WIPs
I love starting new projects. I have several new projects in mind that I would like to start now. But that mindset is responsible for the state of my knitting table.
Plus there's Leo, and the yak scarf, and all those miters yet to be finished. I have definitely created a too-many-projects problem for myself. It's hard to ever finish anything when you don't spend much time on any one thing. But how do you know which ones to focus on first?
I have been trying to focus on the beaded scarf, because that has a deadline, and because I will have to start knitting soon for Sockapalooza.
But I didn't knit on the beaded scarf at all yesterday because I felt guilty about still not finishing the Boathouse socks. This shouldn't be making me feel guilty. My husband won't need his sweater until September at the very earliest. Ditto for my dad's yak scarf. So I feel less guilty about those.
How do you prioritize your projects? Or, better yet, how do you keep yourself from having too many going at once?
23 comments:
I'm of no help because I have 3 WIP goin on right now but some times I start with the smallest thing just to get it out of the way and I work my way up.
I can't even tell you how many projects I have going. The "winter" projects don't count since it's now too warm to work on them. But I have 3 or 4 pair of socks on the needles, a baby blanket that needs to be done by December, and a gift scarf that has a June 15 deadline.
That said, it's not going to stop me from swatching for the cardigan I want to knit with yarn in my stash.
I figure if something has a deadline, I should probably finish that first. Other than that, it's whatever I feel like knitting at the time. :)
It would give me fits to work on more than one thing at a time. It gets boring but it saves me the guilt of working on one thing when I ought to be doing something else.
I might change this though soon, since I'm in miter hell.
I've tried having several projects going at once, but it drove me crazy. I knit some here and some there, and felt guilty for not finishing this or that. Now I have one big project, like a blanket, and one or at the most two going at once. It gets finished faster, if you concentrate on one thing. ;o)
I limit myself to 4 projects - any more or less doesn't work for me. Usually there is 1 bigger sweater project, 2 smaller (sock/mitten) projects and 1 misc. (hat/scarf/shawl). One of them is always a mindless knit for TV/waiting rooms/kids games. Any more than that and I get lost - forgetting where I am on things ... and any less - I get a bit bored not being able to "change up" enough. So when I finish something a space opens up for the next new knit!
Prioritizing is more complicated ... no real rules that I can explain, but I KNOW !
I can't offer any help here. I am bad about getting side-tracked on a new project and leaving yet another project on the needles. Then I have to buy more needles to start more new projects. It's an illness.
Well, aren't you a busy bee...
i myself have no real method. I usually just knit the prettiest thing on my needles. Very scientific, no?
Recently I divided up my weeknights (craft time) into projects that I want to work on. One night for each project and work on it exclusively that night. I have one project that comes in the car with me as well as it's own night because it is portable. This works well for me as it gives a set schedule and I don't feel guilty about working on each wip because I know each one will get an equal turn.
Define too many. :)
I have a lot of things on the needles - at least 1 or 2 socks, a big project like a sweater, a long-term project like an afghan, and occasionally a super-quick-I-need-instant-gratification knit. But if something stays a UFO or WIP too long, then I will rip it, as it usually means my love for the project was fleeting.
I feel your pain. It's so much fun to start things but it's hard to keep WIPs to a manageable number. I usually try not to have more than three things on the go at once. If there is something with a deadline I'll focus on that. Other times I'll give myself a deadline, like "I want to wear this to X next week" and then I'll pay more attention to it.
Good luck working with your many projects. At least they are all lovely :)
I usually limit myself to two things at once. A sweater or project requiring concentration, and a small item like socks or a hat for when my brain needs a break.
BTW, I loooove the looks of the beaded scarf! Are you using a pattern? It's so beautiful!
Oh, your WIPs table looks a whole lot like like my WIPs table. It'll all get done eventually, that's what I always say.
I might have as many as 3, possibly 4 projects going but I've learned..for myself...I have to focus on one at a time..right now it's all time for the Dulaan knitting and I'm actually quite loving it.
I don't understand the word prioritize! I have at least four projects going at any time, and each one is finished when it's finished! I've always felt that I am going to spend most of my free time knitting anyway, so it doesn't matter.
BTW that green sock yarn is gorgeous! I'd probably finish those first.
Prioritizing your WIP's...I'm sorry, I don't understand...can you please reword the question?
I have one LTP (long term project) that I never seem to work on, one LTP that I use for filler when I don't have to concentrate or when I fly. One top that's been half done for 6 months and a pair of socks that has been ripped back so many times. I buy yarn so much faster than I can ever imaging knitting and my priorities change each time I see new and pretty yarn. It's lunch time and I'm off to look at some Lobster Pot Mega Skeins at the Purl Soho shiping center/wherehouse (So California).
I love the new look of your blog. I always have too many projects going. For the first time in a longer than I can remember, I only have ONE pair of socks on the needles. I usually start the stuff I HAVE to work on, and if it sits around for too long, I rip it out. Well, I only rip it out after a long time and I am convinced that it just really didnt want to be knit after all. (I am one of those weird people who doesn't mind ripping out and reknitting.)
I like your new banner! Very nice.
Well, I'm like the typical lawyer and way too anal-retentive to be healthy. I limit myself to three projects at a time and I rotate on a daily basis. That way I don't get bored because even if I'm loving working on something, I force myself to switch to the next thing the next day and then I never (well, hardly ever) get sick of it. And I still make somewhat decent progress.
I guess you don't have that compulsivity problem, huh?
My immediate response to your questions was - if you figure it out, can you please let me in on the secret? Then I read everyone else's comments, lol. Glad to know I'm not alone with having multiple wips. So I have to ask now - if the wips number double digits, is that too many? :)
Emma, at the beginning of the year I made a decision to have only one project going at once - including socks!
It seems to be working. I've accomplished a lot more this year - even with extra uni hours.
Multiple projects on the needles meant I just wasn't finishing anything.
you've picked a hot topic!
I think you know how many wip I have on the needles... and shrinking knit time. So I just go with whatever I feel like knitting. I didn't take up knitting to increase my stress level so I just don't stress about it....eventually I don't feel like making a decision about what yarn to use with what project and I re discover something in progress and find it fun again and finish it up. Sometimes just the finishing can get as addicting as the starting...now if I can just find time to knit! LOVE the new layout/photo banner etc. Beautiful job.
my WIP table looks even worse, if you can imagine... and yet I cast on for a Capotis yesterday (something about law school finals makes me want to curl up in a ball and knit something mindless).
I have to move in about a month and I'm starting to have nightmares about organizing the stash and WIPs...
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