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Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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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 an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

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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, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

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There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
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A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
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See you in a couple weeks! ✌🏻#handsoccupied #knitdesign #craftdesign #sofadedsweater
Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
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Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
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rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
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Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
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Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
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