In a knitting slump? I have a theory...and three patterns to share!
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- čas přidán 2. 07. 2024
- Today I'm sharing a theory I have on how to get out of a creative/knitting slump and three knitting patterns that may be the ticket for me!
Pattern Suggestion 1: 06:46
Pattern Suggestion 2: 07:37
Pattern Suggestion 3: 09:12
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Tayler
Today I'm sharing a theory I have on how to get out of a creative/knitting slump and three knitting patterns that may be the ticket for me! Enjoy. ❤
"It was super nerdy." That's what I come here for! 😆
I hit a knitting slump every summer, and it took me a long time to figure out why. I’m used to getting inspiration and motivation from knitting podcasts, and every summer they are full of socks and summer tops. I don’t enjoy knitting socks or cotton/linen fingering weight tops. All of my usual sources of inspiration like CZcams and insta are feeding me pictures of things I don’t want to make. Now, I usually catch up on older fall/winter podcasts in the summer and it helps a lot.
I found myself in a knitting slump that lasted over a year. I had a huge number of WIPs, none of which I was the least bit interested in. The times wanted to knit, I would feel guilty about casting on something new, but I didn't want to work on my existing projects, so I just didn't work on anything. I had an enormous stash because I love yarn so much. I didn't realize how enormous until we bought our new house and had to move it.
Thankfully, I was able to give away quite a bit of it to friends, new fiber artists, and family members. I then decided to undo the projects I knew I had no desire to complete. I still have quite a lot of yarn, but it all fits in one closet now! My motivation returned in January. We were out of town shopping, when I just had a random desire to visit the yarn shop I used to go to. I picked out a pattern I loved and the owner helped me pick out a yarn that was completely new to me to knit it with (she's an amazing person). Since that day, I have completed several projects, and even destashed some more.
I don't know why I felt the need to ramble on like this. I'm just so happy to be knitting again. I'm never going to be a person who has a small stash, or just buys as I go, but I am OK with that. I am, however, going to be more mindful about having a project in mind for what I buy.
I have some projects that sat in WIP mode for actual years! What I have done with those that are over a year old is frog them and plan a different project with that yarn. It has made all the difference in the last year! I do still have one project that is mohair that I cannot employ this method of kickstart, but I have that project in it's own vacuum pouch ready to finish. What is left to do on that project is rather boring, so it will be my, work on it next after finishing a really simple blanket pattern.
Very interesting decision. I already have to do so many things I don't want to do, I wouldn't do that with my knitting. I just accept knitting as a seasonally variable activity, and in the summer it's mostly socks and toys. Just today I finished my second Emotional Support Chicken, and that thing is going to make me smile every time I pass through the living room and see it on the back of the chair, leaning against the wall and looking at me with its big blue safety eyes! I'm seriously considering making Sheldon the Sheep next. It's summertime. It's fine.
When “slumping” I watch videos with new knitting techniques and more often than not something will feed the knitting bug.
Fellow knitting "slumpee" here, from Laval, Québec, Canada.
My usual MO is to pack up my wooly yarn in May and pick it up again in October when sweater weather is back. I will turn to plant based yarn for the summer, like linen, cotton, hemp, lyocell (including silk, for full disclosure), and knit mainly tees and camisoles. I've made a few since May but after finishing my latest, a second version of a short sleeved Ravello, by Isabell Kraemer, I've hit a bump in the road and can't seem to go again.
Sooo, I went to my "Summer Yarn" tub, squished and handled my skeins and pulled out the ones that brought me the most joy. I caked them and then went on Ravelry to my Queue and found which patterns approximately matched the recommended gauge of each yarn.
And then I swatched, and swatched, and swatched...and swatched some more. Just knitting for knitting's sake takes the whole pressure off and you know that you're not waisting time because those bloody things have to be made anyway, right?
I used Laura Nelkin's method to swatch in the round and it's a game changer!
czcams.com/video/4A59F9L4P-E/video.html
It's soooo much more pleasant to make swatches that way, without all those dangling threads in the back that sometimes are too short and prevent you from having your swatch lie flat without cutting them (which is a real bummer if you end up loosing at yarn chicken).
So far, I've made seven of those puppies in the last three days, and once I've dunked them, put them on my cookie grill and leave them overnight for the swatch fairy to visit, I document the data from each in my Ravelry stash. A little bit OCD you might think? Yeah, but it's the ritual of doing it that's getting me out of my funk and getting my juices flowing again. Now, I already know which project I'll be making with each of my swatched yarns and the best thing is that I won't have to swatch because they've been done already! So when I want to start....now! now! now! I'll be able to without any guilt, or regrets afterwards.
So basically, to get out of my funk, I turned to my yarn for therapy...and let it whisper to me what it wanted to become.
Thank you for taking the time and making the efforts to publish your podcasts. I am a recent subscriber and I really enjoy your vibe.
PS: Please be patient with my English...it's not my first language and sometimes when I write, it comes out wonky.
Ironically, i just fixed my months long knitting slump last night. I haven't wanted to knit anything, so I pushed myself to just finish the project that was the closest to being done. After that, I put to back all my wintery wool projects and while I felt a lot better, I still didn't feel the knitting joy. So with my summer yarn projects, I started rolling dice. Last night I picked up a cotton jacket that's been limping along since at least last summer. It seemed so practice, something I can just toss on in a waiting room and then stuff in a bag when I get back out in the miserable heat. Well it might still be practice, but when I picked it up this time, it felt like the project was saying it wanted to be a striped tee instead, and since I grabbed a contract color and started working on that all my knitting joy is back
Using the fabric YOU want to knit (for drape, density etc) makes so much more sense to me. Trying to fit into other peoples’ boxes is really hard.
I started knitting years ago by knitting freehand. I didn’t know I was doing it, but I’d see how many stitches were in an inch, then I’d know the cast on number and could draw the color chart.
I had never heard of patterns!
Ah youth.
I have started considering pattern hoarding and yarn collecting to be completely separate hobbies. 😂 Sometimes when I don't feel like knitting/crocheting, I just spend hours scouring Ravelry for patterns and inspiration!
My knitting and spinning slumps are generally related to a depression I go through around the death of my youngest son. And after a month of not wanting to work on any of my knitting or do any spinning I find a reason I need to get something finished and make myself get started and find the drive to knit or spin is still there and the peace of doing those things return. Everyone goes through a slump for varying reasons, but making a reason to have to finish something is what brings me out of mine. Peace and cheer to all who need it.
This is so interesting to me. I’m always in a “something” slump because I have multiple interests. If I’ve got a spinning mojo I might not feel like journaling, if I feel like knitting then I’ll probably not want to spin at all… I’m so used to this that I just go with the flow and enjoy what I enjoy in the moment! It never occurred to me to force myself to try out the thing I didn’t want to try 😅
I’m fortunate that I knit and crochet. If I have a slump in one, I do the other. I do prefer to use cotton yarns when it’s hot out. But knitting a woolly sweater over the summer means you’ll have it for the fall. 😊
I’m in a slump too. Started to knit a small cellphone purse just to knit. It helped some. Watching knitting videos just to keep motivated. Going to do your suggestion, get a pattern and start. Good luck to all in the same boat.
For the past two years or so it's like all of my creativity goes to crochet. It's been a knitting slump that whole time, but endless crochet creativity. And it's driving me crazy! I love both dearly, and I miss knitting!! But I just can't motivate myself to knit. So I'm going to try this this weekend, thank you!!
I've been knitting for 16 years and always stopped in the summer. There was just something about having wool slip through my fingers when it's hot and humid that was not appealing. However, I finally switched to cotton blends this summer for tanks and tees and I have no problem. I'm thrilled to be able to knit year round.
I usually have several wips going at a time, so I choose the one that is closest to being done and push through it. The hit of dopamine plus the fun of choosing my next cast on are enough to drag me out of a slump.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts!
I've been in a knitting slump for awhile. I live in the desert part of Texas where we have had triple digits days since May. We even have very mild winters here so no wooly projects for me. I like doing dishcloths and towels right now. Right now I'm doing a tawashi knot that one of my yarny friends introduced the group to. Our group meets once a month and we share projects, inspirations and our yarn hauls. I'm happy to be part of a group that inspires each other. I'm also trying to learn to crochet so I can make amigurumi.
If you can’t break your knitting slump this is also a great time to spin (in the ac) along with tour de fleece! I’ve found myself knitting less and spinning more, then the yarn you make might inspire you to knit something with it when the weather is more inspiring.
I like this idea and will give it a go the next time I am in a creative slump. Thank you. 💖
We all can relate to that! I am just knitting on something completely not weather appropriate which is the Lillehammer 94' Olympic Sweater and I absolutely love it! My other project is the Fairy Bouquet with brushed alpaca. At first, I was telling to myself «why would you want to work on those project in summer?» but that's just what I want to knit now so who cares! 😅
Agree with your hypothesis - not unlike the reading every day for 30mins committment. I have felt that way about sewing and will sometimes/quilting/bag making and will make myself at least cut out a bite-sized bag project and that typically will jump start the mojo. Knitting is so much an anti-anxiety treatment for me and our world is so nuts right now, that the yearning for the solace is keeping me going.
Interesting idea… I like the “just confront it” approach and find I need to do that when perfectionism is preventing me from getting started. However, I find that if I think I need to finish X before I start Y, but in fact I’m put off by X and really want to work on Y that this can actually cause a crocheting or weaving slump for me 😅 On a different note, I find organizing and my stash and winding some yarn is a sure fire way to get me in the mood to make something 🤓
I am also in a knitting slump! Gifted a hat I finished a few weeks ago, and don’t really want to start on anything else even though I have some ideas - committing to anything feels hard. Also got myself a bookseat by your recommendation - so something simple that I can read and knit is an idea. I was thinking about a palate cleanser project - something like a wash cloth or something super quick. I have been more of a gift knitter - so maybe I need to cast on something for me. XO
I’m in a slump with everything. Life in general and knitting and crochet. Interesting take on it. I’ll definitely give it some thought. Thanks Tayler.😊
I’ve discovered Knitting baby items for hospitals as small fillers during and between creative slumps very much appreciated items. And the yarn is provided. There are guidelines. Each hospital has fair enough, but that gets me through the slumps.
Slumps are real in all creative areas. I just tried using watercolor crayons to help me get back into painting for my children's book. Love the second white yarn idea better. Fuzzy and I don't get along - just me. Good luck with your slump - pushing through does help!
I made the Cleo and was in fingering weight…a delight to knit!!! Very pleased with the result
I also hit a slump in the summer but my biggest hurdle is that I hate casting on (I know, I am odd!). So, whenever I feel inspiration, I try to cast on right away so it hibernates until I want to knit it. Also, when I hit a slump, I go to my other crafty hobbies, embroidery or crochet, until I am inspired to knit again.
I am in a slump as well! Thanks for the ideas
It is interesting that when I'm in a slump, I don't want to "fuss" with anything. I don't mind planning something fussy such as searching patterns, knitting swatches, planning a project, etc. I just don't want to actually start the project fully. What I like to do when it is hot and I'm in this mode is have an easy mindless project such as a blanket (I don't wear scarfs, hats, or shawls and I absolutely hate knitting socks and color work) and plan some projects with stash I have and store the notes, swatches etc. with that yarn. I've gotten extremely productive with this method and I'm averaging a sweater a month give or take.
I’ve been in a slump, most of it is personal but a lot of it is creative slump. I need to go through what I’m working on and see if I should frog or finish, maybe that’ll inspire me. I’d love to see you do another video like that, if the WIPs are overwhelming!
When I'm in a knitting slump and I haven't touched it for weeks or months, I pick up a project that is almost done or the closest to being done out of them all. Look at the pattern and do the next row. Then, the next row. It's that first next row that's the hardest. After that, it's off to the races. It's just picking it up that is the hardest. One row at a time. Baby steps.
I absolutely love knitting. But I get knitting slumps too - sometimes it is caused by texture overwhelm and overall exhaustion. However, even slightly colder weather motivates me to get back to yarn and needles. A little summer breeze here in Northern Europe serves as a good reminder that summer is short and I would much rather have that sweater ready by the mid-autumn. And keeping hands moisturized helps with sensory issues.
I hope your "exposure therapy" is working. I've experienced these slumps myself and know how frustrating they are. Your podcasts inspire me. I also find re-organizing my stash and knitting stuff helps. And of course, a browse in a yarn store. Haha. Good luck.
Okay I am going to swatch for an alpaca blend sweater during a northern California heat wave. I suggest watching some Stephen West podcasts. He is so upbeat. Very contagious.
I think that is a great theory and I love your choices. Rather than a warm and cozy sweater, starting something with a fun motif seems perfect for summer! Makes sense to me. I'm totally in a knitting slump but I also crochet, dye and spin. I'm currently into granny squares! I'm having fun making totes and bags and I'm spinning the yarn to make it. I'm sure I will find my knitting mojo again soon.
I always go through a knitting slump this time of year, probably for the same exact reasons. I have a summer sweater in a fine silk yarn on the needles, and I’ve been making slooow progress, but it was feeling like such a slog. I unknowingly did exactly what you just described and I suddenly knew I HAD to knit a soft, squishy, colorwork sweater. I chose the Drawing sweater pattern, which is challenging in the best way (so many charts! Completely non-repeating colorwork pattern!), and it was the perfect choice. I’ve been going back and forth between my summer sweater and my winter-y sweater and am making good progress on both!
Thanks for this! I’ve been in a knitting slump since my mom died last August.
Interestingly, what helped was pulling out a tank top for my teenage daughter that had been OTN since last June. Like you’re suggesting, I just kept at it even though I didn’t want to. I just finished it a couple weeks ago and it fits her so well and she loves it so much that a lot of joy came back!
I’m now three quarters finished with a new t-shirt for myself and am loving it!
So cool! Now I’m super motivated to test this theory!
I kinda slump every summer, but this year, I have made two lighter sweaters (Berocco Remix Light) and that has helped a lot. Now, I've started crocheting a blanket with stash alpaca yarn - dealing with the knitting slump by crocheting! It's challenging me.
Hi Tayler! I love the idea of just scanning Ravelry or any other source showcasing lots of different kinds of knitting patterns and projects, and seeing what I get inspired by. I do this regularly. Also I was in a terrible knitting slump about a year and a half ago when a friend in my knitting group recommended several knitting podcasts I might like, but I actually didn’t watch any of them until I was flat on my back with the flu and couldn’t do anything else. Discovering knitting podcasts (including yours) also completely rekindled my knitting mojo and continues to do so, as I have been incredibly productive ever since and have been able to ride through slumps more quickly.
Gosh my slump for sewing has going for a year now.. 😅 instead of sewing, I’m knitting so much, improving my skills and right now I’m on a summer knit, Sailor Swift Top and Love Letter Top, both from KutovaKika
Loving your rambles ❤ thank you
I love your podcasts. They are so honest and touch on things that we all go through and think are only something we experience. I have a yarn purchasing addiction as so many yarns look beautiful. I sometimes wonder about myself and then you bring the topic up and I suddenly see how many of us knitters, crocheters are in the same boat. Now the slump problem and here we are with so many experiencing the same thing. You help us feel normal! I have learned to accept myself rather than trying to change myself. I realized that when you are a creative person, you see the beauty in so many things and get much joy out of having them around you.
I love the Southwest colour work vibe. On my list is the "Sheep Camp Sweater" by Jennifer Berg. OMG it is stunning!!!!! Good luck on your slump test!
I have been in a slump, too. But, I keep on pumping out the socks because we love wearing them all year round. However, when I just can't do one more round of sock knitting, I try to find a pattern that includes a new technique, or at least one I haven't used in a while. This week, I found a beret with a Latvian braid cast-on and light colorwork, so it's really been fun and I can't put it down.
Nothing on my knitting needles is enthralling me! I'm totally thrilled with my counted cross stitch project however. Omg what you said about doing what we're not motivated by makes complete sense!
I'm in the midst of clearing out my craft room and it's a bomb site. I wasn't doing any Crafting of any kind for weeks. Last week I started socks but didn't get far, unravelling and making gloves instead. Now I'm making socks. However, I have so much habd-dyed sock yarn and I thought, why not make a crazy coloured sweater from my hand dyed yarn. So I'm just going to fulind a plain sweater and then sort out the yarn colours. It's winter in Australia, I should be knitting. I tend to make socks in summer, normally. So I'm inspired to try a sweater. It's been years since I last knitted a sweater. Now I'm looking forward to it.
Hot and humid here in coastal NC. I took all my wooly projects and put them in time out. Frankly two of them were at a difficult crossroad where I had decided to rip back a bit to refocus my effort. I picked up sone cotton Pima and began a Cancun boxy top. I can’t say that is tickling my fancy either. Today I watched the Knitty Stew podcast and she was talking about the Sunset Highway she has on her needles. I was so inspired I found myself in my stash wondering what four colors could I use to make it. Like I need anything else in my WIP pile. So slump here too.
Your theory is worth testing! However I don't feel such slumps in my life depressing. In these periods I just tempted to do other things and probably need rest with my knitting. Lately I experienced a short pause with it but now I'm much more motivated, have so many ideas. So it definitely feels like I needed some rest.. 😊
MANY years ago, I once went 6 months without knitting, no idea why! I'm also somebody who wants to do ALL THE THINGS, so I don't worry about "slumps". I have a rigid heddle loom that I haven't touched in almost 6 months. I started a project which turned out to be extremely boring to weave (straight up plain weave with solid black yarn), so it's in time out until I feel like working on it again. I just started a "Le Pouf" sweater, which I'm obsessed with. I'm using exclusively stash yarn, which feels almost virtuous. 😂
Love the ramble!!
I want to make what may seem like an odd suggestion. You could spin something new that you have not done before. Maybe like a 3ply fractal. Sometimes, I think it helps to choose the step before knitting to be inspired. Kinda like the feeling you get when you get inspiration after a few dye batch has been completed.
Just a thought. Would love to know if it helps at all.
Also, I love the ramble. We all feel that way sometimes, and it's nice to have someone voice it.
I have this too when I get bored, but then I switch from machine knitting to hand knitting and back again. Fine cotton is easier and faster done on the machine for summer. 😂
I have to say that the idea of knitting a woolly anything in 118 degree heat turns me right off 😂, so I think the slump is entirely understandable! When I get in a slump, I look to something that will teach me something new. That’s how I picked up crochet and Tunisian crochet. The other day I came across these new to me styles of knitting. One was called Fission knitting, and the other was called Fusion knitting both by Mary W Martin Knits. They are a type of double sided color work.
Good luck! I hope you kick that slump! Fellow southwesterner here. Living in southern New Mexico, I adore making Hempathy tees and sweaters that are cool, airy, and that I can wear three “seasons” of the year. It blooms into this better-than-cottony softness that’s light and breathes. The fabric is gorgeous, but doesn’t photograph as pretty as it is. It keeps me knitting through the summer. I made a full size comforter one summer…never again! If that were the only option I had for summer knitting, I would balk.
I have to agree with you.
As challenging as it is. Once you start being creative...the flow happens.
My partner always eggs me on to be creative when I don't want to be, because he recognises how my mood changes once I start and how good I feel at the end of the project.
Motivation comes after the act.
Thanks. I think we all needed that. With everything going on , not knitting is a bummer.
If I get in a slump, I go through all my yarn. I take it out and look at the colors and the feel, and remember why I love knitting. It's those colors that get to me. Another thing I was thinking about is this. If you see a sweater you love, just love it all, the perfect color and all. And then you find yarn in a different color that you love and you use that instead, then when it's done, I look at it and I'm not loving it because I really loved it in the original colorway. That is what makes my slump. Not having the right color to make that inspired thing.
I have to tell you, I made my first Book Nook this week! I am now addicted, and bonus, it helped my creative slump! Thank you for introducing me to yet another hobby! I love it! ❤
I am finishing a sweater for Loose Ends Project. It is a fisherman's sweater in acrylic. We are finally getting hot weather (It's 73 today!!!!) and I'm just not feeling it. But I am going to press on today!
I knit hunter hammersen's Palpitations to keep knitting in a slump. I can knit 1 on DPNs in an evening including stuffing with polyfil, yarn scraps, and lavender buds. I gave a bunch away so I feel like I need to replenish them. Thinking about learning the little star she has.
I’m not in a slump but suffering from golfer’s elbow and tendinitis in my thumb. So I can’t knit! So I’ve switched crafts. I’m sewing project bags and joined Tour De Fleece with a facebook group. We are taking a road trip on Sunday and I’ll try knitting then. All that to say I am really looking forward to knitting!!! Might try something like that if you are in a slump ☺️😊🧶🧶🧶
Another point of view: I am knitting a cardigan hoping it will be done by the time cooler weather sets in.
I’ve always bought yarn for specific projects. The problem is, I buy faster than I knit, so I’ve got a stash (who doesn't?) of project bags of yarn with patterns. Everything goes in my Ravelry queue, so when I’m in a slump, I shop my queue. There's always something there that inspires me anew.
I agree with you. I decided to take a couple of KALs. One of them is being lead by Sivia Harding. She is a wonderful teacher and knitting mentor. I decided to checkout some of her original designs on Ravelry. To my surprise, her patterns that excited me are the beaded lace designs. She has a book of knitted cowls accompanied by matching mitts. You may want to check her out. Happy knitting!
Facing anxiety and proving to your brain nothing bad happened is very powerful and I think when it comes to creative projects we can have some sort of anxiety blocking us even if it's just about what we 'should' be doing. Sometimes you need to refill the well and get excited about something again. Sometimes you are a person who cycles through various hobbies. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to start or keep working on something foe just 5 minutes and it's enough to help break your stuck momentum. Looking forward to the update to this video. Happy crafting yall.
When I'm in a knitting slump and get most frustrated with the myself, I put away all my wip's, so that I don't see them and take a nice solid break, for week or two, where I don't touch anything yarn related and I try to forget about it altogether. Then eventually, I miss it :)
I think you are right on. Jump into something exciting to you. I think the guilt of finishing things you have started is a waste of energy and the same if you are "Bored" with the current things, they don't light a fire then find the fire, cast on and go. Starting is 90 percent of the getting out of a slump. Your pattern choices are beautiful and by the time cooler weather comes you will have a beautiful colorwork sweater. Enjoy....I like to go shopping for yarn to inspire new projects...just came home from Joanne's lots of sale yarn that is beautiful. Thank you again for a great discussion.
14:34 I find watching a podcast or going on Ravelry helps me out of a slump. Also, casting on something new (get back to your wips later) Aircon is great for knitting in the heat too. So weird, because we're in mid-winter in South Africa and I'm loving being cozy and knitting up a storm!
I’m sitting here folding laundry while watching. Doing the very thing I really don’t want to do. 😂 Is there such thing as a laundry slump. I think I perpetually live there. 😅 My grandpa used to always say whatever you want to do least do first. And I find that if I procrastinate something the best thing to do is just do it. So with all that to say I think you have something going with your theory. And to cheer you on I know you’ll get through it and come out the other side wiser and can share that with us. 💛
Whenever I'm in a knitting slump I tend to end up doing a crochet project as a palette cleanser. Sometimes I just need to see a project grow quicker.
Watching this while knitting a wooly colorwork sweater, lol
I love all three but the pinassa gets my vote! Interesting concept though, I’ve just been in a slump and found crochet was my way back, it’s still slow going but I’m getting there
Yup, my summer knitting slump is in full swing 🤔 but my book reading is on fire 😄📚. I know by September at the latest, I’ll be knitting again 😄❤️👍🧶
SAME!! ❤️❤️
I started looking at cable knit sweater patterns because I never liked that complicated a pattern. I ended up choosing one and got the yarn for it and then presto summer hits and I lost my inspiration for it. This vid will probably help me get out of it as I need to choose a different size then I normally wear. Thanks for the inspiration!
Good Luck! I hope this does the trick.
I really think you are on to something here. Keep curious! There is a very big difference between steering clear of unpleasurable projects (yarn, needles, pattern are all making for an irritating experience) and avoiding a project because of some other issue (lost confidence, fear, anxiety, overwhelm etc.). I had a bad experience with brioche which led me into a slump in which I only wanted to make fast and simple knits, and I was soon bored. I actually love complexity and challenge, so avoiding these things deprives me of the pleasure of complex challenges.
I’ve been on a tear knitting through my stash after I broke a years long knitting slump last fall. Of late I’ve been on a “potato chip” knitting roll, over and over again making the same basic as heck triangle shawl, using my most beautiful multicolored skeins.
This morning though, I was sitting sweating under a nearly finished shawl, wondering if I should just do socks. 😅
I live in Arizona desert and we are experiencing the same heat as you all up in Henderson.
Your plan sounds like a good one.
I haven't run into a knitting slump but I do find that I lose my gardening mojo when it gets hot. Maybe I will apply this tactic in the early morning hours while it is cool and see if it helps. Thanks for thiis new approach to getting over my procrastination.
I am either reading or knitting..and you have been reading a ton. If I am in a knitting mood, I am hardly reading and vice versa.
I enjoyed this post, even though I'm not in a slump. I finished my granddaughter's Christmas stocking, cast on a Knitting Badge Neckerchief (I have other wips I need to see to, but later), but am in a local community theater production of Fiddler on the Roof and decided to crochet myself a shawl to wear for our eviction scene. Found a free pattern (Beautifully Basic Filet Crochet Shawl by Fiber Spider), stash-dived for yarn (thanks, my late MIL!) and am blasting through it. Love it! I always enjoy seeing what you find on Ravelry! Thanks for sharing!
Though I wouldn't say I'm in a slump, I'm definitely feeling a bit...sluggish. I have many things on the needles right now, a few that are very nearly done, and my next projects selected with yarn purchased, but...I feel like i'm kind of making myself pick up my knitting. I tell myself that I only have to knit for 30 minutes and then I can stop (and I feel terrible saying that), and then all of a sudden I've been knitting for two hours, happy as a clam. The other day, I just could not make myself pick up the needles. And today I was struggling with it as well.
However, the other day, I let myself get lost in Ravelry. And today, I pulled out my polymer clay stuff to make custom stitch markers for myself (which I've been wanting to do for months). Both are knitting related, but not knitting, and both felt like what I needed in the moment. I have some work to do on the stitch markers (tomorrow!), but in the meantime, I've cast on a Step by Step Cardigan, and telling myself I can't stay up all night knitting.
Sometimes I think we just need a little something different to get our creative juices flowing.
In my normal summer knitting slump. In the winter, I can't put my knitting down. In the summer, I can't look at it. Last month I did force myself to actually finish a tank top I started June 2023 (!), that only needed a few inches of stockinette for the past 12 months. But I didn't enjoy it. However, watching knitting videos, such as this one, does give me a tiny twinge of sadness about not having anything on the needles right now. Give me cool, rainy day, and I'll be off and running again!
Honestly, yes. 100% this is me. I feel so seen and heard with your comment Jessie. ☺️❤️
I completely agree. It's the same with yoga: the poses we don't want to do agree often the ones we need... and eventually fall in love with.
I've been in a knitting slump and haven't been able to find any projects to cast on that really excited me so what I decided to do was to finish some WIPs that have been hanging around for a while. I will admit that the only thing I feel like casting on these days is the emotional support chicken and I didn't finish it.
The second one is absolutely gorgeous
I made myself finish the sommerknus lite by 4th of July and that triggered a knitting slump - I felt so sick of knitting in the last few weeks, even though I love the finished object (finished it just in time!). I think it was the (self-inflicted) deadline and pressure that was taking the fun out of my hobby. What has helped me was to shift gears and work on a fun, easy crochet project - I think it’s something about using a slightly different skill to occupy my brain but that still gives me that dopamine hit. Which crochet project you ask? The Taylor Swift crochet dress of course!
I call myself an adventurous knitter, past beginner but no way near an expert. I’m working on learning how to make socks this summer (it’s going) but I do feel the slump. I’m terrified about starting a sweater since I’ve never made one, I guess I’ll have to see if I get a slump to try. Great video, thanks.
This is a really interesting idea and I'm going to try this next time I'm in a slump
Happy 😁 knitting 🧶🤗 👋🏾👋🏾
What helped me get out of my knitting slump I’m in right now was to unravel a scarf I’d started knitting and that had gotten messed up during transport (some stitches fell off the needles, I lost count of the rows I’d done in the pattern, etc). It got to the point where just knowing that I had to sort it out at some point made me feel sad and annoyed. Redoing it from the beginning feels better, hopefully I can finish it now!
I sort and purge my yarn, sort live any of patterns, notions and projects and usually something pops up that makes me want to dive in
I know that feeling of a knitting slump. I have a 'sewing slump' right now ! Only problem I now face is I am in a crazy too many projects plan with too many things to make!! So many emotions attached to crafting hey!
Tayler, that's a very interesting approach and I look forward to hearing how it works. For me, I get in a creative slump when I get overwhelmed by too many supplies and a too-messy creative space. I'm wondering if you have a chilly place where you can knit. It would seem much more motivating to knit in a cool room, than in a warm space. Good luck!
I'm at the toe end of a pair of gift socks. The soon-to-be owner of said socks hasn't gotten back to me with her foot length. I love the yarn so I could knit until it's a size 20 men's, but alas I've stopped. Rather than another cast on, I've dug into my stash to crochet a blanket of squares. The squares are kund of addictive so they will help me restart my knittting to-do list. And my stash will be smaller!
Hope the sweater is the magic you need. I heard wool is itchiest when you're warm. NV temperatures don't encourage wool knitting.
You mentioned in one of your hot takes videos that you hate the idea of knitting a fingering weight wool sweater, but personally I find these excellent for knitting in summer because they are light weight, no sticky mohair and they don't make your lap hot. Summer yarns with plant fibres are not as enjoyable to knit and so you can easily lose your mojo if you're primarily a garment knitter and feel constrained to either summer yarns or thick worsted-weight wool.
As I knitter in Australia that is usually warmish for most of the year, if I left the majority of my knitting for the winter I’d probably only get a sweater or two every few years. I like knitting in pieces so no one piece is that big. There is maybe a week or so where I may not knit and they are 40+ (104+ F) days. My body doesn’t do well at that temp so I usually end up asleep most of the time. If I do knit it’s because I’ve made it to the library or some other place with air conditioning.
I havent had a knitting slump in a while but when i am there i usually just let it be. Sometimes i want to learn something new, sometimes i want to try a new craft for a bit even if that turn out to be sharing my kids coloring books for an afternoon, and sometimes i spend some time managing amd visiting with my stash . The knitting and crochet always come back and i dont stress too much about the timing. Though i have learned that i can not put deadlines on my projects esp gift knits. As soon as i do i loose all motivation.
Ive been working in therapy to learn how to face my fears. Apparently theres many things im scared of, and I cope by running from them. Ironically i feel like this advice might be an extension of that thought - face your fears. If you really don't want to do something, is it because you truly dont care for it, or is there a trickier reason youve been feeling weird about it? The energy and confidence you gain from doing something scary might very well inspire you to do fun things :)