Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Finishing is over rated . . . or is it?

I am a quilter. Well, if truth be told, I am mostly a quilt STARTER and fabric collector. This last year, attempting to finish my sewing room, I have found SO many unfinished quilt projects! There must be 30! I love to take classes and learn new techniques and I seldom finish the project started. Why do I do that?

We draw names in our family for Christmas and I was making a quilt for the person I got. That was one finished quilt a year. Now everyone has a quilt . . . what do I do now! My nephew, Casey, says he got the first quilt so it is his "turn" again. LOL I like that. He liked the quilt I made for him and wants another.

Of course my grandson, Robert, thinks he needs a new quilt. Well, maybe he does. The quilt I made for him is "Buzz Lightyear" and I gave it to him when he was four. He's now 12 and four inches taller than me and he's worn out the quilt. In fact I have it here to fix . . . one of the fabrics, only the yellow in one block, has disintegrated. Literally disiningrated. I think I will put on a new binding too. The quilt has been loved to death over these last eight years. That makes me very happy.

One year at Road to California . . . my friend Pat and I LOVE to take classes there . . . I decided to make all the class quilts out of the same fabrics. That way I could combine them into one quilt and call it my Road to California Quilt. Great idea, huh? Is it done? Of course not. I just can't win.

I still don't have a quilt made for our bed! It seems that the only way I can finish a quilt is to give it away.

Last year at my guild we had a challenge to complete five UFOs (unfinished objects for those that don't know). I had my list and my good intentions. That's all. I didn't get one done. But, of course, I did start a few more.

I am still working on getting my quilt studio (doesn't that sound more fun than bedroom!) organized. I have 48 baskets with fabric all sorted by color, kind etc., it takes up a whole 10' wall. But, I am at a standstill . . . I have at least 10 more boxes of fabric! What to do, what to do? My sweet husband says buy more baskets! I think make more quilts.

Maybe the answer is . . . give away (or finish?) the ones I've started!