I just couldn't live with the no new spinning rule.

Bless you all for your comments and confessions! I always feel so guilty having an assortment of projects on the go, UFO's, future projects winking at me from their various storage spots around my home, PLUS all the patterns and books piled up everywhere just waiting for me to dive into their depths! Now I see I am not alone in my creative chaos! aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh, sweet relief! :)

Sound a lot like my list. Let me take the opportunity to say under the influence of (hurray for time difference) a "bonne fondue avec vin blanc" that a) I am sure you'll sort this out, just break it down (as others said) into small steps and "surtout" b) I am sorry to every have laughed at you when you said you wanted to make a living out of this. Probably you don't remember, but it has been on my conscience for about… “euh”… at while…

This sounds exactly like me! (Except luckily, I don't spin...yet.) It's really called "I don't have an actual freelance deadline hanging over my head". This is good in some ways, but really, the freedom it gives me just makes me try to cast on and work on everything all at once, and all in a big hurry. The only things that are really getting DONE at this point are easy Christmas knitting...though I'm working on everything else at the same time. Does this mean I am only truly productive with an outer-imposed deadline?

How about starting with the projects that will require the least time, and then move to the more time-consuming ones? so that you will be able to cross things off your list and whittle it down quickly.

Trash the list...work on whichever project you are most passionate about each day be it in progress, in incubation or in germination...life is too short to be pigeon holed. And besides, creative minds are stifled by small, dark, dusty spaces. They need light and space where they are open to explore new ideas. Because...the best idea is the one you haven't even thought of yet and it deserves a chance to germinate too.

Oh... and about 10 things I need to finish by Christmas. *headdesk*

My list isn't nearly so long, but I've got 2 or 3 pieces I'm actively working on (although they're at different stages), 1 piece I need to write up the pattern for ASAP, 4 things I'm currently knitting, and about 20 ideas that are percolating, some of them REALLY interesting.

Maybe I should give you a different set of measurements....

Breathe. Lists are wonderful, but they also add pressure. Go play outside with leaves while you can!

Do Tadpole's socks first... they'll be fast, you want her to wear them before she grows out of them, and it'll be nice to have a FO to feel good about. :)

oh groan . . . your list looks eerily familiar in length. good luck.

You sound a little frustrated and overwhelmed by interruptions which is understandable with a young one around. But that which you do complete is wonderful - I've just had a look at the Christmas stocking in the winter Interweave Knit - it's outstandingly beautiful. I'm in awe of how much you accomplish.

I second Carole. Prioritize them and number them 1- whatever number. Then from that list make another one with just 5 things- not huge endeavors. Cross them off as you do them and also off the master list. Regarding the sweater- cut that task up into several parts and tackle each one at a time. There are a few things like the baby gifts that you should get done soon and a big weight will be lifted off of your shoulders. I don't know about you, but attaching a completion date to it makes me want to run in the opposite direction. Good luck! You can do it!

I don't know what to tell you as I have a bad case of startitis and I promised P that I would finish his sweater before I cast on my mine... so instead Ihave socks, mittens, a scarf, a hot and am contemplating some lace (that doesn't even get into the spinning stuff)... all because he is a big man and there is a lot of sweater

That being said I'm not the one to go to for how so I get this finished suggestions because I will just say, start something new

You're very fortunate to have so many ideas brimming and we're very fortunate that you have so many ideas brimming :) I'm always eager to see what you have in store for us rabid knitting public next! Good luck with your (internal) deadlines.

Wow, you really went for it with the lists...

I think you are being too hard-line with yourself. I try to maintain a roughly 3:1 ratio. 3 units of working on stuff that must be worked on nets me 1 unit of anything I want.

Remember that most "normal people" (non-artist-designer-folks) generally work only 8 hour work days without little people under foot. You don't have to work yourself to death 24-7, just because you're a super-hero knitwear designer.

As for design inspiration... if it hits, at least sketch it out for when you've finished something else. Inspiration is (sometimes) fleeting, and not to be chased away!

I totally agree with the smaller steps! I'm totally obsessed with GTD, and love that it turns, say, the raglan into a project, not one giant overwhelming to do, and then you get all these smaller steps and you can't consider step 2 until step 1 is done. I also like parking various projects as someday/maybe without guilt!

I am right there with you! Well, except that I haven't been brave enough to catalog and publish my list! But the rule about finishing 2 patterns that I'm writing before starting a new one is what I need most. I have a huge backlog of mostly-written patterns that I'm trying to finally get finished. Maybe we should form a support group.

Maybe just a schedule instead? Like, Mondays are for spinning, Tuesdays are for gray sweater, etc. That works better for me than deadlines, and I still keep entertained because I do something different every day. (Even if I'm just alternating two projects, but really, who only has two?)

How about for each finished item you give your self some wheel playing time. I agree, start with the item closest to being finished and work your way down.

Life is too short not to reward ourselves now and then, right?

Have fun and breathe!

Good luck as well. I agree with Alison about breaking your list down into smaller sections. One technique I like to use as well is to start with the project you are closest to finishing and work on just that until you are done. Then move to the next closest to completed project and so on.

Don't be too hard on yourself, you wouldn't want to stifle all that brilliance and creativity. However, if you're feeling overwhelmed then it sounds like you need to get things under control. Your plan seems like a good one. Good luck!

Good luck. I find that it can help to break down an overwhelming to-do list into smaller chunks, so you can cross things off more often. (Instead of just "raglan," which you can't cross off till it's all done, have five or 10 raglan-related items that can be crossed off as you go.)