Are you a monogamous knitter? Do you stick to your plan of starting and finishing each project as it comes up the queue? If you do, I could use some tips.
I know some people are programmed to finish what they start. They buy yarn for a particular project, get started and FINISH. Wow. I’m in awe. I usually have several projects on the go at one time. Now that I am trying to work on one at a time, I am having some problems. I’m a newby. How do you do this?
Last weekend was our Cabin Fever Retreat. Imagine lots of knitters in class all day learning all things I-Cord. We knit a back and front of a small purse (all sides worked in I-Cord), joined it all together with more I-Cord. They knit with 100% wool Northern Lights so when they get home, they can felt their purse.
In the evenings, knitters are knitting on their class project or one of the projects they brought with them. I am knitting on my monogamous wrap project. All good. I can knit my wrap while talking and laughing. No problem there. What I can’t do its bring it with me to meals and knit at the table. First of all the wrap is getting big, too big to carry around. Also I am at that stage of wanting to protect it from spills or anything that could damage all the work I’ve done. So knitting at the dinner table is out. Trying to be monogamous, I didn’t bring another project with me. A mistake. Imagine me fiddling with my silverware while everyone else is knitting, waiting for our meals to arrive.
What is your strategy? Stick to one project, no matter what? Work on two projects at one time? Say, what the hell and work on many, many projects?
My wrap is now a stay-at-home project. It’s almost too big for my knitting bag. That’s a good sign, I’m making progress. It may be time to dig out one of my UFO (unfinished objects) or come on, let’s be honest, start a new project to carry around.
Thanks for reading,
Deb
Cabin Fever patterns on ravelry
Deb Gemmell: Top Down, Gauge Free and more 
A: Stop going to dinner with knitters!
B. Knit a bunch of small pieces and join ’em up later.
C. Stay home with a glass of wine and just knit.
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Good advice. Mostly I’m trying to stay home and knit but I still have to teach classes so my wrap is going with me everywhere I can cart it along.
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Umm, I am Far, FAR, from being a monogamous knitter. I even have difficulty limiting myself to 4 or 5 projects at a time. So I put the ones that I can take in purses (Value Village is my friend) that I add to any bag that I might be carrying.
Now and again I purge and undo what isn’t working or move to the front anything that is close to being finished.
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Good advice on the unraveling of projects that just aren’t working. I’m going to try doing just that.
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I always have multiple projects on the go. Some are portable, so I can knit in the car, or on the train. Some are easier so I can talk while knitting. Some are really complicated, so that I can disappear into my knitting brain. Sometimes I start a new project just because it caught my interest!
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I’m really trying NOT to start something new. I feel like I’m going to cave soon. No easy projects on the go right now. Maybe that’s part of the problem.
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I think you need to have multiple projects and all for various situations . Some that are no think knitting where you can talk and visit (smaller and portable ) ,some complicated where I just think knitting and nothing else and sometimes if a dark yarn being used it is daylight knitting ( easier to see ) And if I am away for more than a day always more than one , you never know what situation you find yourself in. Be prepared .
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Be prepared is excellent advice. I didn’t think ahead for the weekend and was left without a small project. I won’t do that again!
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I am certainly not a monogomuous knitter but sometimes Ihave something that needs to be done with a deadline that I need to focus on the most. I keep a list of goals for each week on my Ipad usually set goals for no more than four things with one main project. If i reach my goal with that project I have license to work on something else for a short time. I took a class on ergonomics for knitters. The teacher was a physical therapist and knitter. We said we should have projects with different typesof yarn, in different weights and with several kinds of needles. It is good for our bodies. He also said to never only set in one chair. There are times you need another project for reasons already mentioned. I bet you have a small project you could justify taking for times such as that one sitting at the table waiting for a meal. It is OK to put a little variety oin your knitting as long as you can meet your deadlines.
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I like the idea of setting a goal for the project with a deadline and then being able to knit something else once I reach the goal. Great advice. Thanks.
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I will never be a monogamous knitter.
My feeling is that 3 projects at any one time is just about right -an interesting/complicated project, a portable project, and a mindless (tv-watching) project.
That doesn’t necessarily mean I take my own advice.
Happy Knitting!
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That’s an excellent breakdown of projects necessary for knitting happiness.
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I’m with Carol – every knitter should always have three projects going and she is spot on with the categories. I stick to it and don’t start a third project before I have finished one of the three. It’s tempting to give in, but if I kept starting new projects, I would never see any progress
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I greatly admire your restraint. I’m working on controlling the urge to cast on. Three projects sounds like an excellent idea.
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