Stuck in a WIP rut? Read this.

I have never been a WIP monogamist. I am full of ideas and perpetually getting excited about new yarns, stitches, and techniques, long before finishing what's on my needles. I have bags of unfinished projects, and judging by the many posts I saw during Maker's May, most of you are likely in the same boat.

As a designer this is even more troublesome, as I can't hope to sell a pattern I haven't finished. Still, even for hobbyists, there's a significant investment of both time and yarn that won't be fully realized if it moves to the closet unfinished. 

Yesterday my frustration with this pattern peaked, as I had SEVEN project ideas and kept bouncing back and forth about which to cast on. I knew I just had to pick something and stick to it to get out of the rut, but I couldn't even settle on which to choose.

My solution? Random Number Generator. I made a list in Google Sheets and then used the function =RANDBETWEEN(1,7) and let the computer chose for me. It worked! My daughter now has a cute new toque, and the rut is over.

I keep my many WIPs in the Work In Progress tote bag from my online shop. My supplier no longer carries these big totes, but we still have zipper pouches that are just right for a single project. Maybe this is another way to stay focused - keep just enough space in your life for one WIP at a time. The pattern for the piece featured on these pouches, my Stormy Sweater, is also now available.