2015 New Year’s Resolution — No New Quilts!

by on ·WIPs

I have a tendency to constantly start new quilts before I’ve finished the ones I’m working on. This bad habit has resulted in a closetful of boxes containing unfinished quilt projects, and a stack of quilt tops. It’s out of control, and it’s freaking me out! Do you also have this affliction, and have you managed to conquer it?

Today I am fretting about this pile of quilt tops. Images link to the original post, many of which are embarrassingly old.

Hello Kitty
49″ x 63″
hand embroidered, machine pieced

hkquilt-1

Embroidered Alphabet
68″ x 80″
hand embroidered, machine pieced
This is a horrible photo — it looks much better in the close-ups

ABC-Embroidered-Quilt-Top

Simple Objects
60″ x 81″
hand embroidered, machine pieced
After this photo was taken, I finished off the sides and bottom by adding the additional pieced strip.

simpleobjectsfull

Ferris Wheel
84″ x 98″
machine pieced, hand appliqued

FerrisWheel-1

Nine Patch and Snowball #2
60″ x 66″
machine pieced

9-patch-snowball-2-1

String Star
60″ x 80″
machine pieced

String-Star-1

Cactus Basket
75″ x 75″ (needs border)
machine pieced

Cactus-Basket-1

Toy Quilt
36″ x 46″
hand appliqued, machine pieced

Circus Quilt
39″ x 48″
hand embroidered, machine pieced

Embroidered-Circus-Quilt-1b

Seven Sisters
80″ x 96″
hand pieced

Seven-Sisters-1

Triangle Quilt
84″ x 90″
machine pieced

Triangle-Quilt-Top-1

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35 comments on “2015 New Year’s Resolution — No New Quilts!”

  • Gretchen

    They are all so beautiful! I, too have the same problem…ugh. I think I’m waiting for the quilt fairy to come during the night and finish them up for me!

  • Dolores

    I made me a list (once again) and I think this time I included all of the ones that need to be finished. I won’t promise myself not to make any new ones since there are one or two baby quilts that have to be made. I will slowly plug along and finish what I have. I will not, however, do any BOMs. I did a three last year and they need to be finished up.
    Your quilts look like all they need is quilting. They are a lovely group.

  • Kristal

    I think this year should be the year of finishing quilts. I just found a bunch of tops I forgot I had…….

  • Sarah

    I have a few thoughts on this –

    1) Have you thought of farming out the quilting part? I know you had a bad experience once, but maybe it’s worth trying again?

    because

    2) I think for some folks the best part of quilting is making the top! The colors, the designs, the choices, seeing it come together…but not necessarily the end result

    and
    3) I try ever so hard to only do ONE project, no matter what it is, at a time. Sometimes this is a serious drag. And sometimes it means chucking something (like that blasted ribbon quilt, which I donated to someone to practice long arming on) because I cannot move on until it is “finished”. But sometimes that rigid rule is a real push to finish when I would like to quit. 🙂

  • Julierose

    Oh that is a tough one; mine is NO New Fabric buying. I’ve already seen so many that I love and it’s only the 2nd day of January!1 Ack…Your tops are gorgeous and think of how wonderful you’ll feel when they are done!1 Lol Hugs, Julierose( P.S. I especially totally envy that Hello Kitty one…I actually went out and got two HK coloring books and plan to make a small lap quilt from traced pix…)
    Good Luck ;–))))

  • Pauline

    oh I am not the only one then!!! Some lovely tops which deserve to be finsished off !

  • Chris

    I guess you’ve got a lot of quilting ahead of you this year! It’s so hArd ,to not start a new project tho!

  • Virginia

    That would be hard for me, not to have a quilt in process. Although I’ve really been trying not to start a new one until the current quilt has the binding on. That’s not going to happen for my current quilt as I finished all the machine quilting and now I’m adding hand quilting to accent the stars using size 8 Perle cotton.

  • Joyce Carter

    I have made the same resolution Martha. We will see how long that lasts. There are so many things spinning around in my head that I want to do, it will definitely be hard not to start them. I don’t think I have as many tops as you though, but I am very close. I think I need to sew a little faster. LOL
    Have a Happy New Year!

  • karenlogcabinquilter

    So many embroidered quilt blocks in some of your tops. You do a good job of embroidery on them.

  • Little Penpen

    Goodness! you have lots of pretties to keep you very busy!! Your embroidery work is wonderful.

  • Carla

    Oh my you have some beauties there! Love Love the circus quilt! Those camels are just too cute! It is a never ending battle!

  • Sandy

    A couple of years ago I made a list of all my unquilted tops. They are still unquilted tops! And a few more have been added. I intend to finish all of them! I don’t “farm out” my quilts to be quilted. I prefer to make my quilts from start to finish. If someone else did the quilting, then I’d feel the quilts were no longer my work.

  • Amy in Texas

    Rather than calling them unfinished, how about works in progress? That’s what I’m calling my stack.

    You have some cheerful quilt tops. Best of luck on completing them.

  • Pat

    Your quilts are amazing! I would not admit how many UFOs I have. I hope to donate some of them to charity so I won’t have to finish them. My interests have changed and some of them just don’t appeal any more. I wish mine were finished tops like yours! I do love the process though and have spent many happy hours working on each and every one of them! Thanks for sharing your beautiful quilt tops.

  • Cathi

    You have some absolutely stunning quilt tops there!
    I do indeed have the same affliction and while I haven’t got it under control, I actually made a list of my quilt tops and unfinished projects just before Christmas and it’s quite shocking how long it is! I just can’t seem to resist the lure of trying out an idea or a different design and that leads me down the garden path to starting yet another new project. I’m hoping the list will make me at least think twice!

  • Jessie

    What a treat to see all your beautiful quilt tops Martha!! I think the Circus one is still my favourite, the Nine Patch and Snowball is such a lovely quilt too. I think every quilter has this problem don’t they? I think perhaps the Internet and blogosphere plays an extra hand in this too – we see so many clever ideas and designs (like yours) so we of course want to recreate them ourselves… time never allows of course so back in the cupboard they go! I think I have about 5 on the go? which I will be tackling this year! Looking forward to seeing how you progress, we’ll have to cheer each other on! 🙂

  • Gunilla

    Wow, you really have the best hidden quilts! Beautiful! This year I will also try to finish my UFO’s. But a problem is that new ideas always seems to sneak into my head, somehow manouvering the old one’s out… 😉 but a goal for me is also to finish some old ones during this year. Thsnknyou for inspiring me!

  • Mickie

    I have done UFO years and found them extremely satisfying. I think you will too! Your tops are LOVELY and do need to be completed!!! Have fun and keep us posted on your progress!
    Hugs, Mickie

  • Misty

    Your quilts are lovely! The Hello Kitty top is my favorite and I would like to do something similar. I made a list of unfinished quilts a couple of years ago and it freaked me out. Since then, I have tried to finish 1-2 UFOs per year and also give one away each year if I don’t still love it. Someone else can enjoy finishing those!

  • Cathy L in IA

    My, you have some lovely projects. Good luck finishing this year.

    Most of my UFOs aren’t at the flimsy stage – they need more blocks. I like bed sized quilts. I, too, like starting new things.

  • Karen Bordner

    I not only have unfinished projects in tubs in three different rooms in my house, I have a list of a hundred projects I’d like to start. My resolution is usually not to start a new project until I finish at least one.

  • barbara

    These are amazing, and I’d hate to think you were arbitrarily holding yourself back from making more if you want to. Can you bring yourself to machine quilt them, or have them done for you? Sell them as quilt tops?

  • Tina

    What beautiful, beautiful quilt tops!!! Wow!!! I love your red and white Kitty Quilt!!!

  • Tina

    Great resolution! I am trying to do the same with my unfinished projects and I vow to only work from my fabric or yarn stash for gifts. As of January 4, I’m still on track!

  • Mallika Balu

    Exquisite is all I can say for the awesome list you have put up.

  • Amanda Best

    Wow, those are some gorgeous tops! I love the embroidered ones, but I think my favorite is the hand pieced seven sisters. I have somewhere between 30-40 unfinished quilts, I hope this year I will get many of them done. Can’t wait to see how you finish up these beauties!!!

  • Super Mom - No Cape!

    Your quilts are all so beautiful! Won’t it be wonderful when they are completed and you can use them or gift them.

    I’m working on UFOs this year too and also on reducing the amount of fabric I have. I’ve joined a couple of finish-alongs in the hope that they help keep me on track.

  • Pratima

    Each and every quilt is so stunning and beautiful, Martha! Those embroidery blocks are seriously cute and I am unable take my eyes off those intricate borders! Thank you for the inspiration and great ideas you always share with us. Wish you the very best in everything you do this year 🙂

  • nancysparrow

    Here’s a thought Martha….you could do an on-line auction of one of your unfinished tops (or two) with your enthusiastic readers and donate the money to a charity of your choice.

  • Robin

    Martha, you can’t believe the relief I have just felt at reading your post. Not that I’m glad that you have ufo’s, but glad for me that I’m not the only one! LOL You are an incredible quilt maker and I have enjoyed your blog for several years. I’m a hand and machine piecer, but hand quilter at the end. I have 65 in progress quilts to be pieced and 5 that need to be finished quilted and more that need to be started quilted. I know that I could have them machine quilted by someone, but I can’t seem to let go of my babies to be put to the machine..LOL I like the process of picking colors and cutting out pattern pieces with scissors and then getting the first block done. My MIL was a quilter who pieced one quilt a summer and then quilted it in the winter. She used to tell me how much more pretty mine were than hers, but I would tell her that hers were WAAAYY more beautiful than mine because they were FINISHED! But that is how she was and that is not how I am…I just love the process. Make your resolution so low that you can step over it instead of trying to jump in the air…LOL Whatever you do, we will all enjoy watching your progress and learn from it.

  • Kristy Wilkinson

    What gorgeous quilts! These definitely need to come out and be recognized! I am kind of in that boat but have more things partially started. I know it is hard to finish things sometimes. I had our current bed quilt basted and ready to quilt and it sat for a year because I didn’t know how I wanted to quilt it. I am so glad I finally started on it and completed it. Then I had to make matching wall quilts which I quickly finished because I was so happy to have my new bed quilt done! So be encouraged! We all have trouble with this. I love your embroidered ones. Beautiful colors on them all. K-

  • wanetha

    You do such beautiful work and I am sure you will get many off them quilted this year.

    Last year I sent out to be quilted a hand applique quilt top that I had started over 25 years ago. I always felt that it needed to be hand quilted, but I gave in and let someone custom machine quilt it for me…..and I am ever so happy that it is done, and I will probably make this same decision on others that I have.

    I am just glad that I don’t have a blog and feel compelled to show everyone my UFO’s. 😉

  • Tamera

    Good luck! I’m in the same boat. Every year, I try to finish a certain number of quilts. Have you thought about one a month? It doesn’t seem like much, but 12 is better than none, lol.

  • Heather

    Happy New Year Martha! I have a problem with just unfinished projects including some quilts. These quilts are amazing as always! Hope you get them finished! Best wishes for a most lovely year!! xo Heather

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