The Knitting Project Balance

Did you know there are knitting types? There are knitters that only knit one project at a time, not casting on another until they’ve finished. There are knitters who have an unfathomable mountain of WIPs and delight in the joy of starting another.
And then there are knitters like me. I usually have around 3 to 4 projects on the go at once. These projects are divided into categories, giving me something to always knit no matter the concentration level needed.

There is:

A garment I’m knitting for myself
A sock; the perfect project to knit when catching up with friends or out and about on the weekend
A large project that I know I’ll be working on for a while, like a shawl or a blanket or a sample I’m knitting for a class I’m about to teach
A pattern I’m designing ~ this project requires dedicated time with careful documentation and thought, so it’s not something I can take anywhere or do at the end of a long day

This project system has held me in good stead for several years now. Need something I can knit whilst watching a movie or talking with friends? I have a project. Need something that requires concentration, giving me that mindful relaxed state that knitting basic things used to give me? I have a project. Need something to fulfil my desire to continue expanding my handmade wardrobe? Tick!

With this perfect balance of projects I’m never without something to knit but I’m not so overwhelmed that things don’t get finished. After I complete a jumper I can knit on my socks for a few sessions whilst I mull over my next garment project.

This year, however, I’ve unwittingly disturbed this balance. Until now, I’ve never been one of those knitters with the uncontrollable urge to cast on all the things. I’ve never, ever, ever knit more than one garment at once. I’ve certainly never been working on more than one pattern at once!

But something about this year is different. I found myself casting on a jumper whilst I was still mid way through a cardigan. I blamed the bad influence of my knit night group, but underneath I felt that wasn’t really it.

I’ve found myself working on multiple patterns at once, whilst more ideas sketched out on paper beg me to start swatching.

It’s like some sort of creative overload and I am enjoying every moment of it. At the moment I’m dedicating most of my knitting time to working on my patterns. I have two sock designs almost ready to release and a small collection of colourwork designs I’m about to release for my online colourwork course.

I wonder how long this supercharged creativity will last. I wonder where it has come from. Is it the influence of my knitting friends and their inspiring projects? Is it being surrounded by yarn when I’m in my studio/shop? Is it seeing the beautiful things my customers create and wanting to make them to? Is it the stars?! I don’t know, but I have to say I am enjoying it.

Whilst I work my way through my backlog of ideas and projects, I have managed to gain some control over my desire to cast on more things.

There are summer tops to knit, and one particular one that I’m in the midst of designing myself. I can’t wait to get started on it, but I’ve promised myself that I won’t until I’ve finished with my current batch of projects. (This summer top won’t be a released pattern, but a personal project. I look forward to documenting the journey with you!).

Whilst sketching out ideas on the weekend a fresh colourwork design emerged and I’m so excited to get started on it. But not yet.

My project balance has changed and shifted over the last few months. I’ve been surprised at my casting-on-mindset but I’ve embraced it and enjoyed going with the flow.

What about you? What is your ideal project balance?