How many of you out there have startitis? I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about…
from the webcomic Worsted for Wear
I know I’ve got one heck of a pile of unfinished projects stashed in my closet – in fact, this post is going to showcase some of the more interesting projects I’ve got stashed away, thanks to the ridiculous case of chronic startitis I have. (I think it’s terminal, to be honest…)
First off, the knitting/crocheting projects – there are so many of them, they’re not even getting their own individual introduction – I’ve just lumped them all together here for convenience, haha. It’s just so easy to start a new knitting or crocheting project! All you need is some yarn and a pair of knitting needles or a crochet hook – sometimes, I don’t even need a pattern. I just wing it. (I also love how I have two scarves in the same pattern there, and didn’t even realize it until I went to dig out all these projects)
Next is the massive pile of punch embroidery projects in various stages of completedness – I sometimes get struck with an amazing idea, work on it with wild abandon for a few days, then get distracted. Often by another craft project. Told you my startitis was terminal. Especially for many a project that just ends up languishing in a closet or a bucket. Projects of note in this pile include the Doctor Who punch project I’ve been working on for… what, four years now? I really should finish that and turn it into a pillow or something… Also, the fact that there are three pieces that are just outlines on fabric, well, that’s a travesty.
Then we come to sewing. I am actually SO CLOSE to finishing this apron, too! I’ve been working on it for about three years, which is depressing, considering I turned out the skirt for my Pinkie Pie cosplay in what, an afternoon? I need to get this one done too. Besides. It’s coffee themed. How can I not finish it?
I think needlework projects, especially those of the counted cross-stitch variety, are the ones that end up victims of startitis the most. I’ve got, what, four or five projects here, in various stages of completion, and one of which that’s been hanging around since 2007. They just look so pretty in their packages, and I think “oh I can get this one done while I watch TV”, and it never happens…
And I have one project that doesn’t even involve sewing or embroidering or anything – and that’s not done yet, either! This one hasn’t even been started! I may work on this one this weekend, though. Because the world needs more no-sew blankets. Especially with Rainbow Dash and Applejack on them. You know it. 😀
I end up starting way more projects than I finish – if this post were about the projects I’ve actually finished, this would be a much shorter story. In the past year, I think I’ve finished… let’s see here.
- the Doctor Who scarf for Bryan’s 4th Doctor costume
- my Pinkie Pie costume for GenCon last year
- two shawls
- a pillow
- a Pinkie Pie counted-cross stitch kit, which I then turned into a pillow
- an embroidery sampler, which usually lives on my desk in the office
- a Christmas quilt for my mother-in-law
- THREE Toothlesses (sewed, crocheted, and sculpey’d)
- a baby blanket
- two scooter blankets
- a scooter basket cozy
- Wilbur Wellington the amigurumi corgi
- Scootaloo and Trixie, the amazing crocheted ponies
Well, at least that’s something, but it nowhere near equals the amount of projects I actually STARTED last year. My friends keep bringing things I’ve finished to my attention that I’ve forgotten here – everything added in green is something I made and I forgot to add. Which means maybe my case of startitis isn’t as bad as I thought it was? Anyway… when I get bored and whiny about not having any craft projects to do, I’m just going to look at my startitis pile and work from there, instead of getting anything new, no matter how tempting it is…
2 comments
[…] that came to mind. The Fourth Doctor scarf is the most embarrassing entry on that list – especially considering it showed up in my last Startitis post, four years ago. I’m not even sure I actually want the scarf at this point. Maybe I’ll finish it […]
I have staritis soooooo bad. What’s worse is I have several different kinds of crafts I like to do and it’s like as soon as I try something I want to make it in every colour, pattern etc. so I start a whole bunch, but finishing is another story. But recently I have decided enough is enough. I actually took apart over 40 of the same sewing projects, but with different fabric and I am vowing. Not to start anymore new projects of each type until I finish what I had started. It will be hard though because the world is just full of inspiration. My mother had staritis before it was a “ thing “ and she told me it made her actually less productive, because with all those unfinished projects lying around she actually didn’t feel like doing anything. I get it, same with me. I think it also makes me feel stressed and irritable, it’s hard to want to do anything knowing those 50 or 100 ufos are lying around staring at me. My mom also taught me some times the best way to combat it is to throw out some of your started projects. That you never plan to finish. I hope I can get over this. This really needs to declared some sort of disease. It truly has made me as miserable as real medical conditions I’ve had to deal with.