staying motivated on big projects

[MamaMonica]

How do you motivate yourself to finish the big project that goes ON and ON?

For me- it's a (knitted) long-sleeve sweater for me that changes colors and stitch patterns every few rows- I've been working on it since last August and am about 3/4 of the way but am starting to dread the endless proccess and the fact that it never seems to get done.

In the meantime I've completed many finite projects- a sweater for ds, hats, mittens, socks etc.

How do you make yourself finish "THE BIG ONE?"

[Queen Gwen]

Who is the sweater for? My last big project was for dh, and he kept asking when it was going to be done...he had some sort of mental deadline of when he wanted to wear it. If he hadn't it would be stashed in a drawer somewhere, unfinished.

Maybe we could form an accountability club where we could encourage each other. It DOES feel sooooo good to finish.

inserted because it's dd's favorite smiley, so she always begs me to put it in

[MamaMonica]

The sweater is for me- and that's hard because I have only me to be accountable to :LOL

Maybe we need a big project support/nag group.

[pageta]

That's why I don't knit. I tried to crochet once and I made these circle things. I got about 6 of them done. They were all different sizes, of course, because I was still learning and so I wasn't keeping the tension even. Needless to say, I never got beyond six.

My sister made an afghan when she was in college. She did it while traveling with a men's choral group that she accompanied. It was something to do during long rides on the bus. I can see how I might become interested in making an afghan in that situation.

Really, I think people who do stuff like this like to sit around or have designated times when they do it out of habit. Like when they're watching tv. You need to find a way to make a habit out of it so you feel weird if you're not working on it. Then you won't have it hanging over your head because you'll be making progress. And perhaps your next project can be a bit smaller. I know my attention span is much shorter now that I'm a mom. I just don't have time to do things like sit around and read books anymore.

Another idea would be to work on it for 15 minutes at a time. You can do anything for 15 minutes. Get a time, set it and go to work. Then you can quit beating yourself up for not working on it which only serves to make you not want to work on it even more. Before you know it, you'll be done with it.

Just some ideas...

[smarmie]

Another idea would be to work on it for 15 minutes at a time. You can do anything for 15 minutes. Get a time, set it and go to work. Then you can quit beating yourself up for not working on it which only serves to make you not want to work on it even more. Before you know it, you'll be done with it.

Wow!! You sound just like Flylady!!:LOL But of course it's all true

I am absolutely horrible at finishing projects! Or buying tons of stuff for a particular craft and only doing it a few times and then packing all the stuff away.

My most recient solution is to have a girly sewing or projects night. I have a few other friends that are the same as me so we are going to get together once a week and work on our projects. You could try something like that or set a date on your calander for the goal date to finish and really work to make the date. My mom started a blanket about 12 years ago and it is still not done! So if there is not a date to work for, then you could potentially put it off forever.