Keep your quilting area organized, to the best of your ability. Now, I realize that everyone has different levels of “organization” skills and that some of you may be more organized than others. Myself? I am so organized that it is practically unreal. I even drive myself nuts sometimes. I am the type that plans on how to make the best plans! But, back to organizing… simply try to keep things that are alike in the same area. For instance, keep all of your blocks/fabric/etc. for one project together; preferably in one container. Try to keep all of your rotary cutting tools in one area. Books and magazines can go in one area. And, lastly, if you have numerous items that do not really “go” in any one particular project, then have an area for miscellaneous items.

Make a UFO/WIP list! First, do NOT put off doing this! Prolonging this task means that you are probably either not serious about getting “caught up” or having no list does not bother you (it would kill me if I had to live without lists in my life!). Add everything on this list that needs to be done in your quilting life; UFOs, WIPs, etc. Try to prioritize them on the list by either putting the oldest projects at the top, so you can finish them off, or prioritize projects by how important they are in getting done (some may need finished before others). Regardless of the order you put your projects in, the fact that you are making a list is important. Place this list somewhere in your sewing/quilting room so that you can refer to it, as needed (see the next paragraph), and also so that it stays upfront and in your face to remind you of what you need to finish. It is so easy to store a project then totally forget about it (do not ask me how I know this to be true). So, what are you going to do after you finish reading this article? Yes, you are going to make a list while it is fresh on your mind and you are motivated (at least I hope you are motivated!).

Keep a calendar in your sewing/quilting area. This may sound like a minor detail, but it can become one of your best friends to gaining control over your unfinished projects, giving structure to a plan to get them finished, maintaining organization, while beginning the escape to living in a chaotic quilting atmosphere. Write your personal non-quilty events/appointments/etc. on the calendar first. Then, select one day in the month that is clear (or mostly clear, as I know most of us lead busy and active lives!) and circle it in red. Now, what is that red day for? It is a day that is set aside that is to be devoted to working on UFOs and/or WIPs. I am not even going to begin to suggest how much time of that day is devoted to your UFO/WIP Day, simply because I do not live your life and do not know how much time you have available. But, even if it’s just 15 or 20 minutes, that is more done than you had in the first place, right? Start at the top of the list, referred in the bulleted point above, and begin working your way down. When you force time for those projects into your schedule, you will find yourself beginning to mark them as “COMPLETED” and grinning like cat that swallowed the canary. I say, “force time”, like it is a bad thing, but it actually is not. Once you get started, you will find yourself getting into the groove as you work on it. The primary goal of the calendar is in setting aside specific time for the UFOs/WIPs. If something comes up in your personal life that threatens to take your red day and you cannot reschedule it to another day, then circle one more day on the calendar in the same month to become your new red day. Also, who says that you can only have one red day per month? Muhahaha!

Consider combining smaller projects to make a large project. For instance, say you have quite a few random blocks laying around that you were going to use in other projects, but somehow those projects never happened and somehow died along the way. Take all of the random blocks and put them into one single, large project, such as making a charity quilt (watch for another article on charity quilting coming soon!) or even a utility quilt for yourself!

Consider taking a project that was initially going to be large and finishing it as a small project (just the opposite as the item above!). If you have a project in which you were initially going to make 12 large blocks for a large quilt, but ended up only making a few of them, instead of making the full quilt, make a wallhanging or a baby quilt or a tablerunner or something suitable for yourself. Or even take those fewer blocks and simply add more borders (or larger borders) to get more “mileage” out of your work. Or how about using those blocks to become part of a border on another quilt?

Make yourself a “portable” kit. Now, you may be wondering what in the world a portable kit is. In essence, it is a kit that you can take with you everywhere you go simply by packing a little project together in a freezer bag or something similar, and keeping it in your vehicle. Then, when waiting for doctor’s appointments, etc., take it in with you and do your hand-piecing (watch for an article on hand-piecing coming soon!) or appliqué. You would be amazed at how much you can accomplish with a few minutes here and there. I was in a road construction zone a couple of years ago and saw a lady in the lane next to me knitting while we waited on the crew to clear us to move forward! I was envious, as we sat there for a good 20 minutes, me bored, and her smiling away as her needles flew in her skilled hands. I purchased a makeup bag at a local discount store and it holds my appliqué project in it. You would not believe how much I have packed in this little bag!

Try not to over-commit yourself. It is very easy for me to keep saying “yes” when I should be saying “no”! And I imagine a lot of you are the same. Instead of trying to be SUPERWOMAN and stressing yourself out, be PRACTICALWOMAN who shines in all of her glory as she does a fabulous job due to being able to focus more on one single project rather than trying to juggle a half dozen.

Come up with a plan to make a dent in your UFO/WIP pile. I made a New Year’s resolution that for every two new projects that I started in 2007, I had to finish an old UFO/WIP. So far, I am sticking with it!!!!! And it feels great! Your numbers may not be the same for you; but try to come up with some type of reasonable plan. It is great to have high expectations for yourself, but remember, they should be obtainable, reasonable expectations.