Hey hey hey! I’m so glad to see that we’ve gotten some interest in this year-long challenge. Be sure to check us out on Ravelry, where I’m trying to get some discussion and project-sharing going. Did I mention there will be prizes? PRIZES! PRIZES! PRIZES! But the true prize is the satisfaction of knowing you’ve either finished your WIPs or you’ve reclaimed some yarn that was previously tied up in a languishing project!

The purpose of today’s post is to provide different strategies to get us working on our WIPs and UFOs. I got most of these wonderful ideas from the amazing Crochet Spot commenters! Another great source was the KnottyGirls KnitCast, episode 26. If you’re into knitting & yarny podcasts, definitely give it a try! Ready for the tips? Let’s go!

If you want to make your WIPs and UFOs history, try these great ideas! Crochet Spot commenter Aida shared the following tips & methods.

1. Make a Goal! If deadlines help you, set a deadline that makes sense for the projects you need to finish. Aida said she wanted to finish her WIPs in the “next couple of months.” I’ve recently learned that having a goal for each “quarter” or three-month period is a good way to divide up your work. No matter how you set it up, having a goal can be very helpful!

2. Organize Your Projects! Aida had a great (& economical) way to make sure her projects are always at her fingertips. “I went to the Dollar store and picked up some Ziploc baggies that are big enough to hold the yarn, needle, and accessories needed to complete each project. I found that its easier to have them stacked by my computer desk so I can just pull up the pattern I need and just work away.” I love that Aida has a concrete system that helps her to find her projects and have them at hand!

3. Rotate Your Projects! I can see how this method from Crochet Spotter Aida could help stave off boredom or burnout. “I try to work on 3-5 projects at a time, a couple of rows for each.” If you love variety, this will keep your brain stimulated while making steady progress.

4. Avoid Distractions. During your crochet time, try to avoid things that will keep your hands busy with things other than crochet. In order to keep herself off of social media, Aida said, “I think I’ll create a pattern binder so it’s even easier to flip and pick, and it’ll force me to stay off of social media which to me, is a BIG time distracter when you’re trying to get work done!!”

The next tip comes from Crochet Spot commenter Pamela.

5. Finish for an Event! I loved that Pamela shared this great motivator to get her WIPs done! She belongs to a crochet group that does something really cool! She’d like“to finish 2 WIPs in time to showcase them in my crochet group’s annual crochet fashion show later this year.” Pick any fun event or crochet holiday to finish by!

I loved these ideas I heard on the KnottyGirls KnitCast!

6. Bribe Yourself. Do you have a favorite TV movie, show, album, or audiobook? Promise yourself that you’ll crochet while watching or listening and you’ll have a solid few hours of stitch time down!

7. Make It a Game. I love the idea of using dice to let fate decide how many rows or repeats I’ll make. It’s even more interesting when using non-traditional polyhedral dice.

8. Reward Yourself. Let’s say you’re crocheting in a cafe. If you finish “X number of rows,” you can get a latte or a cookie. If you’re home you can reward yourself by taking a walk or doing 10 minutes of yoga after you finish a section.

So what about you, my friends? Do you have any tips for working through your WIPs? Do you think you’ll use any of the ideas mentioned above? Please leave your thoughts, ideas and questions in the comment section below. We can do it!

Tags: Caissa McClinton, Finish in 15, tips, ufos, WIPs

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 27th, 2015 at 12:00 AM by Caissa "Cami" McClinton and is filed under Fun Ramblings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.