Karie writes, “I was wondering if you could do a post about being in a knitting rut? I’ve been knitting a lot over the past year or so but find myself unmotivated and not really loving any project lined up in my queue. Any advice?”
You’re in luck, Karie! We’ve all been there, and the struggle is real. Knitting projects can take a lot of work. Especially if I’m not on a deadline, personal WIPs can end up staying in progress for a long time. Here are a few of my go-to strategies for knitting (or not knitting) my way out of a motivational slump.
Try a new fiber. Or just switch it up.
A few weeks ago I wrote about a new-to-me fiber, yak. Sometimes getting your hands on a new fiber, particularly one with a new feel, can get you excited about knitting. Some fibers are really slippery and frustrating to work with. If you’re in a rut, maybe try something a little more user friendly like cotton or wool. Removing frustration-inducing barriers when you’re unmotivated is a very good idea.
Schedule time off.
I’ve written about this before, but I suffer from intermittent bouts of tendonitis. When I have a flare up, the only solution is to take a few days off from knitting or crochet entirely to rest my hands. If it’s a minor flare, I take 2 to 3 days off, and if it’s major I take up to a week. (PS: Minor flare ups stay minor if you take your short, 2-3 days off!)
Even if you’re not a person with hand issues, scheduling yourself a specific amount of time off between projects can be a good thing. During that down time, you could focus on other relaxing pursuits, like reading, cooking, walking, or yoga. Setting aside time to stop knitting, but also setting a deadline for when to cast on your next project is a great way to refresh your knitting brain. For me, absence tends to make the heart grow fonder (and the hands stronger) when it comes to taking time off my knitting!
Play Ravelry roulette!
If you’re not on Ravelry,* you should get an account ASAP, and be my friend/join the Hands Occupied group. :) Once you’re on Ravelry, go the patterns section and use the pattern browser & advanced search feature. You can browse thousands of patterns by popularity, date published, difficulty rating as voted by Ravelry users, and more. You can do everything from typing in your favorite color or garment type to an animal’s name to see what the pattern browser brings up. Who knows? Maybe that’s what will kick your butt into knitting gear!
*The links above only work when you’re logged into Ravelry. A lot of Ravelry features require an account to access, just FYI.
Have any tips for getting out of a rut? Please share them in the comments! :)
all great suggestions! I find reading new-to-me pattern or technique books really helpful, too– sometimes you see something new or read about a new technique that broadens your skills and gets you thinking about patterns in new ways.
Hi wow love your photo on the subway (?)…new fun fibers is a great idea..a quick project might get you going too. Jane
Thank you!!