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Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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Stuck in a Rut?

June 3, 2015 3 Comments

What to do if you're stuck in a knitting or crocheting rut

Karie writes, “I was wondering if you could do a post about being in a knitting rut? I’ve been knitting a lot over the past year or so but find myself unmotivated and not really loving any project lined up in my queue. Any advice?”

You’re in luck, Karie! We’ve all been there, and the struggle is real. Knitting projects can take a lot of work. Especially if I’m not on a deadline, personal WIPs can end up staying in progress for a long time. Here are a few of my go-to strategies for knitting (or not knitting) my way out of a motivational slump.

Try a new fiber. Or just switch it up.

A few weeks ago I wrote about a new-to-me fiber, yak. Sometimes getting your hands on a new fiber, particularly one with a new feel, can get you excited about knitting. Some fibers are really slippery and frustrating to work with. If you’re in a rut, maybe try something a little more user friendly like cotton or wool. Removing frustration-inducing barriers when you’re unmotivated is a very good idea.

Schedule time off.

I’ve written about this before, but I suffer from intermittent bouts of tendonitis. When I have a flare up, the only solution is to take a few days off from knitting or crochet entirely to rest my hands. If it’s a minor flare, I take 2 to 3 days off, and if it’s major I take up to a week. (PS: Minor flare ups stay minor if you take your short, 2-3 days off!)

Even if you’re not a person with hand issues, scheduling yourself a specific amount of time off between projects can be a good thing. During that down time, you could focus on other relaxing pursuits, like reading, cooking, walking, or yoga. Setting aside time to stop knitting, but also setting a deadline for when to cast on your next project is a great way to refresh your knitting brain. For me, absence tends to make the heart grow fonder (and the hands stronger) when it comes to taking time off my knitting!

What to do if you're stuck in a knitting or crocheting rut

Play Ravelry roulette!

If you’re not on Ravelry,* you should get an account ASAP, and be my friend/join the Hands Occupied group. :) Once you’re on Ravelry, go the patterns section and use the pattern browser & advanced search feature. You can browse thousands of patterns by popularity, date published, difficulty rating as voted by Ravelry users, and more. You can do everything from typing in your favorite color or garment type to an animal’s name to see what the pattern browser brings up. Who knows? Maybe that’s what will kick your butt into knitting gear!

*The links above only work when you’re logged into Ravelry. A lot of Ravelry features require an account to access, just FYI.

 Have any tips for getting out of a rut? Please share them in the comments! :)

Filed Under: Knitting Tagged With: crafter's block, crocheter's block, knitter's block, knitting motivation, motivation, stuck in a crocheting rut, stuck in a knitting rut

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Julie

    June 3, 2015 at 1:00 pm

    all great suggestions! I find reading new-to-me pattern or technique books really helpful, too– sometimes you see something new or read about a new technique that broadens your skills and gets you thinking about patterns in new ways.

    Reply
  2. Jane rogers

    June 3, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    Hi wow love your photo on the subway (?)…new fun fibers is a great idea..a quick project might get you going too. Jane

    Reply
  3. karie

    June 8, 2015 at 3:15 pm

    Thank you!!

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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handsoccupied

Craft book author & pattern designer ❤️💛💙
knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
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Please email for pattern support. 🧶

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or reintroduced myself, so here goes! I’m Heidi Gustad, a craft book author, pattern designer, and tutorial creator who specializes in yarn crafts. Lately, I’ve been focused on releasing quality knitting videos and related blog posts to help teach things like the difference between provisional cast ons and how to fix common knitting mistakes. Next week I’m shooting requested crochet and latch hook videos, so h👀kers, your time is coming! And if you ever have tutorial requests, please let me know. ☺️
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TLDR: I’m Heidi. I design & teach yarn crafts. You can find tutorials on my blog (est. 2010) & You2be. I also have several knitting & crochet patterns + a book about latch hook available. / All of these can be found on my website, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Contine Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Continental or English Style? Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two most common knitting styles, including a side by side comparison. (A good one to save for future reference. 👍🏻) 
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There’s more on the differences between picking and throwing in my latest blog post & You 2ube video - the l1nk is where you’d think!
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Spent time with family this weekend down South. Go Spent time with family this weekend down South. Got some stitching in & felt spring for a minute, which was lovely. ☀️ 
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I’ll be catching up on comments, etc. tomorrow. 
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#handsoccupied #travelknitting #planeknitting
Which way do you knit? Picking, throwing, Portugue Which way do you knit? Picking, throwing, Portuguese, Shetland… how about lever style? 
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Today on the blog, we’re defining & comparing the two most common knitting styles: continental and throwing. They’re each known by a few names, and odds are one of them really is your grandmother’s knitting style (if she’s a western knitter that is). There’s a new video to help demonstrate the differences too. Another good one to save & share! 😉 
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This past weekend, my husband and I visited family This past weekend, my husband and I visited family out of state. Here’s what I packed to keep my hands occupied for the drive. 😉 
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I try my hardest to be realistic about how much knitting I’m going to get done vs. the effort of schlepping my WIP(s) and yarn around. I definitely almost brought double this amount of yarn, which would have been hilariously unnecessary for a weekend trip. Why am I like this? 😆 Do you also struggle with overpacking when it comes to crafts? 
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