Let the past sleep, but let it sleep in the sweet embrace of Christ, and let us go on into the invincible future with Him. (Oswalt Chambers)

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Quest for Knitting Peace

I'm capable of using any rationalization imaginable to start a new knitting project when there are already projects on my needles. The result? Too many projects going at once, stress about which project to pick up and knit, the feeling that nothing is getting done, and a general uneasiness about my knitting.

This lack of self discipline has been on my mind since before I went to Idaho, it stewed in my sub-conscious while I was gone, and has become a problem to be addressed now that I'm home and knitting again.

It's become apparent that in order to enjoy the process of knitting, I need to concentrate on one project at a time.

I've come up with two simple guidelines I believe are going to make my knitting life more enjoyable and productive:
  1. Have no more than two projects at a time, a weekday project and a weekend project.
  2. The weekend project will usually be CIC knitting, unless I've completed my CIC goals.

My overly detailed mind keeps trying to write more rules and guidelines, but that's overkill. The key is having only two projects at a time, and a timeframe defined for when to knit on each of them.

The immediate problem is how to get my knitting down to the required two projects.

Right now I have four projects going.
  1. Hanover Jacket (1/8 done)
  2. Unplanned Scarf (1/3 done and set aside for now)
  3. More Fun Than Cables Socks and pattern (1/2 done)
  4. 6 pair of CIC socks by the end of August (5/6 done)

Next weekend I'll knit the final pair of CIC socks.

The jacket and the More Fun Than Cable Socks are fighting for my weekday attention. So far this week the jacket has won, but I want to get the sock pattern posted. Every time I knit on the jacket, I think I should be knitting on the sock.

So, the sock it will be. It will go quick. Starting tomorrow I'm going to work on that second sock until it's done and I can cross the sock project off the list. Then I can work on the jacket with a clear conscience.

That's a plan. I feel better now.

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