Thursday, November 20, 2008

A different way of looking at the same situation

Sharon Craig was our guest speaker at guild last Thursday. Her topic was "Sets Education" (needs to be said outloud to be most effective LOL!) This was the second time she's done that lecture at guild, but it was just as enjoyable as the first time as she had lots of new quilts to share. She has always been one of my quilting heros - I especially love her books about setting odd-sized blocks.

One of her "stop us in our tracks" statements at the beginning of her talk is this - "I have NO ufo's!" After all the gasps of disbelief fade away, she adds "but I have many ongoing projects". She further explains that some of them have been ongoing for years. She doesn't believe one can rush creativity, and that eventually every project will talk to you and tell you what it wants to become (my words there at the end of this sentence). One quilt she showed us - and it was stunning! - was made from a set of very large sampler blocks pieced in the 1970's! Her solution was so creative, and the blocks were hardly recognizable.

I really like this positive way of looking at things. It's definitely a "glass half full" outlook. And recently I've experienced the truth of this - look how long it took those 1992 Halloween blocks to speak to me! So, I've changed the labeling on my sidebar. I, too, have no more UFO's. Not a single one! I do have quite a few ongoing projects, and some are quite a few years old. That's OK - each will be finished in it's turn. This doesn't mean I'm going to stop my focus on finishing them - it just means I'm thinking of each one as an opportunity instead of a liability!

12 comments:

Suzy said...

What a wonderful and inspiring way to look at things! I think I, too, will change my sidebar to read "Ongoing Projects" rather than UFOs. LOL! :o)

Unknown said...

I agree, what a wonderful way to look at things. I'm going to have to remember that. Meanwhile, we won't discuss just how many "ongoing projects" I actuall have!

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Anonymous said...

It's funny how people are different. I CAN'T leave something unfinished. I only start one quilt at a time and don't start another until that one is done and dusted. I think it's because I work full time, so if I started 14 different things I know that nothing would ever come to fruition.
(Plus all of the large quilts I've done have been for my sons. Nothing like having a child looking pathetically at you asking when his quilt will be finished to keep you on task!)

Ila K. said...

Great post! I guess you can refer to them as POGs... Projects On Going! As opposed to PIGs: projects in grocery bags. Or maybe some of your POGs are PIGs LOL

cityquilter grace said...

karla alexander is another who boats of hardly any stash, says she bought it to use so why just store it....good advice

Nann said...

Sharyn Craig is one of my heroines! I understand that she's retiring from teaching/lecturing soon, so you fortunate to have heard her in person.

Anonymous said...

Okay so I have 45 on going projects. LOL.

Floss said...

I like that way of looking at things, I have a few on going projects, and I'm sure they will all talk to me at some point, as they all did at lease for a few minutes once before, other wise they would still be fabric in my stash or at the store :)

Quilts And Pieces said...

So what was the setting? How can you leave us hanging like that!

Lily Boot said...

Oh she sounds like my kind of girl! I am utterly in favour of slow-cooked quilts. And I totally agree on the ideas coming in good time. :-)

Becky said...

Love this attitude! Let's celebrate our on-going projects! Let's work on the projects that are "speaking" to us instead of ones we feel we must work on. Right on!