Yarn Tales Tuesday

W.I.P.'s 

  In the crochet community, you have probably come across the term W.I.P, or WIP, but did you know what it meant the first time you heard or read it? I've spent a good deal of time memorizing abbreviations for crochet, so I was a bit perplexed after reading this in a magazine, in a simple side note of "share your WIP's" which didn't define the meaning. Looking through my books, I couldn't find WIP anywhere. So, I figured, let's take the investigation to the internet!

  Oh, wow...I had one of those "I feel dumb" moments after a very short search. Here I am, with at least eight WIP's floating around my house, and completely clueless to what this simple acronym means. It's a work in progress! 

  Ooohhh, okay, I know those! It's those things covering my work table, the arm of the recliner, in a cabinet, in the car, and even under the bed! I previously thought of these things as "unfinished projects", but apparently I can label them as WIP's, which sounds so much more productive. I rounded a few of them up to share with you:

  Well, except for that one project under the bed. Let's call that one a U.F.O, or Unfinished Object.  I'm still labeling that "unfinished", because there hasn't been any progress on that one in about three years. I consider that abandoned. 

  I admit to having a habit of beginning something else before another project is complete. However, I think it's also a habit of most crocheters. Are knitters that way too? I don't knit anymore, but I'm sure I'd have more than one project around if I did. Sometimes it gets messy, and sometimes it gets frustrating, but usually, it's just a bunch of projects waiting to be finished. And as long as they don't sit under the bed for three years, I think it's acceptable.

  After adopting the acronym W.I.P. for my work, an interesting psychological change happened in my mind. I went from feeling buried in projects, wondering when I would finish them all, to a calmer feeling of progressing through them. My work isn't incomplete anymore, it's just in progress (again, except for the U.F.O. under the bed). And for some reason, thinking about it in this way gives me even more ambition to finish things.


  It is popular for crocheters to share their WIP's. Whether it's on social media, or just with a crocheting friend, showing others what you are working on can be a great way to boost your confidence, give you ambition to complete a slow moving project, or maybe even inspire other crocheters to finish their own WIP's.

  If you enjoy sharing your work(s) in progress, what is your motivation behind doing so? Who do you usually share them with? Leave a comment explaining so, and share your W.I.P. if you like. Maybe somebody else out there has a U.F.O. they can share to give my lonely, forgotten afghan under the bed some emotional support.