Saturday, June 11, 2011

PIGS or UFOs

For me, both terms are the same or synonymous because all of my UFOs eventually end up in a grocery sack.   What kind of bags do you use?  Do you use grocery bags?  I'm a Ziploc kind of gal.  I like the big over sized bags that can be found at Target because everything fits so nicely in and then can be zipped.  When my office moved, I raided the supply closet after the move and helped myself to some of the plastic bags that we had to put our keyboards in.  (Who knows, I guess they thought our keyboards had cooties).  Those bags are very much like the big Ziploc bags.

Tonight I decided it was definitely time to inventory the shelf  that I keep two big totes.  Not only did I inventory but I photographed for posterity (and so I could remember what I have).   I came to the sad realization that I really have a problem and should NOT hit a fabric store any time in the next 3 years.  I have 28 PIGS living in the tote on that shelf.  Yes you did read 28, and I can say thankfully they are not all started.  I didn't write it down the number, but I think 7 are UFOs/PIGS.  The rest are all fabric and patterns, nicely zipped into a bag.

Let me share a few pictures with you (which some aren't very good but you get the idea):

UFO which has become PIG #3.  This is a Moda Bakeshop pattern that has gone to land of bags.  The blocks are all pieced, I just need to put the whole top together.
 This is my oldest PIG. It's from the very first Kansas City Quilt Shop Hop.  This year we had our 13th quilt shop hop.  I cut this little wall hanging out and then have done nothing with it.  I probably could whip it out on a Saturday if I put my mind to it (and hubs took the munchkin out of the house).
 This UFO/PIG is the first one I took a picture of.  It's going to be a rectangle quilt that I pulled of of MaryQuilts.com (Forest Bricks)  I guess something better came along and it ended up in the bag.
This beauty is the Braid quilt top that I started when I go my Accuquilt Go cutter.  I know why it's in a bag.  It is tedious and boring sewing.  I'm all about mindless sewing on long stretches of material.  This one is just boring sewing on little pieces of material.  I just need to suck it up and finish, be done and call it good.  Making note that I'm not a braid kind of gal.

My thought before I counted was that I could grab a project and make it my goal to finish one a month.  That sounded reasonable until I counted.  28 projects, one a month, well that will take me into October 2013.  Yeah that's really scary when I think about it like that.  

The picture below is of the second tote that sits on the same shelf.  This tote is full (overflowing) with fabric that I bought in hopes of making something but could never decide on a pattern.  Or maybe I had a pattern in mind but never stuck it in the bag so now I have no clue what I was thinking.

Maybe I should join one of the many blogs that is picking numbers and working on finishing up projects.  Or I could continue to live in the land of denial.  Sometimes that place is much happier and easier to handle.

6 comments:

Sharon said...

I feel better now! I just counted 19 UFOs in my closets.

Char said...

I have the same problem and have stopped counting my UFO's.
But it doesn't stop me from starting new projects! I know it's time for a "twelve step" program!

Caitlin said...

I've been on a UFO-finishing spree lately. Twenty eight is quite a few! Btw, what does PIG stand for? I haven't heard that term before...

Anonymous said...

Here's how I define the two - UFOs have been started but not finished. PIGS (projects in grocery sacks) are planned but haven't been started. The fabrics are grouped together along with the pattern or illustration and kept separate from my stash. Based on those definitions, I have 6 PIGS and 16 UFOs, of which 8 are tops waiting to be quilted. Obviously I'm happier in denial-land.

Mary Anne said...

I'll play along...since this topic has been on my mind lately! I counted up 8 UFOs and 12 PIGS (mostly kits) in my bins. If we're counting stitchery projects, add 2 UFOs and another PIG...if we're counting knitting projects...add another 2 UFOs...

I'm planning a "Focus and Finish" campaign on those UFOs...we'll see how that goes!

Vesuviusmama said...

You've got to finish Avignon Picnic - that looks wonderful!