Friday, July 17, 2015

Rules, Rules, Rules

Serendipitous Jo and I were talking back channel about my anti-public record keeping post. She was saying that stitchers accumulate and need to be encouraged to use the things they accumulate. To which I say, really? Why not just do it?

In fact, I said this:
But then just use it! Why do you need rules for that? That might actually make an interesting post. I am incapable of using the things I own because...
And she said we should ask you what your self imposed rules are. Maybe you're a one-at-a-timer? Or you have to stitch a certain thing before you do anything else? Or you have to stitch some boring bit before you can move on to the good bits (if so, be specific). Maybe you have to backstitch as you go.

So what are your self imposed rules for stitching?

Me, I just let stash accumulate. I guess my thing is starting loads of projects in January. But since I have projects that took me ten years to finish, I think the truth of the matter is that I'm just not that worried about when I stitch something, just that I have something to stitch!

20 comments:

Arthemise said...

I don't like to let my WIP pile get too large. I'll run through my projects every once in a while and see what I can work on. I feel like I can't start on something new until I get some of the older stuff finished. I guess it's a point of pride that if I start something, I always finish it...eventually.

I also hate buying stuff I'm not going to use (this does not include collectibles like scissors). I don't accumulate just for the sake of having it; I abhor clutter. I like keeping my stash small but having all the stuff I need on hand. I'm not a hoarder, but my mom tends to be and is very messy. Maybe it's a reaction to that huge mess she calls a sewing room. I'm very organized, and it's hard to keep organized when you have too much stuff. I can't walk into her sewing room without itching to organize it. That way lies madness, so I don't go in there very often.

When it comes to things I care about, I can be a type A personality -- editing and cross stitching fall into that category, and I obsess. Everything else I'm pretty lazy about.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Great post! I am definitely a "reward myself" stitcher. One length of boring border allows me to stitch something more interesting.

I also won't start more than one thing in a series at a time although there seems to be nothing stopping me from starting several different series!

Annie said...

I'm a one at a timer. I would have a tiny stash if I had a handy LNS. But since everything I do is mail order and when I get an idea I don't like to wait to start it, I do keep a pretty good sized stash around. I'm limited by living in a small space though. I may soon have to start sleeping in the bathtub.

My main stitching rule is to always keep stitching a section that is contiguous to one I've stitched. I make too many counting errors when I head off to a new island.

And of course, I do go by the 'rules are made to be broken' as well.

Von said...

I have no self-imposed rules for my stitching! There are times when I make an effort to stitch on the wips in my pile, or grab a project from my stash, but to make rules about it would spoil the joy I get from my hobby. The only stitching rules I do try to abide by are those techniques that give the best, neatest stitches.

maggie said...

No stitching rules for me either, nor knitting rules nor crochet rules. The only rule i have is that the house work has to be done before i can craft, can't sit down if there is a mess or things to do. Does that count as a rule, lol

maggie said...

No stitching rules for me either, nor knitting rules nor crochet rules. The only rule i have is that the house work has to be done before i can craft, can't sit down if there is a mess or things to do. Does that count as a rule, lol

Katya said...

When I stitch for myself, there are no strict rules - I just stitch the way that feels right, and do it for as long as it feels pleasant... Which means - if I am tired, I go to bed. That is the only rule...
I don't have a huge stash - that is, it can all pretty much fit in one cupboard, - but it's there. I go online and see a pattern, "Ooh, I would love to see something like this on my wall..." If I absolutely want it, I buy it. Then, it may take a few months - up to a couple of years - until I actually get to stitching it.

Linda said...

I agree with what you said Nikki.

Linda

riona said...

I used to be a strict rotation stitcher, with a plan for every day of the week. Iused to stitch for at least an hour before breakfast every day. That was my rule. Now I find myself forgetting all my self imposed rules and stitch when and what I please. Istill have goals, though,I really do hope to finish a few more of the class projects and WIPs that have piledup over the years. I am just no longer making it a condition to finish one older piece before starting a newer one. Granted, all my new starts lately have been the next pieces in series Iam already working on. So, I am not really sure they count as truly new starts. But, they feel fresh and new to me.

Rita said...

My rule is....stitching is a hobby I enjoy so just stitch what I'm in the mood to stitch.

Danielle said...

I have a self-imposed rule of always just working on one project at a time. If I did not do that I would never have any finishes! As far as rules, I do follow the instructions in my counted canvas projects, like start with section 1 and go in numerical order, draw the pencil lines as the designer suggests. I figure the designer knows what they are doing, since they designed the project. I have read all the other comments up until mine. Interesting to see what "rules" everyone has for themselves.

Southpaw Stitcher said...

This is an interesting question. After some thought, I think rules need to be differentiated from goals. I chose 10 WIPs in January that I wanted to finish this year. That is a goal, but if I fall short (and I know I will), I certainly won't beat myself up about it. I have a rotation, but it looks different each month as things pop up that I want to stitch. So I guess I have only two rules: one concerns stash. Most of my stash is in large plastic storage boxes, or drawers. It all needs to be able to fit into a closet or drawer, since I don't like clutter. My other rule is that there is sadly one LNS (out of several) in my area whose owner's philosophy I don't agree with. I have stopped shopping there. Period. I seem to be more carefree about my stitching than I first thought! Just go with the flow!

Justine said...

No rules just goals for me! This is an interesting post.

Glenna said...

I've been thinking about this today as I have stitched. I try to finish two to three large samplers from my stash per year so I can frame and hang them, but that's not really a rule. I add to my stash less frequently than I used to--maybe because I have a fairly large stash already. I suppose my only rules involve stitching time: to be firm about keeping one weekend day completely free so that I can stitch all day if I want (I generally stitch 6-10 hours on that day, and I don't watch tv or listen to music--just enjoy the silence and calm.) That means getting the grocery shopping done and eating take-out one day instead of cooking and cleaning up and also ignoring the dust bunnies. I need that head-clearing time or I'm cranky and it's too easy to let the errands and chores and housekeeping eat into my stitching time since I work and commute during the week. My other rule is to pack an easy-to-eat quick brown bag lunch so that I can stitch during lunch instead of shooting half an hour going out to fetch something more expensive.

Pamela said...

I feel the way you do about the stitch from stash posts. I don't really care about how much other people spend or don't spend on their stuff. Stitching is my hobby and hobbies cost money. If you can't afford to buy it, don't. All that record keeping and posting about it would take time that could be spent actually doing the hobby that the money is being spent on.
I like being organized, but I don't have any hard and fast rules, except maybe to stitch on what ever I feel like at the moment. I stitch every day and have about a million unfinished projects. I do want to finish them sometime, but if I feel like a new project, I start one. I like to blog about what I'm doing - stitching and otherwise. I like to read about what other people are doing, but not about the spending/not spending/keeping track of it all.

Kristen said...

Great comment thread.

I agree with Rita: it's my hobby so I try to keep it fun. I also agree with you Nikki. I don't care how much anyone spends.

Kay said...

Seriously, I just do what I like. If I want to buy something, I will. If I want to start another project, I will.I don't care how many wips I have on the go or how long they take to finish. I simply do what I feel like as I stitch for enjoyment not for a quota. x

Alice said...

It's funny to me how benign I feel about this. I am not a particularly mellow person. But I really don't care if people want to post how much they spend or what they use from their own stash. Sometimes it intrigues me because I tend to be a bit of a record keeper myself. Other times I'm not in the mood so I just bypass that blog that day. There are days when I don't feel like reading other people's bitches either. It's all about what I feel like. The same goes for my stitching. I buy what I want, but usually ponder for a good while to make sure I want it. I stitch what I want, even though it probably means it will be several years before I finish something.

Caroline said...

I'm a no rules kind of girl. It brings me a great deal of pleasure to choose new stash, to work on a languishing project that I rediscover, or to get so hooked on something that I work on it to completion. Rules make it no fun for me.

D1-D2 said...

I tried the start multiple WIPs in January and stitch on them all and it doesn't work for me. Don't get me wrong, I do have multiple WIPs but they're all different from each other, either the type of stitching is different or the size,... But what really keeps me from buying more stash, is guilt lol.