shnnn

What if instead of having a full second project you try something small just to get a bit of a break from your big project? Find a new pattern or technique you'd like to try and make one block, then turn it into a placemat or mini quilt. Something that can realistically be finished very quickly, then back to your quilt.

Gramie bj

I was raised the same way, I tryed to break the habit but found that I don't like to have more than one project going at a time. Some times it cann't be helped. when a emergency (QUILTING TYPE)comes up. I will have more than one going. Such finding out my niece baby shower is in 2 weeks then I stop what i'm doing and make baby gift. Some times it seems I have a lot of these emergencys!LOL but I hate the mess of having 2 or more projects going at one time. I always seem to misplacse something during the process and it takes me forever to find it again.

Lioness3xs

There is nothing wrong with your thinking, in fact I wish I had more of that quality. I have way too many UFO's. But my projects are like friends, just because you have one means you don't have time and understanding for another. Sometime having more than 1 good friend is wonderful because each has a special quality that can fill a need in your heart for that day. Each of my friends are unique in their special way and color my world just because they're who they are. I want our friendships to go on and on for many years. I would never want to finish one friendship before contacting another friend.

lauriejo

I usually have lots of projects in various stages of construction, but most of them aren't quilting. Do you knit, or embroider, or crochet. Perhaps when you need a break from your current quilt project you could work on a different type of sewing.

SharBear

I'm the same way - but it's not learned just how I was born!

Having multiple unfinished projects stresses me out - have to keep them on my mind to remember what I was doing on each one!

Relax. Just be who you are and enjoy!

sarahrachel

I'll give you some of my ability to start new ones if you give me some of your finish what you start :) I have 11 going right now and am determined not to start anymore as I have at least one in every stage.

My suggestion, is there a pattern you want to do? if not, find one and start cutting and just do it, no matter how much that other one is calling you. Maybe start with a small wall hanging or baby quilt. Or do something different than you're doing or have been doing. Go through your stash or go buy a fabric that you wouldn't normally use and try something different. It helps expand the mind. Maybe too much for me...

catrancher

It seems to me you would need to adjust your goal. If your goal is to finish your current project, then you might have difficulty interrupting the flow. If, on the other hand, your goal is to work on different multiple projects, and to enjoy them more, then your goal changes. You have more freedom. It really is about freedom from being enslaved by old habits.

When I started quilting, I finished each project before starting on the next. Then I made my son and DIL each the same quilt from different fabrics. Then I added two more projects until now, I'm working on anywhwere between 5-8 projects at any given time. A block or a row here and a block or a row there. I enjoy it more when I have lots of variety. At any given time, I'm working on a bed quilt, a table runner, a charity quilt, an applique project, a BOM, etc. I don't finish any one project as quickly as I used to, but I enjoy the process more. Enjoyment is my goal, not completion.

sueisallaboutquilts

Hi Sue, it sounds to me that you'd like to work on more than one thing at once but you were trained to finish one thing first. Those old tapes that play in our heads are hard to change! But they CAN change! :)
I hope you find a way to let go and do things the way you really want to!! :D
I would sneak in something small for starters, and then if you get comfortable with it you can branch out.
Not daft at all! Just training and that's not easy to change.

mim

The most important my deceased husband told me was that if the author didn't care enough to write an interesting book then I didn't have to honor him with plowing thru it. That freed me from a lot of dull books.

I was taught by my grandmother to always look at the person I was listening to and be alert to the sunday morning sermon speaker. (Granddad was the minister) What freedom to know that just because I started something that wasn't what I had in mind, I could defer it to later (or just leave it). I have walked out of a lot of programs at intermission time. At least I am polite enough to wait til then.

Mim

Glassquilt

You could start little. How about a take-along project that you can leave in the car.

I'll bet you multitask at somethings outside of quilting.
Can you think of different projects as another way of multitasking?


I have a GFG that I can carry with me.
I have a quilt on a frame that I am hand quilting.
I know that I can't finish either one quickly so I keep working on both.