Thursday Thoughts – Ready, set, knit!

Whether we’re ready or not, a new year will descend upon us in just a few days.  If you are like many knitters, this year may have ended with a mad rush to finish holiday gifts.  Or, perhaps you are still frantically knitting?  I know several knitters who wrapped up a single sock with a promise to finish its mate before the new year.  Do you long for a quieter, less harried lead-in to next year’s holiday season?  Well, a calm gift-giving experience can be yours if you merely take a bit of time, now, to get organized for those up-coming projects.  Here are some of the tactics I use to stay sane:

Make a List; Check it Twice

I begin by making a list of everyone for whom I wish to knit a holiday gift.  If I have an idea as to what I want to knit for each person, I make a note of the project/pattern, along with my estimation of how long it will take me to knit, finish, block, and wrap the present.

Next, I add other knitting projects that I hope to complete as gifts in the coming year.  These might be birthday gifts, anniversary gifts, wedding gifts, new baby gifts, “just because” gifts.  Again, I add an indication as to a possible pattern for each, its associated time requirements, and the date it is needed.

You usually have some non-gift projects that I’ll want to tackle in the coming year.  These might be hand knit goodies for myself or my home.  Or, I might want to take on a few “educational” projects to expand my skill set.  Have I been itching to make a batch hand dyed yarn – or to create my own hand spun yarn with a drop spindle?  Then I’ll add these to the list, as well.

Once I have my list, I review it with a critical eye.  Between now and the “due dates,” do I realistically have enough time to complete all of the projects?  If my list appears overly optimistic, I’ll think about where I can make substitutions.  A lace scarf will take less time to knit than will a lace shawl; fingerless mitts knit up more quickly than do gloves; a set of baby wash cloths are easier and less time-consuming to knit than is a layette.  If my list still looks insurmountable, I’ll need to compromise even further.  Are there people on my list who don’t understand the time and effort that goes into hand crafted gifts?  If so, a purchased gift might be just as well received as a gift that I knit; I’ll consider eliminating these entries from my project list.  Are there non-gift projects that I can eliminate without feeling resentful?  If I can live for another year without a new afghan, then that project is a candidate for elimination.  However, if I will feel deprived by not being able to attend that workshop on top-down sweater construction, then I’ll make my compromises elsewhere on my list.  When I am finished with this review, I should have an adjusted list that is manageable within the allotted time frames.

Get Organized

Based upon the project due dates and corresponding lead times, I’ll have an idea as to how I can space my knitting throughout the year without getting caught up in a last-minute  pile-up.  Before the start of each new year, I’ll pick a few of the projects with earlier due dates and longer time requirements and begin assembling project materials, creating project bags for the items that I’ll be knitting.  I gather together the pattern, the yarn, the needles, and any accessories (e.g., buttons, zippers) and put the project materials in a clear, resealable food storage bag (the 1-gallon size usually works well).  As much as I like the pretty knitting project bags, the plastic food bags are more economical and the contents are easy to see through the plastic.  Once filled, I essentially have a project in a bag, ready to be picked up and worked on whenever I have a moment to knit (without wasting time rummaging around for the needed materials).

On the front of each plastic bag, I write the name of the project, the intended recipient (if applicable), the date needed, the desired completion date (may be quite a bit sooner than the date needed to allow for completion of multiple projects with similar due dates) and the desired start date (allowing for time to knit and finish the project plus extra time for contingencies).  I then arrange my project bags in a large plastic bin according to my desired start date.  This enables me to “grab and go” with the assurance that I’m not only working hard, but working smart.

Be Accountable

All of my organizing will be for naught if I fail to execute my plans.  So, I use a couple of mechanisms to help ensure timely progress.  In addition to writing the desired start and completion dates on my project bags, I also mark them on my calendar.  At a point on the calendar halfway between the desired start and completion dates, I make a “check point” notation.  This serves as a reminder to me that I should be about midway through the project by that date; it helps me to avoid falling too far behind in my work.

The second accountability tactic that I find helpful is to enlist the aid of a buddy.  This is often another knitter, but could be someone who never held a knitting needle in his or her hand.  I give my buddy a list of projects (excluding any gifts that I’ll be knitting for the buddy) and my target completion dates.  As I complete each project, I let my buddy know so that he/she can cross the project off the list (and oogle over a photo of the finished item).  If I miss a target date, my buddy provides a gentle reminder that I’m off track, asks me for a revised plan, and provides encouragement until I am back on course.  I find it easier and a lot more fun to be responsible for my plan when I share that plan with my buddy.

Have Fun

By taking an organized approach to my gift knitting, I am better able to enjoy my work.  Rather than stressing about how many more rows I need to knit in a dwindling number of hours, I am able to appreciate the stitch pattern and how much I think the recipient will like the gift.  If I’m relaxed while knitting, my mind often presents me with memories of special moments that I shared with the person for whom I am knitting.  Often, I’ll jot these memories down on a notecard and include them with the finished gift, noting how much I enjoyed creating the gift and how much the person means to me.  I make a duplicate of the notecard and place it in my portfolio along with a photograph of the finished project.  In that way, the finished project becomes a gift to me as well as to the recipient.

Do you have any techniques for finishing holiday projects without  jangled nerves?  Please share your tips by leaving a comment, below.

Here’s to a year of good health, happiness, and good knitting on circular needles!

. . . Linda, the well-rounded knitter

Filed under: Knitting on Circular Needles

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