I agree! I like the podcasters that take things slower and enjoy the process of knitting, instead of chugging out new object after new object. I’m with you!
i'm so glad to hear that! sometimes i wish i could be one of the super fast knitters, but at the same time i think there's validity to taking things slower & being intentional about what you create 🥰
I definitely agree with you how we should definitely cherish the process of knitting and working on the project. Enjoying the process at all stages should definitely be prioritised rather than only appreciating the finished objects.
I love your spiel about knitstagram and instant gratification. I personally haven't finished anything since like January or February so I can relate to you there! I also love seeing what people are working on in the moment and am always surprised at how many projects people can finish in so little time. (I guess it's too bad I have other hobbies haha) So I'd love to see more wips on insta! May join you on the no-buy for a while... after going through my stash I have a few skeins in random places because they won't fit in my main yarn storage. 🙈 And I have more yarn on its way to me. RIP 💀😂
yep, exactly! I love being on the knitting side of instagram ofc - it's SO inspiring & lovely to see what other people are making, but at times I also find myself comparing my progress to others & feeling disheartened that my process seems a lot slower. but I think it's important to remember to enjoy the process of knitting & not get too caught up in trying to constantly pump out FOs, so I'm trying my best! also yes, please join me for the no-buy!! I also had the problem of having extra skeins in various places but I think I've mostly consolidated at this point lol
I 100% agree!! I've had to get off instagram for months and now I have more balance using it but its a constant struggle with posting vs. building an audience vs. pressure of creating content that doesn't always align with slow knitting or process knitting. I haven't really found a balance in all of that but when I get hard on myself I remind myself why I love to create and why I do it. I will definitely be joining in on the no-buy or at least working from stash as much as possible
absolutely, i feel this! i've been trying to strike a better balance with instagram where i will check it periodically for inspiration & to connect with other knitters, but not TOO often to the point where i start comparing myself a lot. it's definitely tricky 😅 also, so funny that it's been several months since i started my no-buy, but i've been gifted yarn so many times that i think i have more yarn at this point...
Interesting thoughts! I typically have a hat or socks cast on regardless of my other WIPs. Those smaller projects are great to work on when longer projects are frustrating or daunting. Hats are my favorite because of the variety in yarn, stitches, techniques, etc you can use. I actually just cast on the Stria hat because of having multiple large projects and needing that mental break 😊.
ooooh, that's smart! I don't knit hats too often these days because I have dozens of hats either my mom or I have knit at some point in my life... and I live in the Bay Area so they don't get too much use :/ but I love knitting socks so I might try out this idea!
It's nice to meet you, snap lm a slow knitter too cause lm definitely a process knitter, l start daydreaming when l knit and keep slowing down. I've learnt to accept it and no longer fight up. I just do me. Big hugs from N Ireland xx
Awhile back, I made a rule that I would only buy yarn when I had a specific project in mind for it. But then I lined up, and bought supplies for, the next ten years of work. I think I like this idea of no new projects or yarn, but I think I will also ban looking at patterns and finding more things I want to make. I think I will add a no-browse to my list of rules.
hahaha it's always so funny when you make rules for yourself & then come up with loopholes for those rules!! for me it's definitely been tricky to find a balance between getting inspiration for things to make in the future while also not looking too far in advance (i.e. buying yarn for the next 10 years 😆). for now, I'm hoping that this no-buy period will allow me to use up some of the yarn that I've had for a while so I can try to have better habits going forward!
i am late to the party but i can relate so much to feeling overwhelmed by the amount of yarn i have acquired. and frustrated over all the unfinished projects i have planned to make. i cant stand to look at anymore yarn at this point.
don't worry about being late to the party!! but you can feel free to join me in the challenge still :) I'm almost done with all of my WIPs at this point, gonna start in on using up some more stash next!
I feel like this is video was made for me! I have been extremely overwhelmed with my knits, especially since I tasked myself with some gift knits recently that have deadlines and can't be shared online. I've also been frogging and reknitting a lot of projects, so my knitting life has been feeling like a huge mess. So I deleted Instgram off my phone for 6 weeks and it has been soooo refreshing. I have been playing with the idea of a yarn no-buy and this video is definitely convincing me I should do it!
hey Talya, I just followed you on Instagram! I love your knits (& all of the other things you make, like earrings & masks - so cool!). but yes, you should definitely join me on the no-buy :) even though I haven't busted a TON of stash since I started, I still just feel refreshed knowing that I've committed myself to working towards it!
Hello! I've just found you on You Tube :-) I too find myself distracted by new things! I have a massive yarn stash and several WIPs so I'll happily join you in a NoBuyAndCompleteWIP challenge!
omg you're wonderful and I agree with you about like feeling left behind on instagram due to not creating as fast! I crochet (and am learning to knit) and I have 6 huge storage bins full of yarn and then yarn in like 3 big bags. and I have around 10 wips which is definitely overwhelming. So I would love to join you! Would I still be able to join even though I crochet?
thank you so much, I really appreciate that! :) I'm also learning to crochet a bit at the moment so it sounds like we're in the same boat of learning a new fiber art!! & also, you can ABSOLUTELY join me! I haven't really made this an "official" challenge in any way - although maybe it would be cool to use a common hashtag on Instagram or something? let me know if that sounds like a good idea! - so you're welcome to join just by deciding to focus on your WIPs & stash! 💗
I’m trying not to buy but I am finishing things. Get off Instagram. I do show my wips on Instagram when I am on. But insta is shown to be detrimental to mental health. I have three sweaters CO, all different but I try to keep at least on somewhat mindless, something somewhat challenging and one in the middle. I pick up the mindless when watching TV.
instagram can definitely be a double edged sword for me. I love being connected to other knitters & inspired by what they're making, but if I'm on it too much I can definitely start comparing myself to others. also, that's such a smart method of deciding on WIPs! I think 1-2 WIPs in addition to my beekeeper's quilt (which is a very mindless project) is a good amount. good to have a couple of options but not *too* many!
@@midsummerknits totally agree! I just cast on three(!) new items this week because …mood…life…pick one! 😂 So now I’m overwhelmed again! Good luck. Do better than me! 😂🧶
I wish I was you... My stash is in tubs taking up half of my bedroom. I will join you in the No Buy. I am also an artist who's yarn has overflowed into my studio. When I couldn't fit all of that yarn in a tub, I said to myself, "OK, Kate. This is ridiculous. You're going to cut your stash down to only three tubs. The rest HAS to go! You need your space (life) back." When I was making my own clothes and got to a place where I couldn't figure out how to solve a roadblock, I would often stop working on that project for a couple months. I would put it away sometimes and work on something else or stop sewing altogether. I wouldn't forget about it--I was working on it in the back of my mind. Most times, when I got back to the project, it was easy to work on and I'd end up wondering why I had so much trouble in the first place. I found I did need the time away from it and come back fresh later. A few times, too, though, I was frustrated with myself and may have waited a day or two and then, forced myself to work on it. That proved a good result most of the time. So, you're not alone in your thinking. I should have taken the latter approach more often. ❤ Before starting any project, I start swatching with the recommended needle size for the yarn, making an 8"x8" swatch. If I don't like the fabric, I keep swatching until I find the fabric I like. Then, I use my gauge and adjust the pattern accordingly. I'm not sure if this is right but this is my default; my gauge almost never matches the pattern. Thank you. Looking forward to seeing your progress and your designs.
thank you Kate for your comment!! I've thankfully never gotten to that point of overwhelm with my yarn, but I can imagine how stressful it would be. even if you end up having to sell or give away some yarn you realize you aren't going to use, it's worth it to feel like you have control over your life again! it definitely reminds me of how I feel about my closet at times, lol. I definitely agree with taking a break from projects for a bit, whether it's a few days or months. I've realized that a few days is usually sufficient in my case - it's just enough to get my frustration with the project out of my system - but I can understand needing more time for a particularly tricky project. (btw, I will be posting a new video with an update soon, but this method of not allowing myself to start any new projects has worked pretty well!)
Ohhhh i needed this video so much, thanks UA-cam for recommending It, sometimes you show me the right thing 😂🙈 Honestly i think It would be amazing if we could create a group where we constantly share our wips and plans for our stash yarn so that we can motivate each other and also interact giving advice on potential patterns and projects etc... I'd join immediately as i am in a very similar situation as you are ✋ i think we could use Slack as a platform where to share everything, something outside of social media but idk I'd love to hear your thoughts on this idea 💖
omg thank you so much for your comment, ombra!! I've just put a poll on my Instagram story to see if anyone else is interested in joining, and if enough people are interested I would love to start something :) I know there are *some* existing groups for stash-busting (on Ravelry and maybe Reddit?) but people might not be aware of them so I would love to connect people if it's a gap in the community right now!!
@@midsummerknits i think a group on Ravelry would even make me and other people more active on the website, and you can enter your yarn too so It might be pretty cool to use It
absolutely! I'm back to one project (aside from my long-standing quilt) and I've been feeling a lot more excited about creating again. I definitely think it will ebb & flow but I prefer having fewer projects and feeling a bit more focused!
I agree! I like the podcasters that take things slower and enjoy the process of knitting, instead of chugging out new object after new object. I’m with you!
i'm so glad to hear that! sometimes i wish i could be one of the super fast knitters, but at the same time i think there's validity to taking things slower & being intentional about what you create 🥰
I definitely agree with you how we should definitely cherish the process of knitting and working on the project. Enjoying the process at all stages should definitely be prioritised rather than only appreciating the finished objects.
yes exactly! I do appreciate the finished objects too, but that's such a small piece of the whole process!
Yes I need to organize my yarn 🧶 and use some before I get any more
omg join me then!! I'm already feeling a lot better about my stash just knowing I've committed to doing this for a bit :')
I love your spiel about knitstagram and instant gratification. I personally haven't finished anything since like January or February so I can relate to you there! I also love seeing what people are working on in the moment and am always surprised at how many projects people can finish in so little time. (I guess it's too bad I have other hobbies haha) So I'd love to see more wips on insta!
May join you on the no-buy for a while... after going through my stash I have a few skeins in random places because they won't fit in my main yarn storage. 🙈 And I have more yarn on its way to me. RIP 💀😂
yep, exactly! I love being on the knitting side of instagram ofc - it's SO inspiring & lovely to see what other people are making, but at times I also find myself comparing my progress to others & feeling disheartened that my process seems a lot slower. but I think it's important to remember to enjoy the process of knitting & not get too caught up in trying to constantly pump out FOs, so I'm trying my best!
also yes, please join me for the no-buy!! I also had the problem of having extra skeins in various places but I think I've mostly consolidated at this point lol
I 100% agree!! I've had to get off instagram for months and now I have more balance using it but its a constant struggle with posting vs. building an audience vs. pressure of creating content that doesn't always align with slow knitting or process knitting. I haven't really found a balance in all of that but when I get hard on myself I remind myself why I love to create and why I do it. I will definitely be joining in on the no-buy or at least working from stash as much as possible
absolutely, i feel this! i've been trying to strike a better balance with instagram where i will check it periodically for inspiration & to connect with other knitters, but not TOO often to the point where i start comparing myself a lot. it's definitely tricky 😅 also, so funny that it's been several months since i started my no-buy, but i've been gifted yarn so many times that i think i have more yarn at this point...
Romanticise your wips ✨ I’m so with you on this! Although I find it way easier to take nice photos of my finished objects than my wips
ah totally, me too!! I'm trying out a variation of flat lays & try ons of WIPs but they definitely don't look as nice as an FO most of the time :P
Interesting thoughts! I typically have a hat or socks cast on regardless of my other WIPs. Those smaller projects are great to work on when longer projects are frustrating or daunting. Hats are my favorite because of the variety in yarn, stitches, techniques, etc you can use. I actually just cast on the Stria hat because of having multiple large projects and needing that mental break 😊.
ooooh, that's smart! I don't knit hats too often these days because I have dozens of hats either my mom or I have knit at some point in my life... and I live in the Bay Area so they don't get too much use :/ but I love knitting socks so I might try out this idea!
your patience and willingness to frog is so admirable!
thank you howard!!
It's nice to meet you, snap lm a slow knitter too cause lm definitely a process knitter, l start daydreaming when l knit and keep slowing down. I've learnt to accept it and no longer fight up. I just do me. Big hugs from N Ireland xx
it's lovely to meet you too, thank you for watching & commenting!
Awhile back, I made a rule that I would only buy yarn when I had a specific project in mind for it. But then I lined up, and bought supplies for, the next ten years of work. I think I like this idea of no new projects or yarn, but I think I will also ban looking at patterns and finding more things I want to make. I think I will add a no-browse to my list of rules.
hahaha it's always so funny when you make rules for yourself & then come up with loopholes for those rules!! for me it's definitely been tricky to find a balance between getting inspiration for things to make in the future while also not looking too far in advance (i.e. buying yarn for the next 10 years 😆). for now, I'm hoping that this no-buy period will allow me to use up some of the yarn that I've had for a while so I can try to have better habits going forward!
i am late to the party but i can relate so much to feeling overwhelmed by the amount of yarn i have acquired. and frustrated over all the unfinished projects i have planned to make. i cant stand to look at anymore yarn at this point.
don't worry about being late to the party!! but you can feel free to join me in the challenge still :) I'm almost done with all of my WIPs at this point, gonna start in on using up some more stash next!
I feel like this is video was made for me! I have been extremely overwhelmed with my knits, especially since I tasked myself with some gift knits recently that have deadlines and can't be shared online. I've also been frogging and reknitting a lot of projects, so my knitting life has been feeling like a huge mess. So I deleted Instgram off my phone for 6 weeks and it has been soooo refreshing. I have been playing with the idea of a yarn no-buy and this video is definitely convincing me I should do it!
hey Talya, I just followed you on Instagram! I love your knits (& all of the other things you make, like earrings & masks - so cool!). but yes, you should definitely join me on the no-buy :) even though I haven't busted a TON of stash since I started, I still just feel refreshed knowing that I've committed myself to working towards it!
I have a good 6 (or more if I’m forgetting some) WIPs and no plans of stopping 🤪
lol you do you!!
Hello! I've just found you on You Tube :-) I too find myself distracted by new things! I have a massive yarn stash and several WIPs so I'll happily join you in a NoBuyAndCompleteWIP challenge!
ah hi, it's lovely to meet you!! and I'm glad you'll be joining me :) do you both sew & knit?
@@midsummerknits yes, I do both!
omg you're wonderful and I agree with you about like feeling left behind on instagram due to not creating as fast! I crochet (and am learning to knit) and I have 6 huge storage bins full of yarn and then yarn in like 3 big bags. and I have around 10 wips which is definitely overwhelming. So I would love to join you! Would I still be able to join even though I crochet?
thank you so much, I really appreciate that! :) I'm also learning to crochet a bit at the moment so it sounds like we're in the same boat of learning a new fiber art!! & also, you can ABSOLUTELY join me! I haven't really made this an "official" challenge in any way - although maybe it would be cool to use a common hashtag on Instagram or something? let me know if that sounds like a good idea! - so you're welcome to join just by deciding to focus on your WIPs & stash! 💗
I’m trying not to buy but I am finishing things. Get off Instagram. I do show my wips on Instagram when I am on. But insta is shown to be detrimental to mental health.
I have three sweaters CO, all different but I try to keep at least on somewhat mindless, something somewhat challenging and one in the middle. I pick up the mindless when watching TV.
instagram can definitely be a double edged sword for me. I love being connected to other knitters & inspired by what they're making, but if I'm on it too much I can definitely start comparing myself to others. also, that's such a smart method of deciding on WIPs! I think 1-2 WIPs in addition to my beekeeper's quilt (which is a very mindless project) is a good amount. good to have a couple of options but not *too* many!
@@midsummerknits totally agree! I just cast on three(!) new items this week because …mood…life…pick one! 😂 So now I’m overwhelmed again! Good luck. Do better than me! 😂🧶
I agree so much
I wish I was you... My stash is in tubs taking up half of my bedroom. I will join you in the No Buy. I am also an artist who's yarn has overflowed into my studio. When I couldn't fit all of that yarn in a tub, I said to myself, "OK, Kate. This is ridiculous. You're going to cut your stash down to only three tubs. The rest HAS to go! You need your space (life) back."
When I was making my own clothes and got to a place where I couldn't figure out how to solve a roadblock, I would often stop working on that project for a couple months. I would put it away sometimes and work on something else or stop sewing altogether. I wouldn't forget about it--I was working on it in the back of my mind. Most times, when I got back to the project, it was easy to work on and I'd end up wondering why I had so much trouble in the first place. I found I did need the time away from it and come back fresh later. A few times, too, though, I was frustrated with myself and may have waited a day or two and then, forced myself to work on it. That proved a good result most of the time. So, you're not alone in your thinking. I should have taken the latter approach more often. ❤
Before starting any project, I start swatching with the recommended needle size for the yarn, making an 8"x8" swatch. If I don't like the fabric, I keep swatching until I find the fabric I like. Then, I use my gauge and adjust the pattern accordingly. I'm not sure if this is right but this is my default; my gauge almost never matches the pattern.
Thank you. Looking forward to seeing your progress and your designs.
thank you Kate for your comment!! I've thankfully never gotten to that point of overwhelm with my yarn, but I can imagine how stressful it would be. even if you end up having to sell or give away some yarn you realize you aren't going to use, it's worth it to feel like you have control over your life again! it definitely reminds me of how I feel about my closet at times, lol.
I definitely agree with taking a break from projects for a bit, whether it's a few days or months. I've realized that a few days is usually sufficient in my case - it's just enough to get my frustration with the project out of my system - but I can understand needing more time for a particularly tricky project. (btw, I will be posting a new video with an update soon, but this method of not allowing myself to start any new projects has worked pretty well!)
Ohhhh i needed this video so much, thanks UA-cam for recommending It, sometimes you show me the right thing 😂🙈
Honestly i think It would be amazing if we could create a group where we constantly share our wips and plans for our stash yarn so that we can motivate each other and also interact giving advice on potential patterns and projects etc... I'd join immediately as i am in a very similar situation as you are ✋ i think we could use Slack as a platform where to share everything, something outside of social media but idk I'd love to hear your thoughts on this idea 💖
omg thank you so much for your comment, ombra!! I've just put a poll on my Instagram story to see if anyone else is interested in joining, and if enough people are interested I would love to start something :) I know there are *some* existing groups for stash-busting (on Ravelry and maybe Reddit?) but people might not be aware of them so I would love to connect people if it's a gap in the community right now!!
@@midsummerknits aww thanks for sharing! 💞
@@midsummerknits i think a group on Ravelry would even make me and other people more active on the website, and you can enter your yarn too so It might be pretty cool to use It
@@midsummerknits btw, i know my acc name is misleading, but my real name is Linda hahha 😂💕
Thanks if any one needs this i do.
Nothing wrong with being a monogamous knitter. I am too.
absolutely! I'm back to one project (aside from my long-standing quilt) and I've been feeling a lot more excited about creating again. I definitely think it will ebb & flow but I prefer having fewer projects and feeling a bit more focused!