Thoughtful Thursday 22/3/23

Thoughtful Thursday – Motivation in knitting and crochet

This week I wanted to talk a bit about motivation in knitting and crochet.

In my Woolbert’s Flock group, we have a monthly Q&A session, and this time the main question was about finding the motivation for your projects.

I thought that this was really interesting, because the general assumption is that everyone wants to be working on their knitting and crochet all the time; but as with everything, your interests come and go, and also it has a lot to do with your mental health and where you are personally at any given time.

So here are my top tips to help if you are feeling in a bit of a slump.

First – have a check in with yourself. It might sound basic, but actually if you’re feeling tired and unmotivated about things that would usually bring you joy, then there could well be something a little ‘off’.

So:

• Have you drunk enough water today? 
• Have you managed to get a breath of fresh air? 
• Have you turned the blue light filters on for your devices so that you can wind down enough to sleep well?

If you’re ok in yourself and it’s the project itself which is causing the problems, then ask yourself: 

Do I actually WANT to make it?

If the answer is no – frog it! 

Your creative time is for YOU and should be making you happy. If it is becoming a chore because of the project you’re working on, then it’s far better to put it down and start something different.

If you do want to be making that pattern, is there something else that is holding you back?

• Is there a technical barrier?
• Is the yarn not behaving?
• Is the pattern confusing?

Is it something that you can ask for help with to work it through? If so – you are welcome to drop us a message and ask for some advice. You can also join one of our groups, either in-person or online.

Lastly – sometimes it isn’t your project that is causing the problem, it is everything else that is going on. 

Sometimes you just feel overwhelmed by life in general, you have no time, you’re stressed, and it’s hard to concentrate on anything. 

If that’s the case then I have a few suggestions.

• Set aside a small amount of time a few days a week, even only 15mins and block it out as ‘for you’. Nothing else can happen, no work, no chores, just something you want to do.
• Choose a small project (1 skein) where you can build in short milestones and celebrate them to get an endorphine boost. You finshed a row! Woohoo! 
• Consider joining one of our social crafting groups, either in person or online, where you have a dedicated time to stop, and maybe offload a little. The routine helps you to build in that self-care time too.
• Remember that you can’t stress or plan whilst you’re concentrating on a knitting or crochet pattern, your brain will be able to shut off a little. The movements also become muscle memory and so it helps with mindfulness and is almost meditative.

P.S. We have a lovely group called Woolbert’s Flock where you can get support for your knitting and crochet, and we help you to make time for yourself and your projects in your busy schedule. 

P.P.S. Have you seen our free masterclass video? I ran an online class last week to help you get the most from your knitting and crochet!