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Friday, November 5, 2010

Making your list

As we hit November and get closer to the holidays it seems that we yarn lovers start making lists in our heads. We have a mental inventory of who we've made stuff for and who we've missed... how much yarn we have at home and what needles or hooks match them. I make lists like crazy! Sometimes, even the act of making the list gets all of the clutter out of my brain and lets me relax and focus.

Given my own preference for lists, I encourage you to make some lists of our own. Clear out your head! Prioritize! Things will seem less overwhelming and you get the satisfaction of crossing things off every time something is completed.

My list of lists:
small projects - gift tags, ornaments, flower pins, gift card holders, potholder, dishcloth, etc.
medium projects - fingerless gloves, cowls, hats, slippers, legwarmers, scarves, shawls, etc.
large projects - sweaters, shawls, blankets, socks, etc.
people - I list people on the left and a handful of possible projects for each on the right

When thinking about your handmade holiday gifts make sure you include yourself in the equation! Don't just think about what yarn, pattern you need but also ask yourself, "How much am I going to enjoy making this?" Is it worth it to you, to spend your valuable time working on a project you hate to get an end result that you love? Do you want to spend all of your time making one big thing or a split up your time across a dozen little things? Will this person appreciate the time I put into this gift? How upset will I be if the recipient doesn't like my gift? Will I love the meditative act of making the same thing over and over for everyone or will I be crazy-bored?

By considering these things before you even start you will be setting yourself up for a more enjoyable time working on your projects! The answers to these questions are personal and everyone you meet will have a different take on what they want to do. Stick to what is best for you and don't let anyone make you feel bad about what you choose - you're the designer of your happy holiday season!

You'll see many links to the projects that have caught my eye in the next few weeks. I wish I had time to make them all! I will live vicariously through you and the fun things that you make. (I anticipate a lot of my links will be to ravelry listings - if you're not already signed up for ravelry, it's a great resource for all yarn lovers.)

See you soon!

Jen

2 comments:

Stacey said...

Awesome post, Jen! I love the idea of making sure YOU enjoy what you're making as well - definitely makes a difference :-)

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