After spending one afternoon, pulling out my needlework bins and looking over my partly completed projects, I realized that there were a lot of reasons why I had not completed the projects. Some I had “temporarily” put aside when I had decided to stitch a special gift for a wedding or baby shower. Others were stopped in their tracks when I was unable to find that special thread I had bought or could not find the instructions. Others I stopped working on when I was puzzled over what stitch to put in a specific area. Still others I had “temporarily” put aside because I discovered that I really did not like the design after stitching on it for a while. Some pieces I had put aside because the count was small or it was hard working on them at night. I am sure other needle workers can think of lots more reasons why they “temporarily” put aside a specific piece.

Came up with some ideas that have resolved some but not all of my problems. I matched the canvas, instructions and threads and bagged them together along with not one but several needles. If the canvas was already on stretcher bars, I just bagged the instructions, threads and needles and clearly identified what project it went to. For those pieces that I did not like stitching on any more, a friend of mine happily received as a gift. Others I gave to a local senior center to sell at their fundraiser. Selected only three…err..maybe four canvases to put in the needlework basket near my favorite chair and next to my needlepoint frame. Some designs are easy to tote and are simple. Others need a lot of concentration so are best left for quiet time. With the canvaseses that I still do not know what stitch to use, I will schedule a private class to look at the canvas, suggest stitches and obtain a stitch guide. Janet, it is awesome that you offer private consults and stitch guides. With your help, some of my canvases are going to be moving from UFO status to beautiful pillows and bell pulls.

Setting aside a specific amount of time to work on a UFO and also having the option to change projects instead of plodding forward on only one piece was a great bit of information I got from the post. Who would have thought that I had to only work on one piece until it was finished. That would be comparable to my mother’s comments “Unless you eat all of your spinach, you cannot have dessert.”. I can feast on spinach and dessert but..err… but not necessarily at the same time… lol

You never know when you’re going to have a spare 10 minutes to work on something. I used this strategy last night while waiting for my doctor’s appointment. Those 10 minutes add up.

I almost always have a small project on me–not only needlepoint, but other kinds of needlework as well. About the only times I don’t carry something with me is when I at a special event, such as a wedding.

Carol