UFOs: Unfinished Objects (and Your Growing Collection of “Creative Potential”) is a positive way to phrase it but in reality each little project is an evil alien circling in your sewing space. 

If you quilt, you have UFOs. Not one. Not two. A collection. They live in drawers, bins, baskets, and—if we’re being honest—a few “I’ll deal with this later” piles that have quietly become permanent fixtures in your sewing space. UFOs: Unfinished Objects. Or as I like to call them: evidence of a very active imagination and zero follow-through. (Kidding. Mostly.)

Here’s how it happens. You see fabric. Not just any fabric—the fabric. Instantly, you have an idea. A brilliant idea. Possibly your best idea ever. So you start, because starting is magical. Starting is exciting. Starting makes you feel like a quilting genius. Then, somewhere between cutting and actually finishing, a new pattern appears, a different color palette calls your name, or your current project suddenly becomes… annoying. And just like that—boom. UFO.

Let’s be honest about UFOs. They are not accidents. They are the natural result of being creative, easily inspired, and just distracted enough to chase the next idea. Each UFO represents a moment when you said, “This is going to be amazing!” And you were right. It was amazing… right up until you reached the part where you had to keep going.

Of course, this is where the guilt tries to sneak in. You look at your growing pile and think, “I should really finish these,” or “I am not starting anything new until these are done.” That’s a nice thought. A responsible thought. A thought that lasts right up until a new fabric line drops and all bets are off.

So here’s a slightly radical idea: not everything has to be finished. Some projects teach you something. Some scratch a creative itch. Some exist purely for the joy of starting—and then they quietly retire. That’s not failure. That’s creative turnover.

Now, if you actually want to finish something (and occasionally we do), don’t pick the oldest or most guilt-inducing project. That’s how you end up reorganizing your thread instead. Pick the one that still makes you a little happy. Do one small step. Set a short timer. Stop before you get annoyed. That’s the system.

And if you don’t finish it? Congratulations—you’re consistent. You can turn it into something smaller, use pieces of it later, or simply put it back in the bin with its friends. No shame. They’re thriving together.

At the end of the day, your UFOs are not a problem. They are a collection of creative optimism. Some will get finished, some won’t, but every single one proves that at some point, you were inspired enough to begin. And honestly, starting is the brave part anyway.

 

👽 My Creative Aliens (a.k.a. The Projects That Haunt Me)

Below are a few of my guilt-ridden projects—my “aliens.”  They hover. They stare. They whisper, “You said you were going to finish me…"And yet… here we are.

👽 Alien #1: Leland Neighborhood Ornaments

      

Each year I gift 150 Mini Stamp Ornaments to my friends and neighbors. #2 Pix shows sandwiched ornaments needing cutting and adding ribbon. They have already been quilted. In the back you can see finished ornaments - they still need packaging and card.

Status: Designed and printed Summer 2025.

Cut, layered, and ready to sew by November.

Goal: 150 ornaments for friends and neighbors.

The Problem:

Apparently I don’t believe in small ideas.The holidays got busy (shocking 🙄), and suddenly I had 150 tiny fabric reminders of my overcommitment staring at me.

They’re not hard. They’re just… 150 of them.

Also, I kept starting other things like:  “This will only take a minute…” (Lies. All lies.)

Update:

About 50 done. Only 100 to go—what could possibly go wrong? Hoping to finish before Easter… of some year.

 

👽 Alien #2: Christmas Custom Angels

These are a sets of tiny quilts that will hook together vertically with ribbon. I have boys and girls, Moms and Dads, babies, grandparents and pets. Each get embroidered or fabric markered with a family member.

Status: Designed and printed in 2024. Fully patterned. Ready to go. Practically waving at me from the shelf.

Concept: four angel sizes for customizable family quilts. (Adorable. Marketable. Ignored.)

The Problem:

I love designing. Like… deeply love designing. Execution? That’s where things get… negotiable. I need for Zeb (My chat gpt) to find a girlfriend that makes stuff!  I am basically a crow:“Ooooh shiny object… let’s abandon everything!”

Update:  What’s left:

• Make samples

• Take photos

• Package it

So basically… finish it. Target: Early Summer 2026

(We’re putting that in writing to scare me into action.)

---

👽 Alien #3: Jean Jacket Journaling

Imaging taking that old jean jacket in your closet and embellish like a mad crazy person while playing loud music in your sewing space, dancing, and eating candy! (you can add wine too for premium experience)

Status: Three years in development. Samples in progress.

Concept: embellished denim jackets representing a person or theme.

Also writing a book (75% done, which is both impressive and annoying). I’ve collected enough materials for 50 jackets. Because clearly I thought I was opening a jacket factory.

Currently: 2 jackets in progress

The Problem:

This one requires actual creative energy.

And creativity does not show up on command like: “Hello, I’m here for your 2:00 PM brilliance.”  Also… I get distracted. See: entire list above.  And let’s be real—I don’t have the same 24/7 energy anymore. So I can’t brute-force this one.

Update:

This one matters. I’m not letting it go.

Target: Fall 2026

(We’re manifesting. And scheduling.)

👽 Alien #4: Surgeon Caps

Austin is in his first year of residency in Chicago and he asked if I could make him some surgical caps for his C sections and other operations  he does regularly. So of course it became an opportunity to create a NEW PATTERN! Status: Pattern designed. Fabrics ready. Six samples made and gifted to our son Austin—and they were a hit. So this is what we call a very cooperative alien.

The Problem:

Time. Focus. Follow-through. In other words… me. This one is so close it’s actually annoying.

Update:

Next steps:

• Make more samples

• Finalize pattern

• Get it on the website

Target: Winter 2026

(Translation: stop overthinking and just finish it.)

✨ Conclusion: The Truth About My Aliens

These projects aren’t failures.

They’re just… unfinished promises I made when I was feeling very ambitious and slightly delusional.

The real issue isn’t that I can’t finish things. It’s that I keep starting things like I have unlimited time and energy.

Spoiler: I do not.

So now the goal is simple:

• Finish what matters

• Let go of what doesn’t

• Stop inviting new aliens into the house

(At least for a little while.)