I’m looking at this big pile of WIP’s and thinking I should write myself a little progress report.
I just came upon a post at Laura Gets Crafty called Knitting Monogamy. It’s interesting to consider how we knit. Is it better to start a project and doggedly follow it through to completion or to start several and kind of leap-frog through them? I am of the leap-frog philosophy and I suspect, so is Laura. Otherwise why would she have no fewer than SIX progress bars on her blog?
Anyhoooo…begs the question: With all of these projects on the needles, how do we manage to pull the trigger and get this stuff done? Laura says she puts deadlines on things. I’d like to do that but how could I account for all of my do-overs? Perhaps I could set goals…yes…much gentler. So I’ve decided to limit myself to 3 progress bars, partly because the bars themselves are such a pain and partly because I tend to forget some of the little nuances that go along with every knitting project.
Knitting, for me, is not just about the knitting. It’s also about blogging to record my progress and it’s about learning to chart and write patterns.
I’m excited about diving in and learning Chart Maker by Jacquie. I would really like to chart the Two Drunkards cable and write a pattern for the new toe-up socks. I’m thinking it would be nice to have a plumper Ravelry page and boy, it would be great to sit down and read all of those blogs I’ve subscribed to. My project binder is waaaaaay behind and all of my blog files are laying, willy-nilly, on my computer desktop. Is sleep really necessary? And work! Why oh why must I work??
So, at present I have the Nordic Mittens,
Malabrigo Socks
and my poor neglected Two Drunkards Cowl and Hat which, unless I get my s**t together, will not be done until the weather gets too warm to wear them. The hat is done, just needs a pompom and I’ve really only got half a dozen pattern rows and a little ribbing to do on the cowl.
I’m nicely into my second mitten, having completed the orange part of the cuff. Mrs. Robinson has expressed a desire to learn the new sock technique which will make it fun and easy for me to start the second sock. Really, by the end of this week I should be able to wrap up those two projects. I’m dying to break a mile on my KnitMeter! Planning, knit-sistas, is of the essence.
Then, of course, come the fantasies of what to start next which I think, must be the last of the winter knitting before it’s time to start spring knitting. (Mmmmm….cotton, linen, bamboo.) I really need a cardi and would like to design my own. Perhaps a little sketch or two this week? Mumsie is due home from her winter hiatus at the end of the month and it sure would be nice to welcome her with this gorgeous scarf (to replace the Project-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named). 
I’m thinking I’ll knit it in a silk/merino blend I spotted. And maybe just one more pair of socks? With cables?
Laura
Thanks so much for the call-out!
I want to be monogamous, I really do! (In knitting, that is. My husband has nothing to worry about. Besides the yarn budget, that is…) But like you, I like to expand my knitting repertoire, so new projects keep catching my wandering eye. 🙂
I don’t think there’s anything in the world wrong with do-overs. Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way you had envisioned, especially when you’re designing something from scratch or modifying an existing pattern. Why keep going when you know you won’t wear/use/appreciate the finished item? You’ve still learned something from the project, so the time that you spent wasn’t wasted.
I must admit there are more projects in my WIP basket than are listed on my sidebar. But I’m not sure if those will be frogged or finished. Once I put them in my sidebar, though, I’m committing myself to finishing them. Eventually!