I have always been more of a process knitter than a project knitter. It’s rather in keeping with my whole “jack of all trades” personality and rampant bouts of ADD. I’m far too easily distracted by the coolest new yarn, or the loveliest new colorway, or the gorgeous new pattern, and once I’m a good way into a project, I get bored with it. It’s so hard to pass up the temptation to start just one more project.

However, I think I’ve reached the upper limits of number of WIPs (not even counting abandoned UFOs) that’s reasonably appropriate to have. I’ve got:

That’s two scarves, two pairs of gloves, two sweaters, and six - count ‘em, SIX - pairs of socks!

So, I’ve decided that this is going to be the summer of finishing. Finishing WIPs. I have 81 projects queued in Ravelry, and that’s only because I stopped adding after a while, because it was getting ridiculous. I refuse to start anything new until these twelve projects are either finished or frogged, and put to bed either way.

However, I’m a fickle, materialistic, generally unmotivated girl. I need some enticement to do this, other than just the knowledge that I won’t have these WIPs looming over me any longer. As I once put it to someone, I have the sheer iron will of a plastic spork. I know better than to just say “I’m going to do this.” I need prizes for finishing.

So… I’ve decided I’m finally going to give in and allow myself to start purchasing from Etsy. It’s a gutsy move, I know. I’m well aware that it’s quite habit-forming and all-too-easy to get sucked in. But, I will allow myself one $40 purchase (including shipping) for each small item finished (socks, gloves, and scarves), and a $100 purchase for completion of each of the sweaters. (Though I think the Autumn Fingerless Gloves have got to be a freebie, since there’s only like one finger left to go on the second glove… pitiful, I know.)

So, wish me luck. Maybe by mid-summer I’ll be several hundred dollars poorer, but richer in FOs and stash! Whoohoo!