A Year of Finishes - 2023

A Year of Finishes: Audit of Existing Projects, Part I

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

I keep mentioning that I want 2023 to be a “year of finishes” of existing projects. I realized to get there I need to first do an audit of my open projects awaiting finishing. I might as well look at projects that are awaiting starting too!

So I pulled them all out and took photos:

(Note: I did not include any existing knitting or crocheting projects, only sewing projects)

So I have 24 Projects in queue!

I should clarify so you can save yourself complete boredom and stop reading right here – this post is actually for me – to catalog my open projects and motivate me to complete (the ones I decide to keep after this audit) them this year. If this becomes a snoozer for you I understand (smile).

So I am going to go through each project shown above and share background on each project and whether I am keeping the project or not.

But first, I came across on YouTube (one of my favorite sources of random information and entertainment) this video on Why is Decluttering Your Sewing Space So Hard? by Just Get It Done Quilts:

I think this video is awesome in giving context and insight on why we struggle with decluttering our sewing spaces and letting go of sewing supplies and unfinished projects.

If you head over to around 8:20 minutes into the video, the 4th reason why decluttering your sewing space is so hard: Not Asking the Right Questions. Decluttering your sewing space is not like decluttering a kitchen or a bathroom.

Instead of asking ourselves:”Do we need it?” or “Can I make it?”, we should be asking ourselves DO I WANT TO MAKE IT?

This video really helped me with making decisions during my unfinished/not started sewing project audit as I asked myself on each project: “Do I want to make it?”

THE PROJECT AUDIT

1) DRAWSTRING/PROJECT BAGS

I have a lot of cut and interfaced sections for drawstring/project bags. I recently finished 9 from my pile (see post A Year of Finishes: 3rd to 11th Finish of 2023 ) and they are a great sewing project to work on while I am recovering from my broken ankle/surgical repair.

AUDIT DECISION: Keep this project and continue working on bags with plan to finish assembling all already cut bags in 2023.

2) FRIENDSHIP RING QUILT

A friend sent me this quilt in progress that she had designed. The first version of this quilt appeared publication. She started a second one and did not finish it. She offered it to me and I accepted it in 2020 – see post Project Adoption Challenge!

But it is now 2023 and I have not touched this project. It is a bit of work and I am struggling with if at this point I want to make it.

AUDIT DECISION: If I haven’t started this quilt by the end of 2023, I will ask my friend if she wants it returned, if not, I will donate it. I’ve also decided not to take on anyone’s unfinished projects in the future any longer, no matter how awesome and tempting they seem.

3) NEUTRAL COLORS/FABRIC PRINTING ART QUILT

I’ve blogged about this quilt several times, most recently in August 2022 – Starting an Art Quilt. I started it and got stalled again. I am struggling with the design on the quilt and I’ve tried several layouts that have not been working.

AUDIT DECISION: I really want to make this quilt. I’ve been thinking about it for years. I am holding onto to it and will revisit it when it feels right. Hopefully it will feel like putting it back up on the design wall in 2023, but I am not putting pressure on myself to finish it in 2023.

4) FARM GIRL QUILT

I think the last time I blogged about this quilt it was in July 2017 in this post – More Farm House Vintage Blocks. I’ve made enough blocks to make a lap sized quilt but there are more blocks I want to make before I made a “Farm Girl” quilt. But I do have a friend, who actually lives in farming country in Oregon who is interesting in buying the Farm Girl quilt when I finish it.

AUDIT DECISION: I really enjoy making the blocks from Lori Holt’s Farm Girl sampler books. I want to finish a quilt and either sell to my friend or sell on my Etsy shop when I reopen it someday. I am going to keep the 16 blocks I’ve made so far and turn them into a quilt. I am not putting pressure on myself to finish it in 2023 but in 2023 I do want to revisit the blocks, layout options, and strategize how many addition blocks I need to complete to make a decent sized quilt.

5) PANELS AND PATTERNS FROM THE 2021 ROCKY MOUNTAIN QUILT SHOP HOP

In 2021 John and I attended the Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop and it was a blast. Along the way I picked up some really cool panels and patterns from participating shops. Our roadtrip around the Front Range and Southern Colorado was a blast. I have a series of blog posts on our adventures – Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop 2021, Part I , Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop 2021, Part II , Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop 2021, Part III , Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop 2021, Part IV , and Rocky Mountain Quilt Shop Hop 2021, Part V.

AUDIT DECISION: Keep and put away until ready to work on it. Do not schedule for 2023 finish but revisit during 2023.

6) FABRIC SCRAPS FROM ANOTHER QUILTER’S PROJECT

I’ve had this package of scraps for 9 or more years. Another quilter made a really cute Autumn themed table runner at a quilt retreat I attended. She gave me her scraps which were enough to make another table runner.

AUDIT DECISION: Let it go and donate the scraps. I haven’t made it in 9 years since I received the scraps and I’ve lost interest in making a table runner with these fabrics.

7) SASHISKO HAND SEWING PROJECT

I’ve had this project for a long time. I think I bought this “Learn Sashisko” panel during my first visit to Cannon Beach, Oregon which likely a year or so after I first moved to Central Oregon in 2005. So I probably had this project for a long time! I bought it at this wonderful quilt shop in Cannon Beach – Center Diamond Fabrics. Many wonderful memories of visit Cannon Beach, Oregon with my late husband Terry and I our various Miniature Schnauzers (here is one of those posts – The Road to Retreat (Via Cannon Beach))

AUDIT DECISION: Keep it and work on finishing up this hand sewing project in 2023.

8) THREE BLIND MICE PIN CUSHIONS

Another project I’ve had a long time. Not sure when I bought it!

AUDIT DECISION: Make the mice pincushions in 2023 and give as gifts.

I will finish up the audit of projects 9 – 24 in Part II and Part III of this series of posts.

Featured image: Google Pexels

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

34 thoughts on “A Year of Finishes: Audit of Existing Projects, Part I”

  1. You are so funny with your you can stop reading now 🤣.
    Your post was perfect! First of all it made me feel better about all my UFOs, and I think it is a great idea to analyze everything to see if I will actually finish some of those UFOs. I will be sure to check out your video suggestion too!

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  2. That doesn’t look too bad! If you commit to work on them you should be able to get far this year. Also good to decide to get rid of some projects. I did this a couple of years ago with (mostly) dressmaking projects that Ihad lost interest in and I thought it was very liberating.

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  3. I have been telling myself I will finish things in 2023 also, but I had not thought about actually taking pictures and documenting how many projects I need to finish! That is a great idea.
    Also, as I was scrolling down in your post, my mind kept reading “Audit Decision” as “Adult Decision,” and I thought that was appropriate — “When I was a young quilter, I thought I could make all of these, but now that I am an adult and know time and space are limited, I can decide appropriately for my stage in life…” 🙂

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    2. ADULT DECISION! Oh my goodness that is brilliant – your mind is right – I am trying to make Adult Decisions during my audit. I am going to keep putting on my “big girl panties” as I work through my audit 🙂
      That video is awesome, especially the last parts – yes our tastes change so much over time from new to experienced quilters!

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  4. I’ve my eye on those “Caffe Latte” squares/project!
    😉
    I, too, have a neutral themed project in my own queue that I decided to keep. And I, too, read your “Audit Decision” as “Adult Decision” at first like Textile Ranger! Funny, that, but appropriate IMHO!
    That said, your audit vid will no doubt kick my own normal ‘purges’ into higher gear when I decide to take the plunge next time around. I’ve been frustrated at how little all that effort to purge resulted in such little set aside **to** let go of! HA!
    Boring? Not at all, lady!

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  5. Looks like you are getting very organized. I, too, am trying to get old projects done while still building an etsy shop with new patterns and, hopefully soon, some quilts for sale. LOVE your project bags! I need to make a bunch of large tote bags for all the groups I go to at church that I have to carry stuff with me. But, you know, there’s laundry to do too…

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  7. I love reading about all of your unfinished or unstarted projects and your thoughts around whether you want to actually finish them. I wrote a post about all of my unfinished projects but I didn’t even look through the unstarted ones!!! I’m looking forward to your next post 🙂

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  8. I couldn’t stop reading. I had to see what you decided!😉 Karen Brown of Just Get It Done, has many interesting and informative videos. After reading your blog, I stepped into my project/fabric/junk room with all intentions of pulling and reviewing. I pulled out one tote and I was immediately overwhelmed…I need to give this some thought before I start.
    Thanks for the post.

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    1. I do like her videos and I plan to try her making strips from fabric scraps and adding machine tape!
      It is overwhelming and I hope some of the ideas in her video helped – at least to confirm that we are not crazy (or lazy) when we find it overwhelming – there is good reason! So many decisions you have to make when tidying up your creative space!

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      Reply

  9. Wow! “DO I WANT TO MAKE IT?” That is such a powerful question applicable in so many ways. I need to use it when I look at the enormous stack of books next to my bedside table and ask, “Do I really want to read it?” I appreciated the honest, realistic reflection you gave each project, and your willingness to say not this year.

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  10. Pingback: A Year of Finishes: Audit of Existing Projects, Part II – tierneycreates

  11. As you probably know I “audition” materials when I’m making some thing – and I think one could easily apply that to our “projects” which for me are usually just “materials” with no project in mind!
    But when I “sift/sort” similar to your audit – I don’t look too hard, and a lot of “things” end up in a couple of pile “garbage or thrift” – I’ve some goods for “thrift” and will start that circuit when I’ve feeling like going “out again” – weather and other issues keeping me in my “cave”

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  12. Yikes! Go read the Kon-Mari book again. Then join a quilt guild so you can give away the projects that don’t bring you joy. You do so many creative things; it would be sad if some of them became a chore.

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