I decided to hold off on starting any large time consuming projects until some more WIP's were finished. Some easy vanilla socks were cast on instead. Yarn is the popular Design Line by Arne & Carlos (first edition) in the Summer Night colourway. Fun! I also couldn't resist buying another knitting gadget: the Sock Ruler. Like I need another knitting ruler! But I have a hard time accurately measuring my socks-in-progress without having to resort to a mini-wrestling match so it was worth buying and has been used quite a bit so far. Another useful gadget is this sock knitting needle holder. I always get paranoid that my project will slip off the dpn's as it gets shoved around in my knitting bag. Also found a cute storage solution for my jumble of dpn's with this nicely sized pencil case.
I wanted to talk a little bit about how I've been managing the WIP basket this year. Pretty sure by now that you are all aware of my newly discovered love of sock knitting. Well, it turns out that an unexpected but most welcomed side effect to that addiction has been a noticeable lack of inclination to start new projects. Besides socks, that is. I have been diligently working on one WIP during my spare time on my days off until it gets done. Then on the days that I have to work, I get to relax and wind down with some perfectly mindless sock knitting. Where as before, I would come home after a 12 hour shift, eat a lonely late night dinner (since the guys are both fast asleep) and then pass out in front of the tv because all of my knitting required too much concentration. Knitting a little bit before bedtime on an undemanding project really is a great stress reliever. Plus, focusing on just two projects at one time has made me feel so much more productive. So far this year, I have completed 5 projects with two more close to being off the needles. That's a personal record for sure! So, what is your system for managing WIP's? How many WIP's can you juggle at one time before things start to feel a little crazy & out of control?
That is so cool, that sock ruler! I'll be looking for one. Glad you're using knitting to decompress after a full night of work.
ReplyDeleteyour sock ruler is amazing!! I love it. And I'm impressed with how you keep your WIPs all neatly corralled in a basket in their project bags. I should do something like that!
ReplyDeleteI have a hard sided tote that holds the current wips, right now at one. I have a hard basket to the side of my knitting chair that holds stuff I have leftover from projects or are considering for new projects. I generally hold to 2-3 wips at a time, but right now I have finished all the small projects so I only have a larger sweater going. I will be casting on a shawl soon, just need to skein yarn for it. For the most part I just do what I want. Love the new gadgets!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I have too many Total WIPs but the number of Active WIPs is usually somewhere around 3: a sock, a shawl, and a something-else.
ReplyDeleteOh oh, I see a sock ruler in my immediate future! As for WIPs, I'm useless if I have more than two or three going at once. More than that, I start to feel like chaos will ensue! LOL.
ReplyDeleteYour WIPs are quite manageable. I have 3 now and 1 in hibernation, I think 4 is my max. Each project is different in nature. 1 big (cardigan), 1 quick (hat), 1 small/easy to travel (scarf). me voila!
ReplyDeleteYou are a very organised knitter! I don't like to be overwhelmed with WIPs. I love working on 1 crochet project + 1 machine knitting project + 1 knitting project + 1 pattern design project more or less at the same time. I feel like he craft division gives me clarity and allows me to keep track of where I am in the project.
ReplyDeleteSock ruler ordered (and on its way). Boxes (2) ordered (they are all so cute I had to get more than one)as well as a few other "things" (all on their way). Thanks for enabling me - ha-ha. I swore I wasn't going to buy anything until MDS&W...but I know now that was a lie. Can't wait for my treasures to arrive....
ReplyDeletea friend gifted me that sock ruler....so handy!!! Love your basket full of projects from some of my favorite places in the world!!!!!
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