If you are anything like me this week, you want and need to be doing something with your hands to either wake up your brain, calm your thoughts, or perhaps both at once. However, you may be wary to work on an existing project. Stress tends to wreck havoc on yarn tension and the ability to focus on details. Here are the projects I’ve been working on this week.
Organize your needles, hooks, and notions.
I do this regularly. I keep a shoe box of those random needles that I think I’ll use on a project, but in the course of daily life don’t feel like putting away. This allows me to prevent a certain curious kitten from tasting them and corral them so that when I do sit to organize things it is easier.
On my desk, I recently added a divided organizer for interchangeable tips, DPNs, and crochet hooks. It fits snugly under my monitors and while it hasn’t helped much with the returning of items, I’ve been able to grab the right size dpn much faster than my prior system.
Review patterns, old magazines, and books to find a project that matches to your yarn stash.
If you want to purchase new yarn, that’s an option too. I like to see if I can figure out why I bought that skein of yarn that seemed extra special at the time. Decide if there’s anything you no longer wish to keep. The pandemic makes it harder to donate items, but not impossible.
Organize your yarn.
Create a record keeping system if you don’t keep this information already. You don’t have to know every detail, or have photos. I like to know the name of the yarn, fiber content, colorway, dye lot, and actual weight of my skein.
Start a new project
I suggest one where yarn tension isn’t as critical if it comes out a bit larger or smaller than expected.
Cowls are can be good as well as are hats. I like to make items I can easily gift or donate — not because they’ll be oddly made, but because it makes me feel good to make a gift. In the case of a hat that doesn’t fit, find another recipient!
Swatch for fun.
There’s a few stitches I’ve looked at in stitch dictionaries that I haven’t found the right project for yet. Why not work them up? It’s well known that I like to swatch!
Begin something new.
I bought myself this set of gouges and chisels for my birthday last week. I have ideas and I have no idea if this will be akin to sewing for me (something I do when I have to), or I’ll find it enjoyable. This set seemed best for letting me explore and play. Now I need to go organize our wood scraps and begin my first experiments.
I hope this list helps you get through the waiting period.
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