My Rotation method

I am currently working a rotation. This is a bit new to me. For years and years I thought I could only work on one project at a time and finish that before I moved on to the next start. That was okay because I was raising a family, working, doing alot of moving and it just would have been bad to have a large group of stitching setting around unworked.

Then I joined a stitching forum and so many of the people had several projects going all at the same time. I still was not convinced that I, personally, was willing to have more then one project at a time. THEN I started a project that I just did not like. It was going to be a gift for a family member, my dad had produced the chart, but I just hated doing that project and it would set for days unattended. I wanted to stitch but I just could not bring myself to work on this for more then an hour at a time. I finally caved in and started a different project with lots of bright colors and something I really wanted to sit with in the evenings. I thought, okay, I will work on the ugly project for 1 hour everyday and then I can set it aside and enjoy the rest of the time on this fun design. Eureka!!!!!! I was stitching everyday the disliked project was inching to a finish and I was enjoying my other work so much. After finishing those 2 projects it was starting to sink in that just one project at a time was not a rule I had to strictly hold on to. I could work more then one at a time and the stitching gods would not strike me down.

I struggled for awhile with the best number of projects to have going at one time and how often to change out to a different one. For several years I tried every imaginable schedule that was suggested. My biggest trouble is I have to finish anything that I have started and sometimes I would get frustrated with how slow one project was going and how quick others went. The most I had going at one time was 9 and that was just to much, I would forget which project had been worked and which had been waiting. So I finished off the ones that were the closest to being complete and that brought it down to 6 projects and that made it were I could work one per day and see progress on all of them. I then finishe all of the 6 and thought , look you need to have a resonable amount to stitching and you need to figure out what is best for you.......not what others think works.

I now normally have no more then 4 on the go. I work each day (when I can) and I rotate each project out each day.......unless it is so close to getting done and I will take the following day to just finsh it off. Then I can start a new project.

Nothing is set in stone. I work what is the best system for me and that means I have to be flexible. If I want to spend extra time of one prject during a time then I let myself do that. If I want to skip a few days then I do. This is a hobby not a job. I can do what I want with it.......