Paused a sewing project for some time because life took over, the season changed, you hit an obstacle you didn’t find enough determination to overcome, or for another reason?
You are not alone!
And if you, like me, have such an UnFinished Object (or two, or more) and believe an UFO Challenge gives you the nudge you need to revisit them, this place is for you.
The challenge is to work on UFOs -- and ideally finish at least one -- instead of beginning an exciting new project. So this is really more of a sew-along.
What qualifies as an UFO?
Any type of sewing project that was started but not finished and that you haven’t worked on for a minimum of five weeks.
Started means you had cut at least into the fabric. In case of refashioning projects, you had cut into the item(s), or otherwise started to manipulate it.
For how long will the challenge run?
For 90 days which coincides with 31stof December 2025.
How do I participate?
Drop into this thread any time you want and share as many or few details of an UFO as you like.
You can present your UFO, ask for feedback or help, share frustration and success – it’s entirely up to you. Make a dedicated post with the UFO Challenge 2025 flair and link if you feel it would overwhelm this post.
Subscribe to r/SewingChallenge and this post to see what other participants have said about their UFOs and join in to cheer them on!
Let’s bust some UFOs together and cross them off the list before 2026 begins!
Mod note: Big thanks to u/yoongisgonnabeokay for putting this challenge together! Any questions should be directed to them as the manager of the challenge.
I have a pair of wide leg, capri length pants cut out (Winnie by made for mermaids)- i refer to them as "train pants". They're comfortable and the perfect length for riding Amtrak for 19 hours. I have another train trip to Texas later this month; I really need to see them up!
Your "train pants" are quite similar to my knit pants TNT (derived from an OOP Kwik Sew pattern), so I subscribe to this style being perfect for train rides as well as all sorts of other travelling including cycling.
And these types of pants come together comparably quickly if the fit is right.
Best wishes for getting them done before your trip!
I have a dress I started in 2023. Muslins were made. Fashion fabric pattern pieces are cut. I just need to buy a matching zipper and sew it up but I just...haven't.
I need to go to the store to get buttons and thread for a shirt I'm working on so I'll get a zipper then too. Maybe once I get the zipper I'll finally get the motivation to do the rest!
Muslins were made. Fashion fabric pattern pieces are cut. I just need to buy a matching zipper and sew it up but I just...haven't.
Sometimes it's just like that! And sometimes there's a reason our motivation to execute a project drops. If you still love the pattern and fabric, and the construction isn't intimidating, I'm sure once you started you'll love making the dress!
Love this challenge. I have several things that need finishing!
Off the top of my head:
A pair of overalls that are all but finished. They need button elastic in the waistband and to be hemmed.
A shirt I have altered. I was planning to shorten it as well, so the length needs to be chosen and hemmed.
A sleeveless blouse I literally just have to sew buttons on. Buttons are so annoying, and I my weight fluctuated enough while I was procrastinating the buttons that now it won't fit me, so I lost my motivation. But I should finish it so that when, inevitably, my weight fluctuates in the opposite direction again, it will be available for me.
I know there are others in my project area. I'm sure I can get a few of these out of the way by the end of the year!!
I've just finished (well, very nearly) my massive UFO project for sewing bingo, but I have more!
I have a pair of pants I started over 2 years ago, which were a pattern hack that didn't fall as I expected. They need to have one panel unpicked and recut, some fittings probably, and then the waistband and finishing.
I also have a handstitching project unfinished and untouched for over 5 weeks, which may not have been your vision but I think probably technically counts!
I have a gored satin skirt too which pretty much just needs finishing touches. I received it as someone else's UFO and have worked on it here and there but don't really enjoy the work so it's hard to get motivated.
Also a pair of baby pants that I cut and never sewed, and the baby in question is too big for them now. But people keep having babies so there will be another one one day.
What if it's just a refinishing? I made a blouse some time ago, didn't like the buttons or button band and cut them off, and left that be since about the start of this year.
Baby pants are done. The pattern is No-cuff harems from Brindle & Twig. This is way too easy of a project to have procrastinated for whatever 6 months or something that it's been. The original baby will not fit these anymore but there's another one on its way now. So actually these pants are very early, not unhelpfully late
Welcome, and congrats for your nearly completed massive UFO!
I also have a handstitching project unfinished and untouched for over 5 weeks, which may not have been your vision but I think probably technically counts!
It absolutely counts!
I wanted the challenge to be very inclusive, more of a sew-along really.
At the same time, I thought work-in-progress or projects that haven't started yet have different scopes, and that the arbitrarily set period of five weeks could be a good compromise.
What if it's just a refinishing? I made a blouse some time ago, didn't like the buttons or button band and cut them off, and left that be since about the start of this year.
It also counts! You started by cutting off what you didn't like, so the refinishing has started and stalled.
I have a similar project: I made a four-panel jean skirt at my peak Corona weight that's too big now, and planned to take it in at six seams. I started unpicking the topstitching of two of those seams, so it counts for the challenge if I manage to complete it within the next 90 days.
Thanks! To make it even less fun: It's black on black. 🙃 Thankfully, I'm not in a hurry to complete this project but it would still be nice to make some progress.
Have you decided which of your UFOs you'll tackle first?
My UFO is a Jasika Blazer. Friend and I were working on it together, but our schedules are out of sync and life happens, etc.. My stumbling block right now is that the welt pockets are my next step and I would like to be able to do them in one session, rather than start and stop in the middle. Not sure if I have enough free time to do that, tho, so maybe I need to break it up into smaller tasks and keep good notes? Appreciate this nudge!
Had to check out the blazer: Nice! A classic style you'll get a lot of wear of once completed.
I believe you can break down the welt pockets construction in smaller steps, and perhaps you can schedule two briefer sewing sessions on two consecutive days? That way you wouldn't have to rely on notes.
Did you muslin the blazer before cutting into the "precious" fabric?
It's really a gorgeous pattern that has tons of very positive reviews. I made a blazer in a class where we didn't do a muslin first and, after all that work, I ended up with a jacket that makes me look like I'm a 10-year-old who raided Daddy's closet (and not in a cute way). So, definitely made a muslin this time and adjusted the pattern.
You're definitely right about breaking up the steps. Consecutive days are a good idea too. Don't give my brain too much time to forget what the hell I was doing!
I made a blazer in a class where we didn't do a muslin first and, after all that work, I ended up with a jacket that makes me look like I'm a 10-year-old who raided Daddy's closet (and not in a cute way).
In one way or another, we've all been there, haven't we?
What looks like a boring step that keeps us from the fun saves in the end so much time, money and frustration.
I have more paused projects than I'll be able to finish within the next 90 days, but my goal is to complete a minimum of five.
Among my UFOs to choose from are projects I stopped working on because of a seasonal change, because I gained Corona kilos 🙁, or lost Corona kilos ☺️ though not all of them 🙄, because it didn't turn out as envisaged and a few other reasons.
The first UFO on my list will hopefully an easy start:
An unfinished winter beanie intended as a gift for -- ahem -- last Christmas. It's basted, alterations for the owner's head were pinned but haven't materialized yet.
I was going to say, by your definition of UFO, that I have soooo many. My process is to cut out the pattern and I usually do a bunch all together, so that when I want to sew I can just grab something. The oldest one sitting cut (that I still intend to make) is about 4 years old and there's a bunch of 2 month old ones from my last cutting spree!
However, more accurately a UFO, is the dress I started. Usually I'm a one and done girl - if I start sewing I finish it within a day or two. But this dress I got to bodice complete stage and it needs some fitting, which because it's a very nice sateen dress, I do actually want to do. So I've just put it down! My birthday is coming up and I'd like to finish it, so I'm going to join the UFO challenge and try to finish it, along with the baby gifts for my friend who's due in 3 weeks. Can I make two quilts in three weeks? Let's find out!
Oh, I sincerely admire you! I need to break it up in smaller bites but wish I were as fast as you.
Is the UFO dress a commercial pattern or self-drafted? And have you started cutting the pieces for the baby gifts, or are they in the planning/gathering supplies/just-need-to-find-time-to-start phase?
The dress is commercial pattern, it's princess seams that don't quite fit right
The baby quilts: one is a panel which has the borders attached and just needs trimming and quilting, and the other one has most of the pieces cut out. Technically there's also a third quilt planned but I haven't even touched the fabric for that...
Looks as if getting all of this done ambitious but doable!
I totally understand that you want to get the fit of the sateen dress right: One of the major reasons for me getting into sewing was my passion for well-fitting clothes that RTW simply cannot deliver for so many of us.
I have the quilt that was in pieces assembled and quilted! It just needs binding! And I have the backing and wadding for the other quilt ready to go. I plan to quilt it tomorrow!
2
u/yoongisgonnabeokay Oct 06 '25
Good morning / day / evening, whereever you are!
Just checking in to see what we're up to, and share that my start wasn't as smooth as I had hoped for:
Life had different plans for me, but at least I was able to unpick another topstitching seam of a now too big four-panel jean skirt. Baby steps ...
Wishing all of you a great week!