Im sure I can’t be the only crafter that has a few ideas in there head at one time.
I was wondering how long you spend on a project before you intentionally move on or get distracted and start the next idea.
Do you have a work plan, set days?
Any advice on how I can stick to one thing for longer than 5 minutes would be appreciated.
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I tend to have 2 or 3 cards on the go at once, working on part of one while the glue on another dries. If I find myself getting distracted I go with the flow (unless I have an order close to it’s deadline) I often find myself making a great wedding card when I actually sat down to make a retirement card but found a weddding topper I just had to use 
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If you get some good advice on how not to keep being distracted by new ideas, I’ll read it avidly! I constantly start new projects while others are still unfinished - I just can’t help myself.
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Now take me,I am perfect,perfect at doing exactly what you are saying,I think you may have to bite the bullet and think of the money (you don’t get paid for un-finished items). Whatever,take the time to write down new ideas,they seem to just vanish otherwise.
I call this Van Gogh syndrome as I am sure he had his mind on the next canvas before he had finished the first,one of the pitfalls of the creative mind.I get times when I get all the mundane things to do, and do no craftwork (nothing for a month now) and then want to do it all and do it now.
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@ grim exhibition,nice work,I will lay a fav on you now and again but too many at once seem to knock each other off the front page.
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I normally have more than one item on the go at the same time, my crafting has to be a bit stop start as I have carers duties for my dear old dad along with all the normal family commitments. My dining table is full of fabric and buttons so that I can dabble whenever the time permits. I sit and knit or crochet in the evenings when watching tv with hubby and dog, although I should to confess that I nod off mid knit most of the time.
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I can have up to 6 painting on the go at once (some layers drying while i work on the next) and many more bigger projects happening at the same time as well as new ideas buzzing around my head…it was getting hard to keep my focus especially as my wee studio is my full time business.
So now i’m getting myself much more organised…i have a daily planner & that’s filled up to 4/6 weeks in advance with tasks for each day as well as what marketing i need to do that day (marketing gets assign a specific length of time too otherwise i never get any other work done!) and there’s a notes section for extras.
I have idea’s sketch book & note book that comes from my bedside table to my drawing board & i allow myself to jot scruffy sketch & notes down that i tidy up & make sense of at the end of each day, again i alot a certain amount of time for this…most of my idea’s come in the wee small hours hence it’s on the bedside table.
For the bigger projects like prepping design for printing on products with companies or arranging to build fixtures to launch in a shop i have an ongoing priorities list that i work through…i have projects going into next year so far!
And one the best things i did to help my focus & get me organised is to do yoga & mediation once a week on a Monday morn…it’s starts my week off calm & really does help keep my focus & clear my head. I found i need to give myself down time to help me focus & regroup & effective plan ahead.
Hope this helps…it’s just what works for me but everyone is different & i still get the occasional time when my mind goes off at a tanget but i’m getting much better keeping focus with work with how i now orgnize myself…good luck all!
J x
I usually have 2 or 3 projects at least on the go. At the moment I am crocheting a corner to corner blanket but that can get a bit monotonous so have made some baby cards with knitted toppers in between. Will try to photo and list in my shop later.
I have bought some different sizes of Pompom makers so making pompoms too which are quick to do.
My mind is always full of other projects and new things to try as well, got a kumihimo starter kit to try.
In between all of this have to network and promote the shop with the odd meal and bit of housework thrown in for good measure.
Happy days
Gill
I usually have 3 projects on the go at once this means if I’m waiting for something to dry or waiting for yarn to arrive etc etc I can get on with one of the others.
How long I take on each project varies. I have an on going one that’s taken over 2months so far as I keep having to put it to one side.
One thing I made in 2 days for a customer from redesigning it on graph paper to sewing it and mounting it into the card.
I also have 3 lots of postcards that got started in May and are in different stages of readiness. So it all depends really.
Some projects get completed very quickly other’s I work a bit on them then lay them aside then go back to but eventually they end up being finished as I have a rule that I can only have a certain amount of projects on the go at one time.
If I get extra idea’s then I write those down with little stretches in my book.
I tend to do painty, glueing things in the day and sewing, knitting or crochet in the evenings. I don’t work on sundays except to check my stats and if I have a moment look into the forums. I will post orders on a Saturday if I can get to the post office and I will answer emails on a Saturday if I’m around and have my laptop open. But I do class the weekend as non business hours.
I do all my correspondence and stats checking first thing sometime between 8 and 9am. Then I spend some time promoting, and reading in the forums. Then I start the making. I check in as and when as I’m available or need a brake.
I’ve learnt to not answer emails outside normal working hours as I got myself into a dreadful state once when via another place I sell where I sell to the other side of the world. I was up answering emails conversations about orders till gone 2am, for 3 days in a row. Never again as it meant I was so over tired. Customers in the USA just have to wait till now for answers until I’m ‘open for business’
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I only ever do one project at a time. I think it’s because I like finishing them and seeing them once I’ve added their faces!
I usually have 2 to 3 projects on the go at once…as I make junk journals sometimes I leave one project for a while, so I can come back to it with fresh eyes and new ideas. I try not to spend more than 6 to 10 hours on a project, unless it’s something very special. I write ideas and goals down in a book.
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Anywhere from 2 hours and 10 hours, depending on the item. Although I often have 2 orders on the go at the same time as I get bored!
If I’m making a drawing it would be a day. And the next day would be uploading.
I’m new here however that what I do on other sites I sell.
So a project would be 2 days for me.
I’m quite strict with myself and stick to completing each project as I go before I start any totally new ideas.
I do draw the new ideas down though or I would forget!
I like to cross things off my list before I allow myself to start the next thing.
Obviously working with clay, things do need time to dry and fire - so I do have lots of things on the go at once but it’s very methodical and I usually work in groups of the same type of thing so I don’t go off on a tangent.
I know this is an old post, but am grateful for some of your ideas as I’m trying to organise a kind of working week! Thanks@EileesCraftStudio x
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My bears take anywhere from 4.5 days to well over a week to make and my pincushions around 3 days, I recently started some cards and love the fact that I can make more than one in a day. Designing a bear kit takes a few weeks as once designed I have to make the bear up as well to see whether the pieces fit and if I like it then remake, alter patterns etc.
Oh but I did enjoy making cards!
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Being a turner I have loads on the go due to using a lot of green wood. I rough turn them, leave them to dry and move then finish them. If I’m using seasoned wood I like to finish one at a time. If I’m making a batch of things I make them in stages to reduce the amount of tool changes. Doing this saves a load of time:sunglasses: