Like many of you out there in the world of the internet (and real life, but let’s ignore that, shall we), I’m ready to put last year aside and start the new year out fresh. Which means tackling UFOS in 2024 via a couple of ‘resolutions’ despite hating that term. For my dear readers, all two of you, I’m going to stick with sewing related goals at the moment and not subject you to my writing hopeful endeavors (yet. you’ve been warned).
Tackling UFOS in 2024 – The Very Long UFO List
So, how will I tackle the UFO list? Orderly? Bite size pieces?
Nah. I’ll just work on whatever I feel drawn to. Is it an effective method, you ask? Shrugs. But it’s my method. And if more WIPs get added as I go along, that’s just part of how my brain works.
For anyone unfamiliar with UFOs, no, not referring to the alien kind. It's crafter speak for unfinished object. Most of us have A LOT of them.
Tackling the WIP list
First up – whittle down the WIP list.
New to the WIP term? It means works in progress. And do let me tell you about how many I have. Better yet, I’ll even share the notebook page I drafted. Keep in mind this was created a couple weeks ago, and since I had some time off over the holidays, plus crafty related Yule gifts, you might have guessed that it’s grown.
They (and I don’t know who “they” are, but) they say that breaking projects down into bite sized pieces makes them more manageable. Um. Have you seen the list of UFOs? Breaking that down just adds to it.
Secondly, and possibly a more attainable ‘resolution’ – use materials already in the stash, or vintage/thrift store based. I’ll add a caveat for certain projects that are already designated and need more specific materials. Otherwise, I have a solid stash of fabric, and a desire to reduce the amount of new fabric I’m introducing into the the wild, aka, the craft room. There are also a ton of neat vintage fabric shops out there (shout out to FarmhouseQuiltStore on Etsy which was my latest purchase) and the linens section of thrift stores often have really neat finds for fabric. I want to use both cotton and home decor type fabrics in my projects this year and already made a nice find at the local thrift store.
Lastly, I have a bunch of new techniques I want to learn, and I really really really want to hop on the ‘slow stitching’ and ‘improv quilting’ bandwagons. I’d love to break the hold on the perfectionist block that hangs out in my brain when I work. I guess that means it’s time to make some crap and see if I can find a couple of diamonds inside.
What’s the first project for tackling UFOs in 2024? Who knows. Stay tuned, and come back for the big reveal. It will be a surprise for me too.