Saturday, February 09, 2019

Knitting Projects: Finding my Balance


I'm at the delicious part of knitting a garment where it's nearly finished. I have trouble putting them down when they reach this point as the excitement starts to build. The other half of my mind can't help but think that there's no rush to finish, as Autumn isn't here yet. But I love that as soon as that first cool day arrives, the one that has you reaching for something warm to put on, I'll be able to reach for something I knitted by hand.

I'm trying a new way of making this year. I'm trying to have fewer projects on the go at once. My plan is probably laughable, as generally speaking, I'm not a knitter with a project problem. At the most, I've only ever had 6 on the go at once, and as knitting is my only craft I know that this sounds like a tiny amount to some. My happy place used to be to have three to four projects on my needles at the same time. But lately, I've felt the need for change. I'm going to experiment with only having one major project happening at once. When I've finished knitting one, I will start the next. I'll only double up when I'm also working on a design for a pattern.



This was going well until last weekend. I was hosting a social sit & knit gathering as the last party for the last day of my pop-up shop. It was a really lovely afternoon, and it also doubled as a meet-up for participants of the Kanga Kiwi Knit & Crochet Along (you can read about that here). I wanted to take part in the knitalong and to do that I needed to use a pattern and a yarn that is from either Australia or New Zealand.


The yarn I'm knitting my jumper from is Australian-grown, but the pattern I'm using isn't. So I decided a pair of socks were in order. My favourite sock patterns to use are by an Australian designer, and I decided to treat myself to a skein of hand dyed alpaca yarn.
So now I have two projects in progress. I was reminded today that this is actually a good thing, though. Sitting with a cup of tea under the ceiling fan, trying to enjoy some knitting this morning, the jumper on my lap was feeling very warm. This jumper is knitted all in one piece, so as I'm now working on a sleeve, I have a whole body of a woollen jumper in my lap. It was getting too warm, so I swapped to knitting on my sock.
Even though the sock I'm making is a blend of alpaca and merino fibre, socks are so tiny that there is hardly any fabric under your hand while you make them, and there's certainly none in your lap. The perfect summer project.



So, I think I'll revise my goal to have two projects at once.

What about you? How do you like to make? Do you love to have lots of works-in-progress or do you like to do one at a time?

I hope you've been keeping well!

Sarah

Project Details:
Jumper
Pattern: Doocot by Kate Davies
Yarn: Novomerino DK in Beehive (estimated 7-8 balls)

Socks
Pattern: Homegrown Socks by Jessica Gore
Yarn: Grevillea Sock Yarn in Over the Rainbow (1 skein)



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10 comments

  1. I love your plan to have only 2 projects at a time, as I think it will work well as you have discovered. I tend to have a few things on the go at once but I do a number of different crafty things, probably should only have one and do it well but I like a change now and again and do different things depending if we are away in our caravan or at home. I think I will be ready to start knitting soon when we get some cooler weather.

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    1. Most people I know do more than one craft - I don't know how they manage it! I'd like to add embroidery to my crafting skill set, and might one day, but I have so much trouble giving over room from my knitting to other crafts. I'm flat out giving my spinning wheel a look in, haha!

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  2. Ha, ha - I'm trying to not make myself crazy with too many projects. I knit/crochet a little, but I do other things like quilt, embroider. My list is a mile long, but I'm trying hard to work on only a few things at a time and perhaps, one major craft in order to finish it. Finding that balance is difficult for me!

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    1. Oh the list! Mine is at least 2 miles long, I think ;-) And it changes (gets added to) all the time!

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  3. Good luck with your “2 at a time”, Sarah! I suffer from Dragonfly Syndrome which means I flit to a project, hover for a while then flit to another, hover for a while......... Hopeless, but I do get some finishes. I’m just easily distracted!!

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    1. I've heard of that condition, lol. You seem to finish quite a few projects that, always such lovely makes happening on your blog :-D

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  4. Hi Sarah,
    I'm only about 18 months into knitting/crochet as an adult, so one project at a time has been all my learner brain and hands could handle!
    But this summer's heat has made me not want to always pick up my current project, a heavy wool infinity scarf. So for the first time I have two projects on the go; the scarf for cooler evenings, and for hot days, a small cotton baby hat, which is light and cooler to the touch than the wool (just like your sock project!)
    How do those with multiple projects manage them all? I'm using a different bag for each project.
    Cheers
    Sally at One Family, One Planet blog

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    1. I only ever had one project at a time when I was new to knitting, too. I think it's a good idea. Duplicates only tend to happen when, like you said, needs must!

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  5. Hi Sarah
    I must admit that I only ever like having one project going at a time. I generally only knit but with a new grandson I am loving sewing for him as well. I’m lucky to have a daughter-in-law who loves handmade garments for him. I love finishing a project. I always feel proud hand washing that finished knitted garment and laying out to dry. I still have a huge list of things I want to knit & choosing the next one is always the conundrum. Happy knitting. It is still so hot here in Qld that you can only knit of a night or in aircon. Cheers Sharon

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    1. Hi Sharon,
      Knitting for babies is the absolute best! And finishing is definitely a wonderful feeling, partly why I'm trying to knit only 1-2 projects at a time this year. I always finish things, but I like finishing them quickly and I think that will be more achievable if I'm not multitasking :-)
      Happy knitting,
      Sarah

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