Firstly, thank you to everyone who completed my yarn colour survey. Your answers were very helpful and I’ve acted on what I learned from some of them already.
Last week I was also talking about the goals I set for this year that I’m not keeping up with. Since then I’ve been keeping an eye on what I’m doing/not doing to achieve them and come to the conclusion I’m being far too woolly.
Right now a lot of things – not just those goals – that aren’t happening, because I’ve so much to do. Everything’s tumbling around in my head in a big woolly mess and as a result I’m overwhelmed by just the thoughts about how much I need to do. To untangle the threads, I’ve made a Next Step list – listing just the next thing I have to do for everything, prioritising it then getting on with working through the list and not thinking about any of the following steps until I’ve completed the first.
Another place I’m being far too woolly is in designing sweaters.
I’ve now designed two, but not written a pattern for them, because I scribble everything on scraps of paper as I go along. Even when I manage not to lose half the scraps or use a notebook, my writing’s so bad I can’t read half of what I’ve written.
In future I’m not going to allow myself to knit any part of a garment until I’ve typed up my notes on it and printed them out. That way, I’ll also be able to spot typos as I go along, rather than after the pattern is written – which is always harder.
I’m hoping these two things get me a bit more organised, but I’m wondering what else I could do. What do you do to regain focus when you’re feeling woolly?
Dartmoor Creative 
I don’t know how to regain focus, but I too am a bit woolly as I don’t know where I’m going! My temp contract ends next week and then I’m officially jobless. Scary stuff. Hope you untangle all your wooliness and keep going. 😊
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Thank you. Good luck with the job situation 🙂
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I’m a bit like that at the moment. I have about 3 patchwork projects going on of various sizes, some knitting I haven’t sewn up yet, something else I’ve started to knit and several others of the same that I hoped to have ready for winter, a dress I’m making for my daughter that doesn’t fit properly and needs to be taken apart and put together again (which I hate doing soooo much!), a few dog collar orders to fulfil and a sewing box in the early stages of preparation. I just discovered three laundry baskets full of ironing too – my husband has work shirts in there he’d forgotten about. What I usually do when I’m feeling woolly is stop and look at what I actually need to do – is there anything somebody is waiting for? – is it something I need to put in my shop? – is it something I’m doing for fun? Then prioritise them in the order of those questions. That’s not to say that the last one – the fun one – doesn’t often trip me up and I go in to work on something I’d planned and end up working on something I’ve suddenly been tempted by on a blog, in a book or online. I am totally undisciplined – as you know
I have a theory that the more time you have the more you expand into it. If I went out to work during the day and only had the evenings to work in, I’m sure I’d be much more organised but because I’m my own ‘boss’ and can work at my own pace I take advantage of the fact. Good luck with your woolliness – that sweater is gorgeous and a pattern definitely needs to be written!!
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I totally agree, the more time you have the easier it is to ‘waste’ it. I guess that’s why I’m often thinking about goals and structures to keep me focussed. It’s a shame we’re not next door neighbours, I’m sure we’d get nothing done, but have lot of fun doing it 🙂 Good luck with that dress – my heart sunk when I saw that on your list. I’d be so the same .
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Seems it’s catching! I too am very woolly. Think I have ground to a bit of a halt and just need to regroup. Maybe its just summer!
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I think you’re right, it probably is at least partly time of year. Regrouping is always good in my book 🙂
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ATM I am rather wooly…yes more like that sheep me thinks ;o) Maybe you need a little time of/out and refresh and than just pick up where you left it all . You work so hard! Xo Johanna
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Thank you. Glad I’m not alone in all this woolliness. Time out is probably a good ide, but I’ll really rubbish at sitting still. Although that reminds me, they’ve just started tai chi in the village hall – that might be a good thing to help me get more grounded.
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Gosh, that’s tricky- yes I have that woolly feeling a lot! I don’t have the answer but I do find that writing lists and then scribbling them off as things get done can be satisfying 🙂
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Got to love a list! 🙂
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Gorgeous Sweater! I have an idea 🙂 Why don’t you try to video yourself while making your item, then you can write it out later ! I love the wooly sheep too! 🙂 xxxxxx
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Thank you. It’s a good idea, but I do it in dribs and drabs – work out what to do with the back, knit it to the armholes, work out what to do from there to the neck then, work out the neck and so on, and change my mind in between too. Not sure a video would be any more coherent. 🙂
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🙂 That is Great! You design as you go 🙂
Have a great weekend!
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Thank you. And you.
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Love the sweater, I often get the woolly feeling so can’t help there. Good luck.
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Thank you 🙂 xx
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The sweater is delightful!
When I wrote for magazines I followed the course of action you suggest, not moving on until each stage is recorded, it was the only way I could ensure that the article included every step.
Keep to your excellent plan!
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Thank you. A thumbs up from you means a lot 🙂
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I think writing next steps and forcing yourself to slow down will help, but so will reducing your commitments to yourself and others – don’t take on any more new things – you started a business this year, that has to take a lot of your time and attention! And give your self permission to be a bit woolly during the busy season. 🙂
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Aw! bless you. Thank you. You’re right, I’m definitely overcommitted – making a list of what I’m planning to do and seeing what can be removed is good idea as well as not acquiring new stuff. Thank you.
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Easy to see from afar, hard to see or do anything about close up. Good luck getting things sorted out!
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Ain’t that the truth 🙂 Thank you.
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Your hubby’s sweater looks lovely and such a great pattern! Sounds like you have the perfect plan to get reorganised ;-)!! I too should take stock of myself, it seems like a woolly time of year for many ~ me included, having been so preoccupied by family of late has left little or no time for blogging and crafting…;-/ here’s hoping when the woolly season passes we all get back on track smoothly 😉
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Know how you feel, family are so important, but other things have to be put by. Living in Devon we always have a lot more visitors in summer, from those who specifically come to see us to those who are holidaying and pop in. Always lovely to see everyone, but it definitely adds to my wooliness. Hope y’re back on track soon too.
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Thanks Bekki 😉 You too!
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I know the feeling. these days I have been feeling incredibly woolly too, a combination of being really tired and having lots to do means I don’t really get anything done. These last few days though I have managed to get lots more done as I have had deadlines to work to. I always find these, and lists help.
Hopefully you can get through this with out too much hassle. 🙂
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Thank you. Glad you’re getting on top of things. Since I posted, I’ve had a mad few days taking advantage of the hot weather to dye lots of wool – so hopefully that’s going to have shaken me out of it too 🙂
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Don’t we all have times when we feel like this? Try something different and come back fresh. For the record, I’m just the same when writing down instructions as I go:)
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Glad I’m not alone with the instructions. I get so cross with myself for not doing it, when it really wouldn’t take that long. As for doing something different and coming back afresh, I’ve been off dyeing wool for two days to make the most of the sunshine, so hopefully that will help.
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