During 2010, I began a new method of organising my stitching projects and stitching time. This rotation method officially started in September 2010, so one year later, I'd like to reflect on what I achieved, what were the benefits and the disadvantages of this organisational plan, and whether I'd modify anything going forward into my next year.
Of my ten projects, I settled on 3 tapestry, 3 embroidery and 3 knitting, plus my tapestry class. Before I started this method, I had lots of things on my wish list, and lots of projects in my cupboards. I generally took the approach that I'd have one knitting project on the go, one major tapestry and lots of WIPs in the hand sewing genre. I tended to knit mainly through winter and forgo it through the hot, hot summer. I also had an erratic stop-start commitment to the tapestry and the hand sewing, probably due to busy life, lack of focus, boredom with slow crafts, and hitting technique road blocks where I didn't know how to finish a set stitch or some such thing.
So the benefits of the new method:
- I never get bored. Just as I start to get frustrated or disinterested, I'm over the allotted 10 hours and the project is packed up.
- I've made progress on things that used to sit languishing in the cupboard (cross stitch scissors keep, and santas I'm looking at you)
- It has given me an opportunity to think about 'defining' or specialising in "types" of embroidery - it is a huge, wide world out there in stitching land and given that I'm never going to do just one thing in this life, it is probably strategic to think of 'specialising' - so I chose threadpainting and stumpwork as two of my three embroidery projects, with a catch all of 'general embroidery' for the other one.
- This allowed me to start two new embroidery projects (got to love that!): threadpainting: African blanket, and stumpwork: Boysenberries and ladybug.
- It also gave me an excuse to do more than one knitting project at a time.
- I have a GREAT collection of bags!. In order for this 'system' to work, I needed each project to have its own bag and own set of tools so that I could put down and start up really easily.
- I feel like, in total, I've done heaps more stitching than I would have done using the 'no particular plan' way of life prior to 10 hour/10 project system.
- I've enjoyed keeping track of my stitching hours. (I thought I'd hate being so fussy, but strange, I've enjoyed ticking off the hours and recording them in my Word document).
The disadvantages of the new method
- I didn't make much progress on knitting projects - this disappoints me. Summer is coming and I may not feel like knitting with wool through our scorching Summer.
- I am the kind of person who likes finishing things, and having ten things on the go may help with overall progress but it certainly slows down specific projects.
- I have 4 projects where I've set goals (Ferry tapestry, African blanket, General embroidery (Santas), and Great American Aran Afghan) and I didn't actually make any of the goals - though I did get close with three of them.
- I sometimes feel embarrassed by all the things on the go - it feels slightly goofy to have so many snail paced projects out in cyberspace. What am I thinking?
- I had a fairly big up-front expense in buying multiple tool sets (I have 10 sets of embroidery scissors - eeks). This was a once-off expense but if I was to abandon the system it would be seen as a wasted expense (that's my husband looking at me).
After all this, I'm not really sure what to conclude except I'll go ahead from Sept 2011, continuing with the 10 hour/10 project method. I think maybe I might give my projects that have goals associated with them a bit more lovin' than the others. This year, I had a few mad, rushy moments while I was trying to finish things and while there's nothing wrong with giving yourself a little push-along, it was kind of frustrating to still not make the goals...so, maybe if they take priority I can still rotate projects but also feel I'm getting somewhere.
Top Ten projects
- Monthly Creative Tapestry Class - 200 stitch guide (half way through)
- Cat tapestry
- Ferry tapestry
- Tim's Christmas stocking
- Stumpwork
- Felt ornaments - Christmas santas
- Thread painting - African blanket
- Knitting for children - toys
- Knitting for me - Alice Starmore's Oregon vest
- Knitting for others - Great American Aran Afghan
Previous posts
Ten project rotation system (March 2011)
