Wednesday, September 15, 2010

How do you count UFOs?

Another good question someone sent me yesterday!! And the answer is: Any ole way you want to count them!! lol!! The real answer is that YOU get to decide when a project is finished!

Is it finished when all the blocks are done? Or when you've made enough blocks? Or when you decide you really don't want to make any more blocks and you'll use what you've done for something else?

Many people count a UFO if it is a project that has already been started. Others decide that a UFO is a work in progress, even if it is only in your mind! Is an idea a UFO? It is if you think it is!!

Here's how I count UFOs:

It's a UFO if I've cut some fabric for the project and want to continue with that project.

It's a UFO if I have a pile of blocks and I know what I'm going to do with them.

It's a UFO until the blocks are together and it's "officially" a top! Once it's a top it's really a completed UFO unless I decide I'm going to quilt it myself. Then it becomes a new UFO (but the original one comes off the list). Before I had my own longarm, a finished top was a completed UFO. These days I add the steps to quilt and bind before it gets off the list.

It's a UFO if I have all the fabric and the pattern together in a package -- for me it means I'm close to working on the project. But I always have the option of returning the fabrics to my stash and putting the pattern away and PRESTO! I no longer have that UFO on my list!

After you decide on your UFO definition, and it scares you to pieces (eeeeeeeeeek!!) you can make different lists!! lol!!

Make a list of PIGS (projects in grocery bags)
Make a list of PIMMS (projects in my mind)
Make a list of PIPS (projects in progress)

And before you know it -- you won't have any more UFOs!!

I'm off to tackle the cutting table today. Wishing you a sew wonderful day!

1 comments:

Helen in the UK said...

I agree that a UFO can be defined any way you decide. For me ... it has to be a started project, ie fabric cut at least. Then it's not off the UFO list until it is quilted and bound - DONE. I usually label, but this might be later if I'm not sure where it's going to live long term :)

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