pattern: Bespeckled Hat by Alexandra Tinsley
yarn: Patons Classic Wool Worsted (approximately 149 yards)
needles: size US 8 / 5.0mm and US 9 / 5.5mm 16" circulars and dpns
I do love a good Bepseckled Hat! Back towards the end of June, I knit my way through five Bespeckled Hats which I sent to the Chicago Food Pantry. It's a fun pattern, full of little bits of knitting that looks like hearts all over, and a giant pom (should you want to put one on).
I've been getting bogged down in the details of all the hats on my list - between giveaways that all ended at the same time to a few Hats On People hats still needing to get made and sent out, I would be busy enough. But I've also got bunches of hats I WANT to make, to send to sailors and to Chicago and to Maine. Hats I want to drop off at the local VA Hospital.
I'm also in the midst of learning new forms of organization. That's not entirely true, I suppose -- I'm re-learning and altering older forms of organization, those that I used last time I was in school. Mixing study with work with knitting with pleasure reading, and I'm figuring out how to get it all done.
I wonder if I'll need to add specific hats to specific days on my planner? Not to keep me on track with my knitting, but to give myself permission to knit? I don't know if I like the idea of scheduling knitting time like that, but it may be an option.
I'm curious to know how you all find time to knit when you're in the busy seasons of life -- do you schedule time? Always have yarn on-hand in case you have five seconds?
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I'm making 300 hats in 2013. This is hat 9 / 300.
I'm making 10,000 hats for 10,000 people. This is hat 294. 5 Comments »
Knit more often, but in smaller chunks of time - thirty minutes a session (I set a timer) morning and afternoon. I don't know that gets more done, but since my hands are on WIPs twice a day, less time is wasted coming back up to speed on a project that's been sitting idle for a week waiting for an entirely free evening. It's also a great deal kinder on the wrists and forearms.
ReplyDeleteSchedule regular knitting time blocks that fit your life. Just be sure to stick to the amount of time you allotted yourself for each knitting session so there's still time for everything else you want and need to do.
I am not quite as busy as you are since I don't have kids at home any more (!) but I teach and correct papers at home. I tend to have my knitting with me all the time so I can knit in the car if someone else is driving, waiting at an appt, or even while I'm reading. Mostly, my hands keep busy while my brain is focused on something else.
ReplyDeleteI'm really lucky cause I get to knit in (most) class(es). I always have my current project with me, because I have 15-30 minutes in between classes that I usually spend talking to friends (which like an hour of knitting + catching up with friends - perfect combination!)
ReplyDeleteIn particular stressful seasons, I usually dedicate one evening to relaxing -> watching a movie + knitting to keep myself from going nuts.
I guess you just have to figure out what suits you the best, but there's always time to knit if you wanna make it work :)
I think that these other folks have hit on what might work for you - keep a WIP with you all the time - knit in snatches, on the bus, in class, while you are waiting anywhere witout Owen. I find i get lots done by doing that - you have inspired me to always be knitting hats to give away (and to start a blog about what I do.) One of the things I did last week was knit 5 hats during 5 days of tax training. They will head off to charity when the bag gets full. I just sat in the back and knit while listening. It's easy to drop a hat in your lap to take a note or two.
ReplyDelete@Sarah, I'm so happy you've started making hats to give away! And 5 hats during 5 days of training is an amazing head start!
ReplyDelete