Before I get onto the first topic for Knitting & Crochet Blog Week, I'd like to extend a huge welcome to anyone visiting for the first time. It's great to have you here, and of course to have the opportunity to hook up with so many other crafty bloggers over the next seven days. I hope that you like what you find here, and that you'll have time to leave a quick message in the comments so I can pop over and see you too - I'm really looking forward to it.
This week I'll be blogging as part of The House of Bee. You see, of the four houses this really is the only one for me....
When I started knitting, I had really good intentions. My aim was to finish each project before starting the next (and not to buy more yarn than I needed for the current project, but that's another story). Over the last couple of years, I realised this is not only impossible (for me), but highly impractical. Different projects most definitely fit different moods and crafting opportunities. Let me show you my current projects by way of explanation.
Yes, I have five active WIPs, plus a long-term project I'll be telling you about tomorrow. Whippoorwill is "TV knitting" - simple enough to not need too much attention, and nice long rows. Sounds good, huh? Yes, until a couple of weeks ago I was watching a TV programme (that my husband worked on and so he was chatting about it at the same time) while knitting happily along until I realised I had veered off the pattern. The second time this has happened with this 'simple' knit - so simple, I get complacent. It'll get finished, but not this week.
Saturday is someone's fourth birthday and two of my projects need to be ready before her party. With the deadline looming these are my focus for the week - the rest will have to wait.
The Deja Vu socks (which I really didn't want to photograph again until finished, but we already established what happens to my best-laid plans) are "waiting outside ballet/karate/swimming knitting". Easily transported and with just the ribbing to finish, these are very easy to pick up and put down. This project lives in my handbag and will be replaced by another pair of socks once finished.
Which brings me onto the final WIP - the crochet bag I started making and writing up during the school holidays. For those with children I probably need say no more. If you don't have children, let me just say that it's almost impossible to concentrate enough to write a pattern/recipe when they are both here, and I somehow managed to delete everything I'd written so far! Luckily I have notes in my Traveler's Notebook, but there hasn't been time to go back to it yet.
So you see, if I only had one project I'd be scuppered. And as much as I'd like to think myself a 'monkey' who can tackle ambitious patterns to develop my skills with each new thing, it would be totally impractical. Being a busy buzzy bee suits me perfectly... for now.
You can find more information about KCBW here and today's other posts by clicking this link. Have a great day - hope to see you tomorrow!
You definitely have elements of monkey, but I think you're right that you're a busy bee :) I hope Whippoorwill behaves itself, I love the yarn so much I can't wait to see it finished ;)
ReplyDeleteLovely WIPs Sarah! You've inspired me to start blogging this week, I'm a complete newb to it but I'm northern nomad on NMs. You can find me at chasingcorduroy.wordpress.com xxx
ReplyDeleteI had similar issues to your Whippoorwill with my second Girasole, so much so that it was sent to the naughty corner and the tips used on another project..... about 9 months ago! Hope A has a fab birthday, it was O's yesterday :-)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your Whippoorwill finished, it's going to look amazing :)
ReplyDeleteI know too well both the chat chat chat ... whoops feeling and also the "I think I'll try this really ambitious project during the holidays" feeling ... hopeless!
ReplyDeletePretty little bunch of WIP's though :)
Your WIPs look beautiful, especially the rainbow colours of the Whippoorwill (which is a fun word too). Different projects totally suit different occasions/moods I am with you on being a bee
ReplyDeleteDeadlines work very good for me :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, and the WIPs...I have a small car-WIP and a big project car-WIP, then 3 or 4 in the work room, and none by the TV, as I never sit in front of a tv! That would actually help, and give me time to work for longer stretches at a time.
I've been reading your blog for the last few weeks (found you via WIP Wednesday, I think) - hello from another bee! I totally agree on on the TV-knitting project & WIPs :) What a cheery collection of projects!
ReplyDeleteI know that you are not alone in having different projects for different aspects of your life - I have read this a couple of times today and realise that I do something quite similar. We crafters never like to have idle hands!
ReplyDeleteI suffered the same delusions as you did when I first started knitting. It took me a long time to admidt I had a problem. And now that I've come to grips with it...well, I still have a problem LOL.
ReplyDeleteFellow Bee Amy
That bag recipe is looking really interesting :)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your blog. Shame I never get around to updating my own. I think I would probably be the walrus. I do have more than one project on the go and can get distracted from one, with another pretty...I don't pick my knitting up nearly as much as a dedicated knitter would. I just do it, as and when I feel like it.
ReplyDeleteI am quite surprised at the number of people who are bees with the elements of the monkey as i feel I'm the same :)
ReplyDeleteOh I love the bright colours of your wip collection. Makes me want to add to mine. Oh us naughty Bees do just enable ourselves, don't we?
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to wonder if Buzzy Bees are attracted to each other. Yours is the fourth blog on this subject and all the others were Bees also. It's definitely the house that I would fit into.
ReplyDeleteOooh all those WIPs make me excited. I figured out long ago that I'm not happy unless I have choice of what I want to work on.
ReplyDeleteyay team bee!
Love the colours in the Whippoorwill! Good luck with the birthday knitting deadline :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous knits :) I love the colors of the bag.
ReplyDeleteI am a Bee too, but like you I choose to regard it as being as time efficient as possible. To ensure that I always have a suitable project ready when a knitting opportunity presents itself.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteyour Deja vu socks ave me deja vu they are identical to the pair that are my swimming lesson socks love your other projrcts as well Anna
I'm a bee too. And oh my, I do know about those "best-laid plans!" I always underestimate the time it will take me to finish a project.
ReplyDelete