Startitis

Periodically I get bit by the urge to start every single project I have, right now at this very minute. Or, if not every project, at least something new. Despite having a huge pile of things already in progress.

A couple days ago my mum showed me a pattern she got, for a moebius cowl. She wanted my opinions on her gauge swatch, and also wanted to know if I had a 40” US size 8 needle. Upon seeing the pattern I, of course, immediately wanted to knit it myself. It is fancy and clever and it only has one side! (Yes, I am aware that a moebius only has one side, but that does not make this cowl any less fancy or clever) And since I spent a good day organising (albeit roughly) my yarn stash, I knew I had plenty of options to choose from in the yarn department. What is that, you say? I already have a good twenty (or more) knitting projects in progress? I should work on finishing those first, is that it?

Oh, thinking about yarn possibilities isn’t going to hurt anything. . .I have at least three skeins of Malabrigo Rios in the Archangel colourway that are not earmarked for anything in particular. One skein for a second pair of Ragtop mitts, one skein for a “matching” moebius cowl, one skein for something else (a hat, perhaps?). I should check my stash, just to see if I am remembering properly. Yes, three skeins. I can wind up two of them. Just in case, you know. And I should probably check my needles, just to see what I have in a 40” length.

No US size 8, but there is a 7. Hmmm, I wonder how a swatch would turn out with that needle. I remember what I saw of the pattern enough to swatch. It’s only curiosity. . .oh, wow! I get gauge with the needle I have. I’ll just tuck it in my bag to show Mum after stake conference. Maybe I can get another peek at her pattern. And watching the tutorial on how to do the cast-on is a good Sunday afternoon activity. . . .

And that, coupled with the fact that it is just plain fun to work on a project with someone, is how and why I started working on my own Infinity Squared cowl. Yes, even though I have a pile of works in progress. I worked on one of those today, too.

Organisation and Creativity

Yesterday I spent most of the day helping my mom go through things in the house and going through papers of my own that had been stored (loose) in a bag up in the attic. The end result of the day’s work was a more organised attic and a bag less of stuff. At this point I have a much better handle on what I still need to go through and where it is.

I now know that I have seven boxes of books I still need to go through (I thought I only had three, but there were four others hiding). The bins I have gone through are arranged in order. The bins I have with other things in them are also grouped in one place, rather than scattered all over the attic. I have taken care of a bag of paperwork, and know which things need to be filed from it and which things can be recycled (or shredded).

Another side effect of organisation (for me, anyway) is an increase in creativity. I am clearing out the excess baggage in my space and giving myself some room to breathe and stretch. Having that space means I actually have room for creative processes, and that overall makes me happier.

The whole letting go thing is still going to take some getting used to, I think, but I’m liking the results (and I haven’t missed any of the stuff I’ve gotten rid of). It’s easier to find books on my shelves; things aren’t as crowded. I have a better handle on where my important papers are, and the stuff that needs shredding is getting shredded. My yarn is (roughly) organised by weight, so I have a better idea of what I own there. I’m making progress on the less visible things, the out of sight spaces that may not have an immediate impact on visual organisation but which are absolutely crucial for long-term success.

I just need to keep moving forward, and things will continue to improve. Mindful organisation decisions lead to greater peace of mind, increased creativity, and a more balanced life overall. Definitely something to work towards.