouldn’t you know there were quilting supplies in every single room! My how things can spread and migrate without realizing it. The number of unopened kits, unfinished projects, forgotten quilt tops, etc. was astonishing. I am SO guilty of starting a new project before I finish the last one. As a quilt teacher and blogger, my priorities change and new deadlines emerge, so I often have to set something aside so I can get the current job done. (I had to slip in a good excuse somewhere 😉 ).
To help you get organized, I’ve made a UFO & WIP List for you to print out and use: 2019 UFO & WIP List. It’s good to get everything out in the open and onto paper. Tape this list to a wall or keep it in your planner. Pick one project to work on each month. I love the way All People Quilt runs their UFO challenge by picking a random number each month. Whatever project corresponds to that number on your list is the one you tackle that month. It adds an element of surprise and anticipation to the challenge. If you’re interested in choosing your project that way, this month’s number is 3.
It looks like I’ll be working on a big one this month. The A-Z for Ewe and Me quilt was a BOM that I started in 2014 when I did the instructional videos for The Quilt Show. I have some applique in the borders to finish and then add the borders to the quilt top. I’ll probably send it out to be quilted.
Are you ready? Let’s make this the year of finishes. Please join me for the 2019 UFO & WIP Challenge. For social media, use the hashtag #2019ufoandwipchallenge and tag me @thecraftyquilter. Happy New Year!
I really think Purple Hobbies have unique items. Can’t wait to try the Pinnable Block markers.
I can’t find a way to link my photo. I don’t have a website.
I too find it difficult to find where/how to upload a pic and submit
like this idea. My guild did a lose block exchange. Worked great.
Cute UFO form. I keep my list on the computer (although I know it needs updating for projects I didn’t finish last year). I think I’ll select some of those projects that I want to finish — not all but it will still make a dent.
Love this idea. Have already picked the first UFO & have worked on it this weekend – a Swoon quilt. It would be wonderful to complete a project monthly. Keep up the encouragement.
Excellent! I loved “Hello 2016, Goodbye UFOs” and am glad to have more motivation. I also have a long list of projects waiting for completion (or even to be started!!!) Good luck with your list, Julie, and Happy New Year!
I am also stuck on the ABC quilt by Janet Stone. I have it all sandwiched together and have stitched in the ditch but now I am scared to quilt it. I will always compare mine to Janet’s work. She is a master quilter, I am not. I just looked at this quilt this morning and now here it is on your website. I really must get to this this year. I am so proud of piecing this very large quilt. I’m wondering how people are quilting it. I will definitely cross-hatch some of the blocks but need some ideas.
My friend and I are going to join the challenge. We are going to introduce it to our guild next Monday. I love the quilt A thru Z for Ewe and me. Do you know if the pattern is available?
Debbie
Dear Julie, And a happy New Year to you and your family. Hopefully, you will not be in too big a muddle to start your projects with all your renovations going on.Good Luck.
I am hoping (WILL) do my list this weekend and get started. I hope once I get started the weight will lift from my shoulders and I will not feel so dragged down by everything I have to do.
Looking forward to the Challenge. Thank you so very much for getting me inspired.
Kindest regards,
Isabella
I printed out the All Peoples Quilt UFO at work today-they only had 12 spots 🙂 Ok..i will print out yours too. 🙂 I didn’t get done what was on my list last year, and I will be carrying some of that over this year. grrrr I’m going to do some new small things for me, but I’m still considering small projects for the office and family. I’ve always wondered if others do the same-making seasonal gifts for the office, family, and self AND working full time. I find myself stressed. I should take a survey as I type I’m thinking about posting this on the FQS FB-page, Anyway, I’m in and I think some of this UFO’s will end up being gifts for this Christmas. I’m already ahead of the game now 🙂 Thanks……….oh, and Happy New Year Julie!!
Thank you for the challenge to finish projects. I tried to focus on that last year but did not make as much progress as I had hoped to. I printed out the ufo & wip list and will get to filling it in later today.
Thanks Julie for the pdf and challenge! I would Love to participate! Do I need to set up an Instagram account first? I am “Instagram challenged” but willing to figure it out.
Hello Julie, I am definitely up for this challenge. After you had mentioned it in another post, I went looking and discovered a gazillion unfinished Christmas Projects from stockings to quilts in one box and wait there was another tote box of the same sort of projects. LOL. Then I kept looking and discovered a tote filled with quilt projects from barely started to one that was pin basted. So, I will print out your list and get all organized and am I correct in understanding that we can decide on our own which quilt to finish each month or do we need to finish project number 3? This is going to be a lot of fun, Julie! Thank You for hosting this and have a great day!
I’m in! I didn’t finish everything last time you did this so will add those UFOs to the bottom of my new list. Boy, If I should live so long as to finish everything I would be so happy!!! No more buying (unless I can’t resist) till my list is all sewn up.
Wow! No offense intended but it’s something of a relief knowing that even pros like you have UFO’s and WIP’s lying around. I have 4 UFO’s and 5 or 6 WIP’s waiting and feel overwhelmed as I’d planned to have them all done by Christmas (silly me!). I do both quilting and home décor – pillows, pillowcases, roman shades, blankets, etc. – and some of those projects are in my pipeline as well. I believe this list you made for us will make my plans less daunting as I can cross items off as I go and see some progress. Thank you so much for sharing it. You are an inspiration!!
Your “ABC for Ewe and Me” quilt is gorgeous. All that applique must have taken forever but the end result is more than worth it. Did you design the letters yourself; I love them.
Happy New Year and best of luck with your renovations!
Like you and others I need more months in the year and more days in the week to catch up with my UFO’s. Thanks for the list and the incentives.
Thank you for choosing to do this in 2019! I’m in…and I NEED this challenge. My NY Resolution is Focus and Finish, so I’m grateful for the encouragement you and my fellow bloggers will provide! I actually printed out two pages…just in case! I know…delusions of grandeur! lol Wishing you and all on this blog a successful 2019 Challenge!
My ABC quilt is stuck in that same stage. I used scraps for the blocks and then I wanted to do something different with the border and that is where I am stuck. Maybe I will choose that to finish for january or february. I would love to have it done, but I want to quilt it myself on my sit down machine…there goes March!
Oh this is such a good idea but I received a book for Christmas with 1000 quilt block patterns! How will I ever be able to finish anything with so many new ideas? Even if I take out the blocks I don’t care for, I’m down to 990! Plus the quilts on the go–however I Am going to work toward finishing things and enjoying them. I will definately try to stay focused!! Thankyou
Hola Julie, el año pasado estuve sacando un montón de Ufos, pero mi compañera de proyecto me abandonó, por lo que me seduce el unirme a ti. Imprimiré la lista. Has puesto una fecha para publicar ?. Un saludo
As a hand quilter, I can only dream of taking a completed top to a finished quilt in a month. Maybe I should resolve to stop piecing more tops while my sore fingers get better – but where’s the fun in that ?
Thank you Julie for the motivation I need to finish at least some of the many UFOs tucked away in my sewing room. My goal is to finish 12 of them with your great WIP list. Printing out now…
Thanks for sharing this WIP and UFO list… I have plenty to start the year with so I have printed off and written on 1 list (quilting)… and pondering the other (bag making and Etsy shop building). I won’t be sharing these publicly unless you want to see mine here somehow… not sure how to do that though… I will mention it on my blog on Sunday though and reference back to this post there so others can hopefully share publicly if they choose to… thanks so much for this !!!
I am also guilty of starting something before finishing. so tempting when there are so many wonderful things appearing all the time. 🙂 I’m going to try and join your UFO challenge: I need something to motivate me to finish things up!! Happy New year!! Hugs, H
Thank you for the great printout. My list has 3 urgent things on it: finish quilting and binding my “HomecomingQuilt” which was #3 on my list, get caught up on Bonnie Hunter’s Good Fortune Mystery QAL, design and make a new project bag to carry some hand stitching with me. Once these are done I need to finish the other dozen on my UFO List. Thanks for the motivation, Julie. I plan on having them ALL done before I have to start packing to get ready for another move in March!
Carol Andrews
Worksheet printing. Want to clean up the old and start fresh. Moving to new Home and new studio this month so need to get motivated. Thanks. Keep encouraging us.
I’ve already started my challenge three years ago and am continuing! Do you only have 16 UFO’s??? I had 114 on the list and have whittled it down to under 70…need to do a major inventory and updating of the list and blogging for January! But, I’ve started a couple new projects in December…guilty! LOL I’ll valiently plug away at my projects again this year! A list really does help. Mine’s on my computer done on a spreadsheet which hubby helped me set up :-). Thanks for the challenge!
I love your UFO & WIP List! I’ve printed out THREE–one for quilting, one for knitting, and one for everything else. Thank you for the challenge!
Becky
I have boxed up a dozen or so quilt kits I would like to finish this year. I have a few that I am working on right now as well as two others I am beginning this month!
It will be fun.
My goal this year is going to be getting some quilts (quilted). So many tops completed and laying around in containers. Perhaps one a month would get them all done. I am also going to give away some started, but not finished . Hope to join you all on this journey.
I am still finishing my A to Z quilt. I still need to sew down the binding.
Can’t wait to see it as that is one I really want to finish too. I am stuck on what I want to do with the borders. I would love to see how you quilted it.
Hi Julie, thanks for the UFO print out. I will join you. A quick question for you… didn’t you just renovate your house several years ago? I remember you mentioned using cork as your shelf liner which I thought was a great idea. Anyway, I was just curious. Now, to print out your form and make a list of all my UFO’s.
Thanks!
Thank you Julie, I am in with you….
My list is printed and filled out ready to start.
Thank you Julie for the UFO list. Makes it so much easier when things are in writing. I’ll get the list going but might not be too active for a while as to finishing. I have 2 surgeries scheduled back to back that might put me out of commission for sewing until March. I’ll look forward to seeing what everyone has completed.
Great idea and plan…I am in the challenge with you! Thank you Julie!
Linda