In Progress With No Progress: The WIP

My latest crochet conundrum revolves around the ever present problem I have with "Works in Progress." These, WIPs, as I have recently learned to call them, have two personalities tumbling around in my yarn bag. These personalities work together to pleasantly, and without hesitation, drive me completely insane. Presently, I have just about had it with both sides of the WIP persona. However, that takes some explaining. Let's begin, shall we?

PERSONALITY #1: The Collection

I discovered Personality #1 as soon as I began exploring the art of amigurumi. I learned that with the most basic of crochet stitches and attention to the typical construction of almost every stuffed crochet animal in existence, it was easy enough to deviate from the provided written instructions. I began looking through my pattern books thinking more about how I could adapt or improve a pattern versus which pattern I wanted to try verbatim. And so enters The Collection. Here lies all of the ideas, hastily printed on sticky notes in a sudden moment of inspiration hung on my haphazard idea board, that I intend to make someday. I have purse patterns, amigurumi ideas, necklace possibilities, and a few specific color combinations that have no accompanying details whatsoever. Regardless of their lack of continuity and/or explanation, this random smattering of future projects lies together, harmoniously.

My Idea Board

This particular facet of the 1st WIP personality is not necessarily a bad one. The fact that I can visually appreciate all of the inspiration I have gotten and can be reminded and propelled to new endeavors awaiting the next slip of my crochet hook, is exciting. It's fun to watch the ideas collect. I truly enjoy digging the random notes out of my purse that are barely legible because of either the medium used to take the note (in a few cases I've used gum wrappers) or all of the rogue purse items available to squash and crumple the needlecraft message. Whatever the case, I LOVE getting a new idea and posting it to this board. It always makes me feel like I'm going places.



PERSONALITY #2: Easily Distracted

Now we will dive into the second personality. I've chosen a project, ordered the yarn, gathered the appropriate tools and miscellaneous supplies, and am energetically jumping in.

 But wait! What's that over there? Is that an idea for a new, original pattern?

Naturally, I switch gears and begin working both projects at once. I'll make a few granny squares for a purse in addition to adding a few trial rows in my original pattern. No big deal.

Hexagon African Flowers for a purse

Hang on to your hats! There's more!

A quick look at my Etsy Page inspires me to sell the pattern to one of my original projects. That's ok, right? I mean, three projects isn't THAT bad. Plus, two of them are creating patterns. So, we can put them in the same category, right? Good. Those two things merge together so we still only have two projects. Totally doable.

Crocheted Basket Pattern

Jo-Ann Fabrics is having a sale? I am so there!

After a few hours browsing online I've now ordered everything required to learn how to knit socks. Yeah, LEARN to knit socks. It's not like I've done it before and just decided to knit some more. I chose to take on the task of learning to knit socks from square one on top of all of my crochet projects.

Newly Purchases Sock Making Supplies

Well, since I am on the Jo-Ann's website, I might as well place an additional order for some yarn to start that 12-foot gray scarf a friend asked me to make. 

Men's Scarf Pattern
Free Download: Extra Warm Men's Scarf

So, now I am left with 5 WIPs. On the surface this seems great. It's like, "Wow! I'm so excited to be engaging in all of these projects!" And for a while it's fun as I switch from project to project working with a different material every day. Then, a whole week goes by and I have no completed projects to show for it! My needlework time is so spread out that though my mind is rapidly flying through all of these projects, my fingers can't keep up. I'm left with a half-dozen or so projects still attached to their yarn balls.

This is where my frustration resides this week. I am too ambitious and have gotten myself started on too many projects. I have a hard time settling on just one, especially if their are new techniques to learn, like knitting. I have successfully knitted one 12-foot scarf and am now ready to explore this avenue in needlecraft I have not really dealt with before. So, these new challenges steal my focus for a while.

I suppose I could choose to think positively about the whole situation. I could decide that, having started 5 projects almost simultaneously, perhaps I will have 5 projects finished simultaneously. I realize that this is a bit of backwards thinking as the time it will take to complete 5 projects much exceeds the time it would take to finish one, but I'm overlooking that for the moment. For my own sanity I will focus on seeing the potential for 5 finished projects waiting on the horizon.

There! I feel much better about the whole thing. I'm going to have 5 finished projects soon so no worries! I mean, as long as I don't undertake anything new... Oh, who am I kidding? :P



Thanks for reading,

~Paige