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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
 Posted - 07/05/2011 : 01:53:44 AM
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I feel like I have entered a knitting black hole zone. I am knitting mainly on three huge projects - 2 afghans (1 small) and a very "Ample Shawl". They all are fairly close to completion, but... I desperately want to start something new. Yer I have made (and publicly announced on my blog) a decision to not begin any new project until I am done with the three beasts. Sigh.
Back to my blanket now.
Henya
Want to know me better - visit my blog http://chickenstitches.blogspot.com/
For unique patterns and stitch markers visit http://www.chickenstitches.com/shop
Visit my Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChickenStitches |
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eldergirl
Permanent Resident
USA
1683 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2011 : 8:44:03 PM
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Aye, there's the rub! Those public announcements on blogs will be the end of us!...
I suggest that you secretly begin some socks or a small scarf, made of gorgeous yarn that you love, but you have to hide it from yourself, as well!
How can you do this? Maybe put a pillowcase over it while you knit? Or sit in a dark closet?
Hmmmm. I think I see a new post emerging.....
Anyway, the best of us lie to ourselves, and break personal promises. I think you will find other enablers here!
Best wishes!
Anna
Life is beautiful. |
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Jane
SustaYning Member
USA
4299 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 03:59:13 AM
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To help you make progress on your big projects, and to allow you to cast on for something new without worry, try using our dear Fran's Ten Minute Rule:
"I have what I call the "10 minute rule" Before I can work on anything else, I have to work on the chosen project for 10 minutes and I absolutely MUST work on it for a minimum of 10 minutes a day. That doesn't sound like much but it adds up quickly. After all it amounts to over an hour a week. That works for most projects but with a Christmas deadline, you may have to put in more than 10 minutes a day. The whole trick is to keep at it a little at a time and it will disappear. It is much easier to pick up a project we are tired of when we know it will only be for so many minutes." (from 12/05)
It's worked for many a knitter, and we've talked about it a lot over the years! Here's just one of many Ten Minute Rule discussions.
Good luck!
Jane
Betty deserves everything and more: Make a Donation
Blog: Not Plain Jane
Photos: Flickr Album
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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 05:00:13 AM
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Well what I am doing today is instead of knitting a bit on each of the three projects I picked the one that is closest to completion. It is a "Ten stitch twist" in Chroma Worsted from Knit Picks. You can see the partially done one here:
http://chickenstitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/crafting-add-in-full-force.html Since this morning I am almost done with one ball (OK, it was more like 2/3 of the ball) and will try to finish the other one. Not sure if that will be possible because the natives (A.K.A. children) are home from school and they are restless.
by the way I use the 10 minute rule all the time, the problem is that I got a lot of WIPs, so 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there...
Henya
Want to know me better - visit my blog http://chickenstitches.blogspot.com/
For unique patterns and stitch markers visit http://www.chickenstitches.com/shop
Visit my Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChickenStitches |
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linda-gail
Permanent Resident
USA
1052 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 04:48:41 AM
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When I am in a similar situation, I use the plan and swatch aid. I put in a minimum amount of time on my WIP each day. (If I have more than one, I chose one for each day) I then allow myself to survey my yarns, choose one or more that might work for my new project. Then I swatch. I do not consider that to be "cheating" because I haven't actually started knitting the new project but I have gotten the enjoyment of playing with something new. Swatching is important and I take my time, making sure that everything is just right. That usually gets me through to the finish line with the WIP. Good luck.
Linda, knitting and spinning away in MD |
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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
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marthamarques
New Pal
6 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 05:36:16 AM
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| If you have kids and you are taking them out and about (park?, sports?) then you definitely need some travel knitting. You can't be schlepping those big projects around can you? So the big projects are "home knitting" and you cast on some simple socks to put in your bag as "on the road knitting". Mittens would work as well, and it would put you ahead of the game for the holidays. |
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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 05:56:32 AM
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I have an ongoing charity knitting - hats for the soldiers that travel with me anywhere. But this I do not count. As to the kids - they kind of travel by themselves here in Israel. The country is very safe this way. We do not have to worry if our 5 year old goes to the playground by himself. I can see the playground through the window, but besides that if something happens - like a fall - he will be promptly brought back by other kids, who will also hang around and see if he wants to go back and play. Comparing to the part of Brooklyn, where we used to live - this is wonderful! Very few cars too.
Henya
Want to know me better - visit my blog http://chickenstitches.blogspot.com/
For unique patterns and stitch markers visit http://www.chickenstitches.com/shop
Visit my Etsy shop - http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChickenStitches |
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Trudysea
New Pal
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 07:18:26 AM
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Break the promise but blog about why the promise strategy didn't work for you.
The get-out-of-credit-card-debt advice that Suze Orman, Michele Singleton, and others give translates handily to knitting. At various times I've read advice to pay down the smallest debt first (project closest to finished), biggest debt first (project most lagging), pay off the highest interest rate (which project, finished, would give you the most relief?), pay off a little on each. Maybe one option or other will be more inspirational to a given knitter than another.
Trudy |
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 08:50:06 AM
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I don't get in here very much any more, but KR will always be my first love when it comes to knitting "boards" (what these things used to be called in the 'old days'). I still read Clara's weekly newsletter and occasionally pop in to read some of the topics. Unfortunately, y'all are very chatty! I just can't keep up on a day to day basis! Life gets in the way...
On to the topic at hand:
Henya, is anyone going to die or otherwise be harmed by you not keeping your promise? Knit what you want. A hundred years from now, no one is going to give a rat's bohunkus whether you kept that promise or not.
My father always said "A promise spoken was meant to be broken." I guess in this case we could add "By a promise written, we are sure to be bitten!"
Hi! to anyone who might remember me! 
Keep on knittin', mama, knittin' those blues away! |
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Luann
Permanent Resident
USA
2611 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 09:59:28 AM
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Hi Chris! Nice to see you!
I like Linda-Gail's plan and swatch strategy. But it sounds like you are over the hump on the first afghan and hopefully that will help you get through this.
Luann
Knit and let knit!
http://www.luannocracy.blogspot.com |
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ceddy
New Pal
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 10:01:28 AM
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| As far as I know the WIPs police are on permanent vacation, so I say go for it. We're all adults and understand things change, especially boring things. You go girl, start that new project! |
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mamacat90807
New Pal
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/07/2011 : 12:36:32 PM
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It's no one else's business but your own what you do with your knitting. Cast on or not as you desire, knitting should bring joy, not stress. For the future I suggest you refrain from making public promises to a world of people you don't even know! JMHO!
"knitting myself stupid at every opportunity." |
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HRH the Knitting Queen
Chatty Knitter
USA
344 Posts |
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purlewe
Permanent Resident
1867 Posts |
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 12:57:45 PM
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I recently started taking down my WIP pile.. and I realized I would just want to keeeel myself before it was over. I am allowing myself one old project and one new project at a time. I can't start another "new" project until the old and new are both done. This has worked for me and I have 19 projects done since November (10 WIPs and 9 new). I wanted to get my WIPs down to 5 and I have reached that goal! I am now working on WIP#11 and new project number 10.
I finally found a project system that works for me AND lets me be carefree about the new projects in my life. I can definitely see a dent in my WIPs and am still seeing fun new projects on the needles.
If you are getting close to a goal with at least one of your projects I would say let yourself cast on a new project when one of the old is finished. It would be a great reward and will give you a strong push to finish the old.
Life is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming. ~Myrna Loy
http://purlewe.typepad.com/ |
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Chicken Stitches
New Pal
Israel
31 Posts |
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taylormade.bat@gmail.com
New Pal
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2011 : 09:16:25 AM
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I too have recently dug in, in earnest, to a batch of UFO's from the past. I've set a date with myself for the fall (actual date TBD) to commence one or more new projects with yarn purchased this spring in Scandinavia. I can hardly wait!
In the meantime, I have completed a vest started three years ago, a summer sweater nearly completed two years ago, and a summer vest set aside 12 years ago during a move across the country. I also completely chucked (without unraveling and saving the yarn, how terrible) a Rowan Big Wool sweater from years ago that looked great in the pattern photo and crappy on the needles. It wasn't worth salvaging.
What has surprised me is the glee and momentum I'm experiencing from finally finishing these set-aside items. I suppose they had accumulated more behind-the-scenes guilt than I realized, especially since I love buying new patterns and yarn.
Now I almost feel that I need to hustle to get to one or two more of these UFOs done before my fall deadline arrives. I actually feel motivated to get these clutter-producing projects out of my closet and off my mind!
Of course there still are a multitude of smaller projects parked near my knitting chair (scarves, shawls, etc.) but these I view as "travel projects", not UFOs. I will always have a few of these hanging around.
BT in MN
Barbara in St. Paul, MN |
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Knitting a black hole....
