Annual Inventory Time

On May 15, 2005, I started an inventory of all of my UFOs, WIPs, and PIGs, as well as fabric bought with a project in the planning stages. I put it all on an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of it. (The image to the left is not my spreadsheet -- I have no idea how to insert that into Blogger.) There were 56 items on my list.
. . . .
Between May 15, 2005 and May 15, 2006, I finished 18 and gave away one. That was a start, I thought. But I couldn't feel really proud of my progress because during that year I'd added 18 more projects! Now I'm no mathematician, but it appeared that my net progress was one finished item! Oh, dear.
. . . .
The second year has been better. I finished 28 and gave away one, and only started 13 more.
. . . .
So here we are at the start of the third year. There are presently 40 UFOs, WIPs, PIGs, and PIPs on my list. Two of the are likely to be finished within a week. There are presently no plans for purchasing fabric for new projects, but there seldom are plans for same -- yet it seems to happen! Some bloggers I read sport a "no new fabric" badge that changes each month. I know myself well enough that if I put up such a badge, it would turn immediately into a challenge to see how quickly I could defy it. Buying to finish a project is something else entirely, and in my view, anyway, is a good thing!

Comments

LoieJ said…
I keep a running inventory too. In fact, I use that data base to print a slip of paper I use as a label in my quilt photo album. [Which is nearly up to date, in contract to my kid's albums. Probably because I give sewing away, so I want a record. I don't give the kids away, but I've thought about it.]

I'm not sure how you define UFOs, but sometime for me they are things I should not have started or I'm bored with them, so they are put out somewhere...given away. The strips from the log cabin quilt that was ugly went to a latch hooker, for example. I'm trying to be realistic and not have an attachment to something I'm not interested in anymore. Plus, with my current family committments, I'm not home all that much. So it goes. Happy listing!
LoieJ said…
Looks like I've commented under both of my blog names. I'll try to be more consistant.
Mrs. Goodneedle said…
I am afraid to trust anything as extensive as any excel spreadsheet of my UFO's would be to the memory of a machine. (I'm still reeling from my recent crash). Instead of spending that amount of time creating a list to point up my lack of commitment to any one project I should think my time would be better spent picking up thread and needle! I have vowed not to buy fabric for anything new in '07 but I like your thinking along the lines of fabric that would actually finish a project... I could justify that ;)
atet said…
I could tell you how to show your excel spreadsheet on blogger -- but then you would have to show the evidence :-).

From what I can tell -- you aren't nearly the only one. I'm afraid to catalog mine, not because of the UFO's per se (although I have a few) but because of the PIGs (there has GOT to be a better word than that -- these are projects I WANT to do after all). Speaking of which, if I can dig out the kitchen/dining room area enough today I can get back to sewing...wish me luck!
Susan said…
Kinda like losing weight. =)