Following on from last week's article, I received a lovely email from a customer who wanted to know how to manage multiple WIPs.  She said she would love to have a few projects on the go, but finds herself getting lost or losing interest in projects when working in multiples.  So, this week I thought it might be useful to share how I manage multiple WIPs, and my secret to keeping everything manageable and under control.

Right off the bat, I'll tell you my secret... it's organisation.  You really need to be organised or, at least, have some sort of system when working on a lot of WIPs.  This prevents you from losing track of where you are in a pattern, forgetting what projects you've cast on, and keeps you focused and motivated.  So here are my tips; I hope you find them useful!

• Make Sure You Have Enough Yarn - Pretty self explanatory, but very important.  Nothing stalls a WIP faster than running out of yarn.  So, when you order/buy yarn or if you are stash diving, make sure you have enough yardage to finish your project.
• Create a Dedicated Project Bag For Each WIP - I find this very helpful and much better than putting everything in a basket all together.  In my project bag, I put a copy of the pattern (I like to print it - but I'll talk about this later), the needles/cables I'll need for the project, and any other bits and bobs required (i.e. stitch markers, extra cables, waste yarn etc.).  Then, when I want to work on my project, I know I can grab my bag and everything I need will be contained within it.  I don't have to search for patterns or needles; everything is nicely organised and ready to go.
• Write Notes On Your Patterns - I usually print patterns and store them in my bags along with my projects.  As I go, I write notes on the pattern to indicate any modifications I might have done, the size I am knitting, the needle sizes I am using and where I am in the pattern (I tick off each section as I go or, if I'm working on a chart, I make a note on what row I'm up to before I put my project away).  I think this is one of the most helpful things to do when working in multiples.  Coming back to a project and trying to work out where you are in the pattern/what size you are knitting etc. can deter a lot of people from working on the project or even finishing it.  So, make sure you keep notes!  Of course you can do this on your phone, on digital patterns, in a note book or on a scrap piece of paper that you put in your project bag.  Just make sure you take notes in some form and keep them up to date - it's so incredibly helpful.
• Use a Project Tracker To Account For/Keep Track Of Your WIPs - For this, I use Ravelry, but you can also use another system that suits you better.  As soon as I cast on, I create a project page and enter all the major details (i.e. yarn/yardage, size, needle size etc.).  I can then revisit my project page and easily see the number of WIPs that I currently have on the go.  This helps me to keep track of things: I can see if my WIPs are piling up and, if so, it gets me motivated to finish a few (so I can cast on more!).
• Having A Good Variety Of Complexity - I spoke about this last week, but make sure your WIPs vary in complexity. Having a variety of easy, moderate and difficult projects means you'll have a good selection of projects to work on, depending on mood/energy levels and time constraints.  Feeling tired? Knit socks. Feeling like a challenge? Work on the cabled sweater.  So, when you're planning your next project, think about what you're already working on and decide if it will fit in well with what you've already got.  This also might help motivate you to finish a WIP in order to make room for the next cast on!
• Try To Work A Bit On Each Project As Often As You Can But Don't Make Knitting Feel Like A Chore - Keep all your projects together in a place you like to knit and, depending on mood, grab a project that will feel good to work on.  If one project has got you excited and you want to keep working on it, do it!  You might power through and finish it. Whatever you do, don't make knitting a chore.  It's OK to let projects marinate for a little while.  But, if you can, try to work on each project at least once a week.
• If  You're Not Feeling It, Frog It - Knitting is meant to be an enjoyable and relaxing hobby; it shouldn't be a weight around our necks.  If there's a project that just doesn't feel fun to knit, or you've lost all interest in it, then frog it and free your needles and yarn for something that you'll love.  Don't hesitate, just move on: knit happens!

I would love to hear how you manage your WIPs.  Do you have a system in place or organise your WIPs in any particular way?  Or, do you just cast on and knit!  I would love to know; please comment below.

Also, is there anything you would like me to write about?  It's always helpful to get suggestions.  Feel free to message me!

Next week, I'll be sharing my tips on how to get all those languishing WIPs off the needles.

Happy Knitting,

Kristen xx