UFO Ramblings

Over at the Stitch Bitch, Anna is musing on why our UFOs become UFOs. I started to reply on her comments page, but realized I have more to say and have brought my thoughts here:

Multitasking is only part of the answer. I think the truth is that my slight ADD tendencies get all excited by kitting up and starting something new. The beginning is full of new things and possibilities. The ending is satisfying, too, but in a different way.

I'd have to take a serious look through the bin to see at what point does something get put aside. Sometimes it's just that something more beautiful and compelling comes along and current project sort of falls away and out of sight is out of my mind. Other times, obligation stitching (which I rarely do anymore) cause me to put something down.

But why exactly do I focus on some projects with like a laser guided missile? It's happened to me twice this year. Both projects called to me. I mean, I could hear them in the resting places saying, "Stitch me. Now." These were Posiedon and my Halloween Fairy. In both cases, they made my current projects get dropped to UFO status. Both projects took about 6 weeks and I know I was enchanted with them every time I looked at them.

Why do other things become more of a chore? Maybe it's the beading or the metallics or the queen stitches that slow me down. Maybe I've gotten tired of the colors. Maybe it was just a really large project. I know I reject a lot of designs I love because of the size of the project. I try not to have more than 2 extra large projects going at once.

I admire those stitchers who have finished nearly every MLI angel. I don't know how they do it. I suspect they are one project at a time stitchers. Something I'm never going to be.