I am an organized person. I like structure, I love structure. Rules are great. I love thinking outside the box, but only if we clean up afterward and put everything back in the box. Or find a bigger box. Boxes are great for organizing.
I am the type of knitter who limits myself to three projects at a time. I am very strict about it and in fact usually only have two things going at once. If I have too many projects out there then nothing ever seems to get finished. Plus it gets my knitting space very disorganized with bags everywhere and lots of stitch markers and measuring tapes all over the place. And then my mind gets consumed with tidying up and I stop enjoying the knitting.
So how does it happen that I am feeling like I’ve got lots and lots going on and my little brain is a whirl trying to keep all the details straight?
At this moment I have three things in progress and am within my rules. However I have at least five just waiting in the wings and I really want to get them on the needles. Of the three that are presently in progress I have:
- Babette: this project went on a hiatus when I was doing some traveling. The eighteen skeins of yarn which are constantly in play were not conducive to packing. In some strange way, because it is a crochet project, I don’t feel like it’s really on the needles and therefore should not be included in my Only 3 At A Time rule. Yes, I am a literal person. I also feel justified in this attitude because it is a long term project with no deadlines. plus there is lots of seaming and I am just Not In The Mood.
- Secret Project: this is a Christmas gift and I am halfway through. However, I am dissatisfied with the yarn and am considering starting over with something else – perhaps Cascade 220. This project also involves a new technique and I am telling myself it will be okay to start over since I can consider what has already been knit a practice run. Also, maybe I’ll just buy this person something.
- Socks: my own pattern and were cast on for while I waited for patterns to arrive in the mail for another Christmas project. Well, that pattern has arrived and I am feeling like I can set these socks aside since they were really simply functioning as place holders.
so, what do you think ….. with these explanations in mind, do I really have nothing on the needles? can I play with all of my new yarn and patterns??