Project Pile-Up: When UFOs Attack (and How to Fight Back)

From chaos to clarity: organizing your quilt projects

so you can actually finish them

Scrolling through Facebook, a post instantly catches my eye: “Buy one of our quilt kits and get this adorable snowman quilt kit absolutely free!” Who could resist taking a closer look, right? I click, and sure enough—the snowman quilt is beyond cute. Definitely one I could make as a gift… though let’s be honest, it’s probably too cute to part with once it's finished. And the quilt kits to qualify for the deal? I quickly narrowed it down to four. Totally impossible to resist.

But let’s take a quick inventory. I have a PMQ that’s in serious need of catching up, the Mystery50 is just finishing up, a Halloween table runner halfway done, the latest PMQ is off and running, four quilts back from the longarmer waiting to be bound, and—let’s not forget—four untouched quilt kits already tucked away in the closet.

What happened to that woman—me—just a year ago, who swore she wouldn’t drown in a sea of unfinished projects when she picked up this hobby? What happened to the one who wasn’t going to stuff the guest room dresser drawers with enough fabric to piece together at least five scrappy quilts? Yep... it’s all happening. Right here, at my house.

How do we organize all of these projects? I went to Google and AI to find some answers and suggestions to get myself together. 

Karen from Just Get It Done Quilts has a great video on YouTube about how to organize your UFOs so that they really will get finished.

One thing I found very helpful was that you can give yourself permission to NOT finish something you started. If you just don’t like it, and it’s not turning out the way you want it, just get rid of it. Stop letting it make you feel guilty. Donate it, trash it, or give it away as is to a group that might decide to finish it. Don’t let the money invested (But it was expensive fabric!!) force you to finish something you don’t like. Let it go!

Sew Much Moore In Store has a UFO list PDF that you can download which will help you organize your projects, and you can see how much you have to do. Don’t we all love checking off tasks as we work on our To-Do list?

One of our PMQ Ambassadors, True Blue Quilts, has a great YouTube video that shares some great tips and tricks to getting those projects finished. 

There are so many ways you can prioritize your unfinished projects. 

1. By order of importance. What needs to be finished first? This is important if Christmas is coming, or you need to finish a birthday present. 
2. Easiest to finish. Obviously, the one that is 90% complete, and just needs 1-2 more steps completed, is the best way to move them into your finished column.
3. Favorites to least favorite. Hey, once you prioritize this way, you can take a look at those on the bottom of the list and decide if they are worth finishing at all. Sometimes, it really is better to part ways.

It’s important to choose a plan of action that truly works for you—otherwise, you’ll just be spinning your wheels and wasting valuable time. Here’s the approach I’ve taken:

1. First, I organized my most important works-in-progress into the cart you see pictured. Funny enough, I originally bought this shelving unit for kitchen storage, but the quirky doors didn’t function the way I hoped. Instead, it’s turned out to be the perfect solution for housing my UFOs—keeping them visible, accessible, and motivating as I work through each one.
2. Next, I gave my entire workspace a deep clean. All those tossed-off scraps, stray threads, and bits of packaging had built up over time, and every random clip, pin, pen, and sewing tool found its way back home. The clear space instantly made me feel lighter and more focused.
3. With that done, I turned to my highest-priority project: the M50 quilt. Since it needed to be ready for the Big Reveal, I worked on it exclusively until it was finished. One big check mark off the list!
4. Now my focus is on catching up with the Flyway PMQ, while also balancing another project that must be completed by December. To stay on track, I’ve created micro-deadlines for myself: finish a PMQ clue and complete a section of the December project by the end of each weekend. This system is working beautifully. As soon as my PMQ is current, I’ll be alternating between binding another quilt and continuing progress on the December project, with the goal of getting it to the longarmer in October.

I’ve found that when I adjust my project plan and move back and forth between just a couple of priorities, I stay interested without feeling that heavy pressure to finish. It keeps the work enjoyable and reminds me why I love this hobby in the first place.

As I complete these initial priorities, I can give myself permission to move forward with something new, knowing I’ve made real progress—perhaps even returning to those quilt kits that tempted me in the first place.