My New Process

It's been discussed in the past, that I'm not exactly "the best" when it comes to finishing projects that I begin.  And in all reality I believe that ALL crafters have a hidden closet full of WIPs that once out of sight, are also out of mind so that they can pick up a new skein of yarn and start the next project that's already in their head, guilt-free.

While I’m being honest about my crafty process, I’ve also always had a difficult time making multiples of basically anything.  This includes making a scarf with a special stitch/pattern, or a blanket as a gift, loving the pattern, wanting one for myself, and never starting it again!  Same with anything in pairs like mittens.  I made a pair of mittens early last year that I LOVE, but I’ve never once started another pair – for myself or anyone else.

As you can imagine, this is possibly the biggest reason I have never sold my finished products on ETSY or otherwise.  I mean selling hats, scarves and gloves means that I actually have to make more than one of them at a time!!!  I mean if I wanted to actually make a profit!

Now that you know all of this, you may be wondering how I was able to make 8 hats over a 7 day period, or how I was able to have 16 adult hats, 3 children’s hats, and 2 baby hats ready, along with multiple cowls when I sent my first shipment to Vermont.

The answer is really simple – variety!!  I don’t pick up a skein of black yarn and just make black hats until the skein is gone.  Switching colors relieves the monotony, and since hats are such a small project to complete (around 1 hour 15 min for an adult hat) I am able to think about  my next color combination one hat in advance without the kind of crafty timeline to end product that creates the hidden closet of WIPs!

Naturally I take this one step further per the photograph below:

(if anyone is wondering, the purple hat with be a girl's hat, the aquamarine will be an adult hat, the aran tweed with be for a baby boy, and the autumn harvest colors on the far right with be a unisex adult hat)

As you can see, last night I started 4 hats!  No….really, it’s a good thing!  See, I’ll basically work each hat through the applicable number of increases, add a stitch marker, set it down and repeat!  I never (at least yet) go past 5 before I finish what’s started.  I think it really works well for my brain, and here’s why:

1. As mentioned above, constantly switching colors allows me to not get bored with what I’m making
2. If I spend one night “starting” all the hats, then all the hard part (i.e. the correct counting on the increases) is already done.  Anyone who’s crocheted a basic hat knows that once you’re done increases, and proper measuring,  the double crochets in a circle are as second nature as breathing!  This means that tonight’s crocheting will be SUPER easy!  After the busy work week I’ve had, nothing sounds better today that having an extra easy night of crocheting when I get home
3. By the end of tonight I’ll have 4 finished hats.  And for those of you who I know are thinking it, yes I’m aware that if I worked each hat from start to finish, I could have made 2 last night and 2 tonight with the same end result.  But I find it more fun this way, and guess what, as long as I do finish them in a timely manner, it should matter to no one J  Every artist has their process right?

  

Anyway, I’m now counting the minutes until I’ll be home again (210 until I leave work, ~255 until I’m actually home)….yes I got out a calculator and did.the.math!

I hope that you’ve all enjoyed a little additional insight unto my journey to recent selling of my crafties!

Here’s to a craft-filled weekend!