This cleaning/organizing/finishing projects bug seems to be sticking around. Tonight I apparently could not stand to look at my ‘side’ of the couch any longer. The mesh cube was packed full with patterns, yarn, tools, and other random oddments that had been thrown in there when trying to clean the house at some point before company came over (I’m not going to lie – there were headphones, tampons, a keychain, an old wallet of mine, and more stashed in there… it’s been a while since I cleaned it out). On top of that, my floral knitting bag – a gift from my sister one holiday – was packed full with a sweater project, more yarn and oddments, and a few mostly-done works-in-progress that really just need a fraction of my time to finish. And on top of that, the clear knitting tote had leftovers from my baby blanket, plus a bunch of other misc knitting items as it has recently become my go-to knitting project bag since the big one was too full.
Enough is enough with the clutter!
I tore it all out – I emptied the mesh cube, separating yarn from tools from trash from random misc things. then I emptied the knitting bags, separating out the WIPs from the yarn that needs put away in storage. Trash was thrown away (why do I insist on saving the ball bands from all my yarn?! WHY?!), yarn not currently in use was shoved in zip-lock storage bags and tucked in with the rest of my yarn storage in the office/craft room closet, and various needles and tools not used frequently were put away with the other rarely-used tools.
All that was left for the mesh cube was current in-progress projects and a small selection of regularly used tools. I have quite the handful of knits to finish out of that basket, and it still feels a bit overwhelming, but if I break it down it really isn’t all that bad: the majority of these projects are at least 75% done. There’s a hat that just needs the ends woven in and blocked. There’s some fingerless mitts that just need buttons sewn on. The jeweled cowl, pictured last (and photobombed by the husband haha) just needs a knit row and then bound off and blocked. The Dark & Stormy cardigan has about 3″ left on the sleeve, and then all that is left is to pick up and knit the collar. I don’t know why I’ve procrastinated on all of this, but it’s time I stop putting it off and start working this obscene pile down to something manageable.
I’m giving myself a “reward” of sorts if I can manage to get these things completed – a new basket to store my projects in. The mesh cube was cheap (i.e. free to us) so I’ve just made do with it. But I’d really love to have something similar to this handmade basket. So I’ve decided that if I can get these projects wrapped up and get my WIPs down to a more manageable size, then come fiber/craft show season I can keep my eye out for a pretty handmade one that I like and snatch up to replace the mesh one. Something you can’t see through, but looks nice stashed under the end table.
Tonight’s project (because there still wasn’t enough daylight today to finish the second bunny ear) is to finish that jeweled cowl. It’ll take me less than an hour, and it will block quickly so I can wear it later this week to work and show it off to everyone. Which is always fun :)
