Hello! Today I thought I’d write about a topic that certainly applies to most quilters…how to go about choosing a project to work on. There are so many amazing projects and quilts to be made…how does one ever decide?
I’ve faced this dilemma at every stage as a quilter…as a beginner, as a more
experienced quilter, and as a designer. So…since I’ve been pondering this topic a little lately I thought I’d share some of my thoughts with you!
First, make a list of works in progress.
It always seems to come back to this. But as I thought about it, it really is important to know what you’ve started and still need to finish. I actually have lots of my works in progress projects that don’t really have deadlines…they are projects I want to work on over a long period of time, so I’m not worried about finishing them in the near future…it’s just good to keep them in mind. You might even find a work in progress that you decide to finish in a different way than you originally planned…be open to changing up a project here and there!
Look through what you have.
Go through your fabric, your scraps, and even your patterns and books. See if anything just jumps out and demands to be started! Sometimes I have great projects ready and waiting to go, but I’ve just forgotten them over time. It also helps to make a list of these projects as you come across them. They might not end up being your next project, but it’s also good to have a list of things you’ve been thinking about.
Decide on a skill level for the project.
Are you looking for something fast and fun? Are you looking for something that requires some precision? Or are you ready for a challenge. I actually like working on projects at all of these levels. I feel like sometimes I just need to do some mindless sewing…it’s good for the soul, you know…but then at other times I’m ready to increase my skill level and work to improve.
Browse for ideas.
Read blogs…look back at posts you’ve saved or kept unread for some reason. Browse Instagram: look back through the posts you’ve liked. Search Pinterest pages for quilt ideas you’ve already thought about. Walk through your house and try to think about projects that you might want to make for a specific area of the home. Think about upcoming birthdays and holidays–it’s never too early to start planning for those!
Once you have a project in mind: choose fabrics!
Think about a color scheme and background options. Do you want to use brights or muted tones? Do you want a scrappy quilt? If you have any bundles or pre-cuts think about how you could use them for your project…and then add in some other fabrics for variety!
Have fun!
Now, go get started on your new project…it’s waiting for you!
I hope some of these thoughts and ideas have helped you…and if you have any other ideas to add, I’d so love it if you’d mention them in the comments.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
gailss says
Yes…great ideas on getting organized with our projects and have to say I did enjoy looking at your quilts while reading your blog…they inspire us to get going and start new projects Sherri. I still have my "Log Cabin" on the back burner and am working thru finishing some already started projects but have added your new pattern as I love the fan look of it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Judy H says
Love your ideas. Only thing I would add is to the 'Browse for Ideas'. Set a time limit. You can spend days browsing and never get going.
Hildy says
Great ideas! I've discovered that it helps me if I decide on a 'theme' for my project. That helps me pick the fabrics and colors and see if the project and the fabrics are playing well together for what I have in mind. And I'm always doing a sketch of the project on graph paper and calculate the fabric amount I need. That helps me a lot and I always have enough fabric.
Richard Healey says
Thanks for the suggestions. I spent this last weekend looking at the piles of half finished projects and actually quilted 2, bound 2 and worked on some that were some where in the middle. It is always good advice to look at what is hiding in the pile.
Pam L says
I have collected fabric and patterns until I am totally overwhelmed with projects that need to be made. After reading this, I made myself a project planner to list everything I have and plan on working with what I've got until I finish at least 6 of my projects before buying one more thing! That's the inspiration I needed to get something accomplished! Thanks for the article.
Sandi James says
A great idea is to look through your stash and see what inspires you. Especially with collections or precuts, having a pallette that works great together may be the inspiration to try a pattern or tutorial you've wanted to make.
Sandi James says
A great idea is to look through your stash and see what inspires you. Especially with collections or precuts, having a pallette that works great together may be the inspiration to try a pattern or tutorial you've wanted to make.
Janet says
You always have such clear ideas whenever you post, especially about getting organized and getting inspiration…..thanks for another great post
Janet says
You always have such clear ideas whenever you post, especially about getting organized and getting inspiration…..thanks for another great post
Andrea R says
I'm a great starter but a terrible finisher. 🙂 I had so many projects on the go, I've tried a few things for getting them done.
Best thing so far has been a trello board! I made it public so you can see here:
https://trello.com/b/Bt56VGey/quilts-in-progress
Charlie DiSante says
Having several projects of various levels has kept my interest piqued too. Thanks for the teaching you share.
AnnieO says
Having just gone through my sewing room and all my project boxes and fabric, I'm well aware of how rich I am in choices 🙂
Rosemary B❤️ says
Right! great advice
We really do need to keep track of what we have and also look at what we have
still in the works.
Sometimes I go through my stash and think about projects I am interested in, and put suggestions on paper and in with the precuts. Of course later it might not stay with that idea, but it is good to keep the ideas going with what you have that is really beautiful and deserves a lovely creation from some thing that you bought bc you loved it
Happy Wednesday
Quiltblocksandmore says
It sounds so easy to do. Why do I have such a hard time getting that organized?!