Thursday, January 11, 2007

New Project Addiction

Do any of you find you get bored with a project in mid-knit and abandon it to start something else?

This seems to be my pattern. Oh, I do finish things...eventually. Especially if it's for a specific event like Christmas, a baby shower or a birthday. But that means most of the unfinished projects sitting around are the ones I'm making for myself, as there's no deadline, no pressure to get them done.

I did just finish those men's fingerless gloves for my son-in-law (a late Christmas gift) and had the pleasure of watching him drive off to work, happily be-gloved. :-) I have two other projects to finish for late Christmas gifts, two shrugs. And I really want to get them done. But my feet are cold, darn it, and I want some socks! Also, I'd really like to get started on that lovely coat I'm going to knit, so I can wear it at least once this winter before it's too warm for coats...

How do you deal with the new project addiction? Do you give in and start something new, or do you doggedly insist on finishing whatever you're working on first? Or do you switch back and forth? I'd love to hear your tips!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I definitely switch back and forth. Unless I've got gift knitting, I don't worry about it and knit whatever pleases me at the time. If it's a short exciting project I usually knit that exclusively until it's done because I just can't help it. I do have a couple projects that are just sitting there, but they may end up getting ripped out sooner or later.

Elizabeth Delisi said...

Thanks for your opinion on this issue, Kristin! I agree about short, exciting projects...but it's hard for any project to completely hold my interest long enough to keep me working on it start to finish, unless I have a deadline looming. ;-)

Liz

Nan said...

Starting something is fun and finishing is boring. I seem to only finish something when I want it NOW. Gifts have a deadline, but things I knit for myself I sometimes decide I want finished. I knitted a sweater last summer and it was finished except for finishing and it was winter. I got it out in March and finished it so I could wear it. The only problem with several projects at once is figuring out where you were in the pattern. (and finding what project that size #9 needle is because I need it for this new project!

Elizabeth Delisi said...

I agree, Nan, starting a new project is more fun than the middle. Once I'm nearly done, it gets exciting again. But you're right, I'm much more likely to finish things I make for other people, especially if I told them I was making it for them...

Liz

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