When do you pull the plug?

You might try putting it away for a long time. Maybe one year or two. Then see if your interest and focus has returned. Once you give it away it is gone. You can always give it away later. It won't be any less worthwhile if you wait and then decide to give it away, after letting it stew for a long bit. Put it somewhere you don't have to come across for that period of time and then pull it out and see if the fire has been rekindled. If it hasn't, then pitch it. My 2 cents.

John

It's okay to pull the plug ANY time. Really, it is.

It took me a long time to realize that quilting was supposed to be FUN, and if I wasn't having fun with a quilt, it was time to move on to something else. Some times that means putting it away for a while and pulling it out later. Some times that means giving some blocks to a fellow RCTQer, or donating them to our guild's community service project. (Seems I'm not the only one who has blocks that don't work, given the number of donations I see every month!) And I don't feel the least bit bad about it any more.

I've pulled the plug twice this year already. Well, it IS May so maybe that's not really many. One was patchwork surrounded by a large floral border. The border had very fussy-cut big flowers appliquéd so that they spilled over from the border into the patches. It would have taken many years to complete and would have been too fragile to enjoy. I tossed it. The Tumbling Blocks I was playing with is gone to the landfill. I realized that doing a perfect point with 6 diamonds coming together several hundred times was not fun. Gone. Both projects were things I had wanted to try for years. I realize that all of you weren't adults in the 50's but getting them out of here felt as good as taking off a longline strapless bra, brushing out a piled-high teased hairdo and kicking off pointed-toe 4" high heels. My yes, it did feel good. Quilting should be a joy and pleasure. When it becomes a trial of endurance and tedium, I'm outta here. Polly

You are so lucky. You learnt that your hobby was supposed to be fun (1), that it is fun when *you* decide it's fun (2) and that you are not a bad person if you decide not to finish something (3). If you have lived for a long time with a person who thinks that every thing started *must* be finished, or you are a lazy person who doesn't finish anything, your hobby ceases to be fun pretty quickly. But once you learn these 3 things, it is a very freeing experience.

-- Jo in Scotland

I may not have been an adult in the 50's, but I was close to it in the

60's, Polly. I remember *very* well the joy of taking off a longline strapless bra (I don't do strapless anymore), brushing out a piled-high teased hairdo and kicking off pointy-toed spike heels. Ouch! And I agree about pulling the plug -- do it when the project is no longer fun and satisfying!

I did that with a stack and whack that I realized I couldn't stand. Felt guilty for about 3 nanoseconds.

Toss it Sunny - why torture yourself with something that's just annoying you. A couple of years ago I saw the cutest pattern that had a lot to do with chickens, got the perfect chicken fabric, the perfect chicken wire fabric, etc. etc. Spent hours and hours putting that thing together, knew I hated it less than half way thru but continued on. When the top was pieced, I laid it atop a bin so that I could see it every time I passed that room. After about 3 weeks or so, I said it out loud - I HATE THAT QUILT .. so off it went right into the garbage, and it just so happend it was garbage day. When that truck pulled away with that *&^%$ chicken quilt safely aboard, it was one of the greatest feelings in the world - freedom!!! I've never regretted doing that either. :-))

Sharon (N.B.)

Remember Jill can use all the cast-offs. She can cut them to size. Gen

I think I made that same quilt! I hated it too!!! Had lots of problems making it.....and threatened to toss it, but a friend wanted it to give to her DD. So she got it.........I don't think she ever gave it to her DD. Probably didn't like it any more than I did!!

I believe there is never a wasted project. We always learn something from each quilt project, even if it is unfinished. Toss it and never look back!!

Marsha in nw, Ohio

listen to Jo and Kathy or you'll end up with over 70 UFO's like I did! I'm learning this lesson at the moment and wish I had learnt it sooner!

this is why I'm offering stuff up for grabs at the moment - to get rid of UFO's guilt free :-)

Oh good grief, it's YOUR project, you can decide! Guilt free! No penalty! After all, you learned whatever it was to learn, tried some new technique or color combination, right? So you can call it finished, even if it doesn't go on a bed or a wall. Just remember, Leonardo and many others produced notebooks full of studies. These are your studies! I'd be happy to take it off your hands, finish it for a charity auction, and give you the credit! (Never hurts to ask ;-) Roberta in D

"Sunny" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@o5g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

The acronym is WOMBAT -- "waste of money, batting, and time." (I know yours is just blocks, but "womfat" (f=fabric) doesn't have the same ring .)

We have all produced WOMBATs. Think of it as an exercise in piecing. Put the blocks in the Salvation Army/Goodwill box and move on!

Nann .....who also prefers to make quilts with LOTS of fabrics.....

I love the analogy with artists and their sketchbooks Roberta. I've never thought of it like that. Though, if I'm trying something out at home, I label it in my mind as a try-out or experiment, and so it never

*has* to be finished or even continued with, if I decide I don't like it. I do have to mentally label stuff, though, or I wouldn't be able to actually part with gifts!

Funny thing is that I am so incredibly slow at classes that I never get anywhere near finishing anything, so I know whether or not I like the technique without having much to show for it, and become a UFO! Now I see that this is quite a useful trait: keep slow, do little, waste little >g< . In message , Roberta Zollner writes

LOL! Boy Sunny, I can relate--but from a different angle. I once joined a round robin medallion exchange in which we started the center and each subsequent quilter added a border. The quilt top I got back was gorgeous and I still love it. Now fast forward to the next round robin medallion exchange with a twist: This time we opted to start a quilt for another quilter in the group so the top would be a complete surprise when it finally got back around to the recipient. I received a beautiful top....uhhh, except it wasn't in my colors. No matter how many times my brain would tell me, "this is a lovely top", I would reply, "but, but, it's not my colors" I dragged that top out of the cloest to finish it so many times that I've lost count. Well, the crux of the matter is, it's still buried in the back of my closet. To this day I *know* it's a beautiful top, but I'm beginning to come to grips with the idea that I will never finish it.

Best regards, Michelle in NV

What if you overdyed it a color that you like? Some of the fabrics will be odd colors in and of themselves, but the overall effect might be something you like...

Just a thought!

Cappy

You stop when you decide you hate it. Donate it to your guild and think no more about it.

I'd never do a Burns quilt because there are just too many pieces in them. Quilt in a day? Ha! Quilt in a decade is more like it.

Four big blocks can cover a bed just as easily as twelve smaller ones, and it would be quicker to make. Come to think on it, one giant block would do even better.

Sunny try drawing your own quilt--with the less blocks. Big is beautiful, Darlin'.

Debra in VA See my quilts at

Thank you ladies. I won't be starting that chicken quilt that I keep seeing and wondering about. If I don't love it, I probably shouldn't make it.

Debra in VA See my quilts at

Finish it and gift it to someone or give it to a charity to raffle off. It is yours to do with as you please, so admire it and pass it on to someone who would love the colors. Debra in VA See my quilts at