I had a conversation at a drop-in knitting group I attended this week at The Knot House. It was about starting new projects before you’ve finished others. I have disciplined myself in my fiber arts to fully complete a project before I start another. Otherwise, I find I have lots of projects started and nothing finished. Based on this week’s conversation, I’d say it’s a common habit in the yarn world and probably happens with lots of creative types.
There is something invigorating about starting up a project and working on something new. The completion and finishing details of many projects is not always as exciting. In knitting it involves seaming the knitted pieces together, sewing on buttons, weaving in loose yarn ends and blocking the finished work. Not glamorous, but all necessary for a finished product.
It’s the same process with clay. Creating and making is really fun. The finishing details like cataloging work, photographing, measuring the items and creating descriptions for selling—those are my stumbling blocks. Thanks to the help of my new marketing/PR associate – I am planning to apply the same lessons I’ve learned in knitting to my clay work. Completely finish what you start before creating something new. It’s worked well for me in knitting and will serve me well in my clay.