Well I would start something new and exciting and use the applique border as your thinking time while having a break from it. She says looking sideways at the box containing all the exciting new projects she hasn't quite got round to finishing.

Perhaps we need to do it together and set aside a couple of days a month where we all get on with UFOs and encourage eachother and do a show and tell as we go

I can totally relate to the doldrums, feeling like I'm slogging away at a quilt, not wanting to work on it! I've got a backlog of projects that I want to get at least nearly finished before I move on to new and exciting quilt frontiers On my vacation from work this year, I did finish up one top, do another, make backs for both, and am finishing up a veritable albatross around my neck, the applique border on a log cabin that was set aside at least 2 years ago. I was stuck on a part of the applique. after the 2011 BOM, I now feel like I can do anything and this applique obstacle turned out to be nothing at all!

Sometimes things have to marinate for a while in my sewing room before they are ready to be finished .

Kathy

Well Lorchen--it is--but sometimes there are tedious parts that just go on and on and it quits being fun. That is when I need to reward myself so I will finish the tedium. Like today--I finally finished the last snowflake for last years BOM. I had to keep saying--just one more, just bury those threads, tomorrow you can try to put it together...see!

I love it Margo. I had seen the hole and the repair before but I did not realize that the quilt was that one! It is a beautiful quilt - with all two colours!

I just got some glow in the dark thread. Now I know how to use it!

Yes, and her DOG loves it too! He chewed a huge hole all the way through it!!

The black is a HOLE!!



And here is the patched quilt.

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See the stitched outline of the patch?? The patch was really not noticeable from either the front or the back after I got the repair made, but I outlined the shape of the hole with "glow in the dark" thread so she will always remember how much her puppy loved the quilt.

Margo wrote: That's FANTASTIC! I'll bet she loves it.

When you ask a niece for her two favorite colors so you can make her a quilt, and she answers sky blue, lime green and hot pink....
you need are reward when you get it done!!! :shock:

http://www.thequiltshow.com/os/photo.php/photos_id/6802

You need a 'reward system', Ritzy?? I always thought that quilting itself is a reward!

I agree with Margo--that is how I am working on one of my quilts here. A little bit each day then I can work on something that interests me. Like a reward system--and you will feel so good when you finally get it done.

Another thought is to teach the person the quilt is for how to do it.

I'm kind of like Margo except that instead of scheduling short stints of time, I have to divide the task up into smaller tasks. So, instead of thinking about the whole quilt, I'll say something like "now I'm going to cut out 2 T-shirt blocks, then I can do something else". Once I cut out those blocks, I often decide that that was pretty quick and I can go ahead and cut out 2 more blocks. If I'm really keen on getting it done, because it's a gift or something (because, like Rita, I won't work on it unless I'm enjoying it with the exception of some gifts), I'll do like Margo and schedule the little tasks for each day in my calendar. I'm always allowed to do more tasks than scheduled, but never fewer. And I make sure that they are minimal tasks so that I can get them done quickly. That's just what works for me....

Nancy

3n1family wrote:
If I had to work on a T-Shirt quilt I would probably lose motivation too! When I can't face quilting I doodle. I bought myself a big fat hard-backed notebook and I just doodle in it. It keeps the creative juices flowing. Unless you are being put under pressure by somebody to finish this quilt soon, if it was me I would put it aside and start working on something else. If it is a hobby then you should be enjoying it and not feeling a sense of obligation. The TQS shows are always inspirational for me. I hope you get out of the doldrums soon.

When I have a project that needs to be done, but I have a case of "druthers", I will mark a block of time on my day planner/calendar to work on it.
If I treat it like any other appointment that has a time slot, I will usually get wrapped up in it, and work longer than I had planned to.
If I don't finish, I will mark another time slot on the calendar and pick away at it until it's done.
Even if it's just one hour at a time, it will get done.
Then I reward myself with permission to work on something that is calling to me NOW!

I'm in the same boat. I've been trying to work on a t-shirt quilt for my niece and it's been 1-1/2 yrs already!! Just can't seem to get into it like I should. Focus is gone and can't seem to get it back. Any help would be appreciated!! I've had a few medical and emotional hurdles that I've dealt with but can't get out of the druthers!! Tammy