How do you manage more than one project at a time?

[walker1021]

As I look at people's signature lines, I see that some people show their WIPs. And some people have lots going on. Was just wondering how you decide what to work on and when to work on it?

During the week (at nights) I work on my main project (usually an afghan). When I go to bed, I turn on the news and work on Yo Yo's (sorry, hubby ) My lunchtime at work, I pull out my carry along (a scarf or a granny.) Then on weekends, it is a free for all. Last weekend I made frog pouch and several dishcloths. Hubby says I need to get a job as a scheduler out where he works because if I can schedule crochet time, I can schedule anything. I think not!!

[Elvee]

uh, magic?!!!!

 

:2magic:2magic,

 

Lorry

[walker1021]

uh, magic?!!!!

 

:2magic:2magic,

 

Lorry

 

You are funny, girl!!

[Elvee]

Seriously, I don't schedule anything. I work on that I feel like working on at any given time. Sometimes I want to work with baby yarn, sometimes try new stitches (which leads to another WIP). Sometimes I just get the urge to finish everything up and do the finishing I have been putting off.

 

I have been known to pay my granddaughter to work ends in. She's cheap $5.00 and a movie.

 

I have 4 afghans I have just been finishing up which I will posts pictures of soon. That is why I always post in spurts rather than by project. I just have to feel what I want to do unless it is something with a deadline and I force myself to finish.

 

Getting anything done for me seems like magic.

,

 

Lorry

[Thia]

Until recently, all I ever did was blankets and I would only do one at a time. Now that I am branching out and doing slippers...well, I want to do those instead of the blanket. But the blanket I am doing is for my mom and I know she wants it, so I need to get it done. So, I let myself do a couple of rows on a slipper, then a few rows of the blanket. Usually by then the kids are screaming or I need to go to bed.

[PBLKNP]

Generally, I work on my most difficult projects in the morning, when there are no distractions. I work on a sort-of-challenging project at night in front of the TV. For my take-along project, I usually choose something that's fairly mindless, so that I can work on it wherever (doctor's offices, meetings, waiting for something, etc.).

[CrochettingMama]

I always used to only work on one project and finish it before I started another. BUT, ever since I joined here I have 3 or so WIP going. Most nights I work on my main afghan then I have a prayer shawl and baby blanket that I am working on.

it just depends how I feel.

[Addey]

For me, there are two main considerations: is it portable and will it last long enough to make it through all my flights this week?

I did create a spreadsheet back in May some time with a list of stuff I wanted to get done by the end of the year and planed out aproximate start dates. Unfortunately now, I've got two WIPs that are too big to take with me or won't last long enough and I have to figure out what I'm taking with me to Utah this week and Florida next. I really should start on the blanket for my cousin, the baby is due in September... It just isn't one of my most portable projects because I'm using 6 colors to create a rainbow blankie...

If I had the stuff to start my MIL's blankie, I'd take it, but I can't afford the yarn this week.....

[noQcrocheter]

I work on smaller projects or ones like the motif ghan I am doing when the kids are up if I am lucky enought that they nap at the same time or after they go to sleep for the night I work on bigger projects, sometimes I work on them in bed too

[suzidemars]

Mine also depend on how many kids are asleep!!! Glad it's not just me! I'm pretty new to crochet, but if I am trying out a granny square I wait til they are all in bed or the time between DH leaves for work and they wake up. I am working on a sc flag afghan for my oldest son which I can pretty much do whenever. My first project in crochet!

 

I also knit and cross-stitch, knitting can't be done when the 20 month old is awake, too many needles and sometimes too hard to pull out when she tangles me up or pulls on something. Cross-stitch can't be done if the smallest 2 are awake. I guess I know I am loved!!!! :manyheart

 

Needless to say since finding knitting and then crochet, I haven't stitched in over a year. I wonder if I remember how??????? I have 4 of those unfinished. Wow, I better quit typing and get to work!!!!!!

[inmy7thhvn]

It just depends on what I FEEL LIKE doing at the moment. Sometimes I like to do a pattern with not much thinking involved, where other times I enjoy a new challenging pattern that I need to pay attention to the pattern on. And of course, whatever I am making that has a deadline, that comes first!

[vonnie]

Well, I work on afghans, and yarn projects when we are traveling, and I work on thread projects when we are on the road and at home I work on whatever I get the urged to, I don't crochet as much at home as I do on the road...

[birdlady1]

I work on my yarn blanket in bed and my thread shawl in the living room. So it depends on the time of day!

[shelly_bean]

even though mine say WIP i am actually only working on one right now. however I like having several projects to choose from especially if one of them starts to get me a little frustrated I can step away and do something else that is going to hopefully be smooth.

[ankey]

I have so many WIPs because I easily get bored of whatever project I'm working on. Most of my projects are large, repetitive ones so after working on one for an hour or so, I'll go and get a different WIP to work on. I have each project in its own bag with the corresponding hook and yarn in each bag and I'll just put one bag down and pick up another so I don't get all my WIPs mixed up.

[lisalu]

First of all, I like to have both a crochet and a knitting project going at any given time. That alleviates boredom (and carpal tunnel!)

 

I am the queen of abandoning projects that are ALMOST DONE! Why this is I don't know. Here is an example: I have a beautiful 100% wool, cable knit, zip-front cardigan I started for my son last fall to have done by his birthday in January. I made nearly the entire sweater, sewed it all up, put in the zipper, EVERYTHING, except that I still have one more sleeve to make. ARGGGGHHHH! I think sleeves are like socks where you just can't bring yourself to make the second one. (I guess this is why some knitters actually do both sleeves/socks simultaneously)

 

Yes I will finish the sweater (I'll do the entire sleeve in a two day spurt), but in the meantime I have made about a dozen other projects. This is all for fun anyway, so I do what I like....life's too short!

[ArielManx]

While I tend to stick to one project at a time (odd, I know!), if I have more than one going, deadlines are what motivates me to work on one over the other. I have relatives and friends expecting babies in August and September...the August gift of washcloths is going to be my priority, no matter how much I'd rather work on the afghan for the baby due in September!

[kmeiding]

I have 6 projects that I am crocheting right now and a couple more that I want to start and more thread projects that need starching and maybe some beaded flowers that I should finish......and I just started a new baby blanket last night and I started writing a giraffe pattern so I can make one for my dad.

[walker1021]

I have 6 projects that I am crocheting right now and a couple more that I want to start and more thread projects that need starching and maybe some beaded flowers that I should finish......and I just started a new baby blanket last night and I started writing a giraffe pattern so I can make one for my dad.

Kmeiding -

When do you find time to sleep and eat??

[younghooker]

The way I do it is I usually do 2 projects at once.. One I have that I just work on at work ( I do over the phone customer service so I am free to hook all day long :hook) and then I have one at home that I work on in my free time... The one at work usually gets done quicker lol

[Dragonflymomof2]

I am not sure how i manage............I usually have a few crochet bags lying around with the projects in them............and will do a little on one, then work on the other, so I am alternating between several different ones. Now that I am working on holiday crochet, I will do one at a time.