Too Many WIPs

Back in 2013 I explained my ideal number of projects on the go at any one time and how this number can gradually creep up. Also earlier this year I was lamenting that although I was knitting away I was not finishing anything. (This has not been helped by my ripping out the edging on two shawls and completely restarting a cardigan.)

Before vacation I decided to take stock and come up with a better plan to finish things. This was prompted by having two different socks on the go and knowing that I would want to cast on more for future challenges.

So what's the number? Ten - I have 10 unfinished projects. That's it I have admitted my problem and this doesn't include the sewing projects. Although I am pleased to say that they are currently at one cross stitch project and one sewing project, as I don't work on them often I don't let them get out of hand.

Let's look at these ten and see if that is a true number of projects actually being worked on. One of them is the project that has become what I work on at the outdoor concerts, another is a project that requires attention and time spent on it. The longer I leave between working on it the harder it is to get started again and another is the charity project that stays in my handbag. This brings the number down to seven, not so bad but still too many.

I have two shawls, two socks, two cardigans and one toy on the go. Both the shawls need sideways knitted edgings, one cardigan is at the seaming stage and the toy is at the fiddly putting together stage. I had already decided to finish one shawl before starting the other so I applied this to my plan. Choose two projects to work on - one easy, one complicated. When a project is finished, pick up another WIP. Don't start socks for the May challenge; the category is lace which will be repeated every year and I want to knit socks for the June category, which may not be repeated. The two exceptions to the two project "rule" - I can work on the handbag project if I am out of the house; if I have a block of time during the day I can seam the cardigan.

The first two projects I chose were the sideways edging on one of the shawls and the easier of the socks on the go. Why did I choose these two projects to start? The shawl is a newer project started on a recent trip; I had already decided to finish it before the other shawl; it would be nice to finish a newer project; the socks are the only easy project (apart from charity knitting) I have on the go plus there is a chance I can finish them within the challenge deadline.

I am pleased to say that this plan is working. I have very nearly finished the shawl edging (and have not run out of yarn) and I have found time in daylight to seam the cardigan so that is gradually being finished. I can really see a few projects being finished by the end of the month. The problem is going to be when I finish the socks as that is the only easy project I have on the go. I want to finish them by the end of this month and I hope that one of the patterns I want to cast on for the June challenge will count as an easy project.