Day 21 – UFO Swap
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Before we start on today’s topic, I just wanted to post a link to a new blog friend of mine – she is also doing the 31 Day Challenge, and hers is about quilting too. She did a great post called Hexies on-the-go, and it fits in with my post yesterday, so I thought I’d share it.. go over and say hi if you have time, it’s well worth a read!
Ok, back to our topic – a great way to finish UFOs is to have a swap! Ok, so you don’t actually “finish” that particular UFO, you are just palming it off on someone else.. But, it is a way of getting excited about finishing a “new to you” project! Like the saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, you could say “one gal’s UFO is another gal’s NewFO”!
There is often something about someone else’s UFO that looks so much more appealing than your own:
It is new to you!
 It is different!
 It is full of pretty new fabrics that you probably don’t have in your own stash!
Because of the above reasons, it is quite likely that you will get into finishing it off quicker than you would your own.
UFO swaps can be informal between two or three friends, or it can be a fun thing to do in a quilt group or guild.
Have everyone bring in a UFO of the same sort, e.g. a quilt, table runner, or wall hanging. Decide whether it needs to have all the fabric ready to finish the top, or just have the UFO as is.
Then you can draw numbers, or straws or take turns in going up to pick one. You can put them in bags so that no one can see what they are getting, or actually choose which one you want.
You might end up with one you don’t like, but you never know, it could be one that you will treasure the rest of your life. I personally treasure someone else’s UFO because it reminds me of them… and makes it more special no matter what the color or style.
Flimsies are great to swap too. You can swap them permanently or even temporarily to just have someone else finish the quilting on yours and you do the same for them. It’s a fun way to get them done, and sometimes we just need a little nudge!
Have you ever swapped a UFO and were you happy with how it all worked out?
I have never swapped a UFO, and don’t think I could. I did read a funny story online a few months ago about a UFO though. I don’t remember whose blog it was on or I would give them credit. The quilter decided there was a UFO that she had lost interest in, and was never going to finish. So she bagged it up and dropped it off at her local thrift shop. A week or so later, a friend of hers appeared with the bag and said “Look at the bargain I found at the thrift shop. I just love it, and was hoping you would finish it for me!!” Quilter couldn’t say no, so she took it home and promptly finished it for her friend. So that’s another way of finishing a UFO. 🙂
No I don’t think I have swapped–I have given lots away–mainly to my friend back in NY, Anne and she finishes them and donates them to Hospice–she makes over 100 quilts a year for them and about 40 or so baby quilts each year that she donates to our local Santa give away for kids 0-2 that don’t other wise get a gift–and then there is all the quilts she makes for her family-!! She loves all my blocks that are orphans too–in fact I just sent her some blocks that I have even made since I was here, that I decided I did not want to use in a quilt!!!!
love and laughter, di
I haven’t swapped one, though I have received them. I am on a ‘destash’ group on facebook and notice quite a few people selling them..
Hugz
I’ve put UFO’s in the Op shop bag, but never swapped. I love Sunny’s story, though, but, I just haven’t got any quilting mojo at the moment, so although I got some out, they are just sitting there. Hope you got my message today. Take care.