I’m a knitter who always has multiple projects on the needles, and over time, I’ve found a system that keeps me both productive and inspired. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too many knitting WIPs (works in progress), I choose them intentionally based on how, when, and where I’ll work on them.
A WIP, or ‘work in progress,’ is any knitting project that’s been started but not yet finished.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Too Many WIPs?
Categorize Knitting WIPs by Attribute
To stay inspired and organized with multiple knitting projects at once, consider categorizing them by attribute and having different projects to cover each one. Think about what you like your knitting projects to be. Here are some ideas:
- Location: car, waiting room, desk, arm chair, couch, bed, etc.
- Type: socks, hat, sweater, shawl, mittens, blanket, etc.
- Activity: knit night, sporting events, zoom meetings, evening chill time, morning reading, etc.
- Color: neutrals, brights, variegated, etc.
- Difficulty: mindless, brain-burning, or somewhere in between
- Weight: lace, fingering, DK, worsted, bulky, or anything in between
If any of these categories are how you think about your knitting projects, try to plan your WIPs to minimally repeat attributes to keep it interesting.
My WIP Categories
I categorize mine like this:
- A Portable Project: Something small and easy to take on the go, like socks or a hat.
- A Mindless Knit: Perfect for TV time, social knitting, or zoom knitting.
- A Free-Time Knit: Something cozy and engaging, ideal for focused knitting at home, and winding down at the end of the day.
- A Design Project: If you create your own patterns, having a dedicated design WIP helps keep you motivated.
By selecting multiple WIPs with different purposes, I always have the right project for the moment—whether I’m running errands, relaxing, or working on something creative.
Final Thoughts
Staying organized helps—check out my favorite project bags and organization tips here.
