Ginger Ludeman wrote:
What I want to ask the list, though, is how do some of you manage TIME - youI have some UFOs in knitting and some more in cardweaving, so priority setting is necessary. All the woven items for other people have to be done first. Scheduled items are following. For all other items I have a scale of several degrees of difficulties:
know, 24 hrs a day, to have enough hours to do significant creative
projects! I find this hard to do. I am retired and get involved in too
much volunteer activity - that is my problem, I know. But I would really
like to have some discussion about time management, priority setting and all
that.
- easy and small (socks) where I didn't have to look at: no pattern required, can be done everywhere and in every free minute
- socks with elaborate patterns: take a copy of the pattern with you and work (at the train) for at least 20 minutes
- easy sweaters: while watching tv
- elaborate sweaters and lace: while listening to music or radio plays.
It depends on the more or less interesting films on tv what I'll be working at. Sometimes I love to knit patterns with cables, sometimes I go for lace, sometimes it must be easy and small.
But I have one basic rule for ordered, scheduled and "date-free" items: one hour per day, no more, no less.
It'll let you know, your item will be finished and you wouldn't spend too much time a day on it. I use this hour to do elaborate or difficult things, like knitting the heel of a sock, where I have to look at the needles. This amount of time may be greater at the weekends when we have nothing else to do.
I mostly have some knitting of the "easy and small"-degree with me to get my hands busy while waiting for someone/-thing.
My husbands and my really time consuming handicrafts like dying or weaving at the loom need to be planned carefully, because loom and dyepot aren't nearby. We plan 3-4 days for dying (including preparation and drying) with natural dyes like madder, cochenille, willow leaves, etc. and about 10 days for our weaving-projects including loom dressing. So it's important to plan and prepare all the necessary things for e.g. the "dying-days" some days before, and at these days take the time and start work. Do nothing else then dying. Do not allow to be disturbed by something and work without haste.
It'll show how important the things are, you're involved in and you should sort the unimportant out. Enjoy your time and do not fill it with stress and thoughts for "unimportant" things.
That's how we manage time and it works so good, people are telling us that they can calm down as soon as we enter the room.
hth, Ilona
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