TOP TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR WIPs AND UFOs
Share
Are WIPs and UFOs lurking in every corner and crevice of your sewing or craft room or arrayed on your dining table? Are those piles of beautiful fabric in your stash that you bought for that enticing project luring you to start yet another creation? Do you “oooh” and “aahhh” over new items on display at a sewing, quilting or fabric store, dying to try that new thing? Is your sewing machine, cutting table or work area covered in fabric and supplies?
Having piles of Works in Progress (WIPs) and UnFinished Objects (UFOs) can make you feel like you will never complete the next project. It can make us anxious and stressed. What was once exciting is now a burden. But you can get that feeling of joy and excitement back.
Today I will share organizing advice from experts in two areas: weight management and attention deficit disorder. Both have a wealth of knowledge and resources that we can apply to our own daily lives, even if we don’t fall into either category. Having used techniques from experts in these two areas, either for a loved one or myself, I have learned how effective the advice can be in organizing my own WIPs.
Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., who advises adults with attention deficit, suggests first establishing an external structure to manage one’s performance. “Tedious to set up,” he said, “once in place, structure works like the walls of the bobsled slide, keeping the speedball sled from careening off the track.”
When I look at my Works in Progress, I would love to have focus, a little speed, and the race’s end to motivate me. How about you?
To crafters, sewers and quilters, setting up structure means getting organized. Start with what you have on hand -- gallon or larger zip lock bags, shoe boxes or other storage containers or clear bags. If you don’t have any in your home, hold off buying any until you take stock of what you need to organize.
Designate one hour or less to place all of your WIPs onto your cutting table, dining table or other surface where you can see everything. Place fabric, quilt blocks, thread, patterns, buttons, zippers, etcetera for one project into one bag or one container. Some of your projects might need large storage containers. Some might need only a gallon zip lock bag.
It may take more than one hour to complete this task if you have many WIPs, but I think you will be happy when you’ve sorted and organized, have a place for everything, and the project items are all together. Having Works in Progress organized saves time and stress and will get you on your way quickly when you have time to sew.
Apply tried and true organizing solutions while you're getting a handle on your WIPs.
Now let’s set up a calming and supportive environment both physically, mentally and emotionally. Ellen G. Goldman, Health & Wellness Coach, said “It’s hard to concentrate on cultivating habits when your brain is constantly on overload. Like it or not, ” -- in our case, finishing a sewing, quilting or embroidery project -- “requires time, energy and focus. If you are also listening to a harsh inner voice filled with criticism, pessimism and sabotaging messages, your chances of success are slim. As much as you need to organize your time and environment, you will also need to organize your mindset for successful ” -- in our case, for successfully completing the next WIP or UFO.
Need motivational help to work on your WIPs and UFOs? Check back tomorrow and I'll have tips to help you get it done.
Having piles of Works in Progress (WIPs) and UnFinished Objects (UFOs) can make you feel like you will never complete the next project. It can make us anxious and stressed. What was once exciting is now a burden. But you can get that feeling of joy and excitement back.
Today I will share organizing advice from experts in two areas: weight management and attention deficit disorder. Both have a wealth of knowledge and resources that we can apply to our own daily lives, even if we don’t fall into either category. Having used techniques from experts in these two areas, either for a loved one or myself, I have learned how effective the advice can be in organizing my own WIPs.
Edward M. Hallowell, M.D., who advises adults with attention deficit, suggests first establishing an external structure to manage one’s performance. “Tedious to set up,” he said, “once in place, structure works like the walls of the bobsled slide, keeping the speedball sled from careening off the track.”
When I look at my Works in Progress, I would love to have focus, a little speed, and the race’s end to motivate me. How about you?
To crafters, sewers and quilters, setting up structure means getting organized. Start with what you have on hand -- gallon or larger zip lock bags, shoe boxes or other storage containers or clear bags. If you don’t have any in your home, hold off buying any until you take stock of what you need to organize.
Designate one hour or less to place all of your WIPs onto your cutting table, dining table or other surface where you can see everything. Place fabric, quilt blocks, thread, patterns, buttons, zippers, etcetera for one project into one bag or one container. Some of your projects might need large storage containers. Some might need only a gallon zip lock bag.
It may take more than one hour to complete this task if you have many WIPs, but I think you will be happy when you’ve sorted and organized, have a place for everything, and the project items are all together. Having Works in Progress organized saves time and stress and will get you on your way quickly when you have time to sew.
Apply tried and true organizing solutions while you're getting a handle on your WIPs.
- Throw it out. Those colors you thought would look great together didn’t quite work out? You grimace or sigh heavily when you think about sewing on that project? As painful as it may be, if it doesn’t make you happy to think about working on it, why would you want to finish it?
- Donate it. Schools with sewing classes (yes, they still exist), quilt guilds and nonprofit store fronts are among places to donate.
- Edit it. If the original project was supposed to be a queen size quilt, but you only have four blocks completed, determine if those blocks can be used for another purpose. If yes, write a note about the new purpose and place it in the container as a reminder.
- Defer a decision for one week, or one month. It might be easier to put off an immediate decision, but be sure to follow your first instinct. Do you love it? Do you want it? Do you want to complete it? If you hate the thought of sewing on a project, why keep it?
Now let’s set up a calming and supportive environment both physically, mentally and emotionally. Ellen G. Goldman, Health & Wellness Coach, said “It’s hard to concentrate on cultivating habits when your brain is constantly on overload. Like it or not, ” -- in our case, finishing a sewing, quilting or embroidery project -- “requires time, energy and focus. If you are also listening to a harsh inner voice filled with criticism, pessimism and sabotaging messages, your chances of success are slim. As much as you need to organize your time and environment, you will also need to organize your mindset for successful ” -- in our case, for successfully completing the next WIP or UFO.
Need motivational help to work on your WIPs and UFOs? Check back tomorrow and I'll have tips to help you get it done.