Before starting this blog a little over two months ago, I was an absolutely dedicated, one project at a time kind of girl. I don’t know if it is a strange coincidence, or if blogging has somehow corrupted me, but now it seems I’m entertaining a couple different WIP’s at any given time. At first, I was quite disappointed in myself, but I’m starting to see there is some value to simultaneously romancing a few projects. First of all, in the case of my mom’s sweater, my hands will sometimes need a break before my knitting time expires, so having a second project with an easier yarn is beneficial. Second, blogging about one large project, inch by inch, day by day, could become tiresome for both me and any visitors. Third, some projects just travel easier than others. Since I cart my knitting basket around with me wherever I go, having a “travel-able” project is a good thing. Most everything I’ve knit could be taken out and about, but there have been a few…
An aside–Personally, and despite popular public opinion, I do not find socks to be good traveling projects at all. (Listen to that, I can almost hear your “virtual” gasps.) All those little double pointed needles, pointing in all different directions, holding little stitches, made with little yarn… I just don’t get it. When I take a sock with me, I have surgery to perform every time it comes out of the bag. Stitches fall off ends, yarn with an apparent mind all it’s own begins wrapping itself around the points of each needle like those string art projects you do in early elementary school. Not for me, thanks.
So here I am, knitting multiple projects. I am happy to say that it has not yet gone to extremes. Just a couple floating around seems to be enough, and I’m ok with that.
Also, check it out…… I was a code monkey again! Now I’ve got a rudimentary WIP section. Little things bring big pleasure to a simple mind.
July 29th, 2004 at 3:39 am
Hehe…no virtual gasp here. The only kinda traveling knitting project *I* like is the kind that that can fit on a single circular bamboo needle and that doesn’t require anything other than mindless straight knitting, thankyouverymuch.
July 29th, 2004 at 5:10 am
My ideal travel knitting? Anything that can be shoved into one ziplock freezer bag! (Also does not include socks, ick!)
Also, I am excited about your health group! I am trying to get my weight back down (only 10 pounds to lose now but it is amazing how hard it is!) and making periodic updates in my blog.
Welcome to the land of multiple projects!
July 29th, 2004 at 5:55 am
Good for you! I believe your creative talents flow more when you have more than one craft in action, regardless of what it is, because it stimulates your brain! I know for me that I, no matter HOW MUCH I love something I am working on, I have to alternate between things or I get bored, but when I pick it back up I am excited again! And all this time I thought you were being the good influence on me about finishing a project before jumping into a new one. Hope my bad habits are rubbing off on you!
For the record, “Art’s sock” is MY traveling project and the one I leave in my car purposely so I always have something to do. (I have sat in traffic backups for 2 hours before and it is great to have something you want to work on.) The perfect carry bag for socks is the Lands’ End Mini Tote (www.landsend.com) which is inexpensive and the perfect length for the needles. Perhaps that is why I never have problems with stitches falling off? The needles don’t slide around in it enough to move the yarn?
July 29th, 2004 at 9:22 am
I was working on my sock the other day on the train with all 4 needles sticking out like weapons. The conductor passes me, backtracks, stares down at me and says, “What is THAT?” Must have looked like some medieval torture device or something! 🙂
July 29th, 2004 at 9:39 am
Nice job in monkeying around on your sidebar – that’s one of the things I love to do on my blogs (especially when I have other work to do…like now!), too.
As for socks, I never liked them much either – the yarn was jus too tiny and fidgety, and no sock ever worked, especially if I went travelling with it. Then I got some Fixation – the little bit of stretch kept it in line, and I never had any problems with it. I just shoved my needles in till there were all even, and rolled it up!
July 29th, 2004 at 11:01 am
I agree whole-heartedly. Before my blog was created, I would force myself to finish the one project I was working on before I could start a new one. It seemed to work in the sense that I actually finished projects and pretty quickly as well. Motivation is key! Now, I feel if I only have one project to show on the blog, it feels empty and VERY boring. Not for me, but for whomever reads my blog. Luckily, now I’ve kind of created a balancing act between all of my projects, so one doesn’t lag behind while another gets all of the attention :).
July 29th, 2004 at 12:50 pm
Thanks for the comments everyone! Yeah, I’m enjoying multiple projects, but I need the satisfaction of completion to keep me going.
July 29th, 2004 at 8:54 pm
Hi Laura! Right now it is difficult for me to post on time, as I have to share the computer now while a laptop is being repaired. I usually have more than one project going at a time, some are ‘must-haves’ and some are just so I have something to work on while I am waiting somewhere. But, this week, my mother-in-law decided that since I am the only one in the family that does knitting and crocheting, that I get to have all my husband’s aunt’s WIP!!!! I have this massive pile of yarn, patterns and projects in my livingroom now!! I am not a snob when it comes to plain ole acrylic, but I’m thinking that there are alot of animal shelter rugs to be made with this stash!! I have found that once people know you knit, orphan yarn seems to come your way!
August 4th, 2004 at 6:05 am
I just had to come back & add another comment on the sock topic. I couldn’t resist, although I doubt at this point anyone will see it; but that isn’t the point. Art’s Mom (the Art for whom I am knitting the will-it-ever-get-done or as he said,”why don’t you just make me a pair of sweatbands?” sock…someday socks) anyway, in defense of socks and travelling project socks…Art’s Mom taught herself to knit on the schoolbus in high school by knitting a pair of argyle socks for Art’s dad (not his dad at the time of course! Just a friend! We are talking about the early 1950’s) But she didn’t have anyone to teach her and she did the majority of the knitting riding to and from school on the bus.
And I’m so lucky, because I have Laura to teach me and fix my knitting and perform serious surgery when needed! Someday I’ll finish that sock and even make the matching one! In fact, I think I’ll go take lunch and knit on it for a while. (Did I mention for a while I was knitting it inside out….?)