What's In A Name?

When I first began quilting, I began with two projects. No wait. It was three. I wanted to make a 25th anniversary quilt for my parents. A friend had made one for her parents, and she'd made applique blocks celebrating events of their life together, as well as various interests. I made an applique block of pots (my mom was an accomplished potter), and that's as far as I got.

I quickly shifted gears and started a white "whole cloth" kingsized quilt using the quilt-as-you-go method taught by Georgia Bonesteel. I began in early 1982, I finished in December 1984. (Their 25th anniversary was in June 1983.)

I started a Monkey Wrench quilt for my daughter. (Also begun in 1982, I finished this particular quilt in September 1985.)

In the beginning, I thought I was a quilter of very little dedication. Now, so many years later, I find that having multiple projects stashed around the house is normal for most quilters. I say most, because I do know a few (very few) who buy fabric for a particular project, and then proceed to finish it before beginning something else. That's just not my style. It never has been.

Anyhoo, When I first joined the guild in 1987, I was introduced to the concept of UFO's. That would be "UnFinished Objects" for those of you still out of the loop.

Last year, when I discovered quilt blogging, I learned a new term, "WIP's". For "Works In Progress." hmmm. WIPs works for the quilts that haven't yet made it to the back of the closet and forgotten, right? ;)

On Friday, I heard a new one. "UFO's? I don't have any UFO's! I have PhD's!!"

PhDs? What would that be?

"You know, PhD's..."Projects Half-Done."

Ahhh. Actually, PhD works for me too, but it doesn't stand for Projects Half-Done. A friend of mine (whose husband was in a PhD program) told me, "PhD REALLY stands for Piled Higher and Deeper." My unfinished projects, most certainly rate that particular description!!!

And the pile's not getting any smaller. But I have taken two small-to-you/large-to-me steps towards getting a couple of items out of that pile. Yay for the 12-Step Program!!

Time to go work on something else...I hope you get to work on a quilt today!