I'm feeling very despondent about knitting recently :cry: in fact ever since I had the brilliant idea to knit Christmas presents and write a dissertation at the same time (I'm quite despondent about the dissertation too but that worries me less). I'm finding that even knitting a small child's sock is a gargantuan challenge for me. Help! :help:

I went thru a similar thing with my red cardi ...I thought I'd never finish, but I did. Perhaps you have to be a bit easy on yourself. Writing a dissertation is no mean feat. Do you think you're trying to challenge yourself in work and play? Would it help if you did something easy - that you can do without thinking- just to help you relax and chill out a bit?
Keep your pecker up.
R x

You're probably a little over excited. Too much cake and icecream? Now, calm down, take a few deep breaths and tell yourself you haven't got ten pairs of hands and no way are you going to get done, what you'd like to get done in the time span up to Christmas! Be realistic and do what you can without rushing it, or, you just may fall out with knitting all together! It's very easy to fall into the trap of all the nice yarn/pattern/needles that tempt us, but we can only do so much. Yours, Agony Aunt. x

Just decide on managable Christmas presents, like face-cloths which can be done in an evening, and don't take much yarn and so many lovely patterns about. You will have all the glee of finishing projects quickly, and not many ends to sew in, and can do a little or a whole one in one go, as they stand up to being picked up and put down!

When does the dissertation have to be in? You might have to abandon some projects until then.
I found I could only cope with very, very simple knitting when I was doing mine, and even then I didn't do much! Reading a book was much easier. Don't knit anything to a deadline :) Forget the Christmas stuff, it can wait a bit (maybe for birthdays instead?).
Best of luck with the dissertation though.

Thank you for all the encouraging words :thumbsup:. I think I've got a bit bogged down because I've been asked to knit for people rather than doing it of my own volition. I think this maybe the root of my problem. I've got orders for face cloths, socks, jumpers, scarves, mittens and baby clothes. Perhaps I should just teach my friends to knit :hihi:.
As for the dissertation I need to get on with it and stop moaning. And perhaps use lots of small words where one big one would suffice to get the word count up :idea:

A small word for your friends and family is ---------"no."

What can I say? I'm just a girl who can't say no. My reputation usually precedes me :hihi:

What can I say? I'm just a girl who can't say no. My reputation usually precedes me :hihi:

You need to practice more :D :thumbsup:

Right, this is actually Pixiepear not Rob but I started this message before I realised my husband was still logged in and I am too lazy to log out then type it all over again.

Be nice to yourself! You work and you have a dissertation to do, and you can only do so much! You need to keep enjoying the knitting, people will like other presents that aren't knitted and they will be happy to wait for things or make do without handknits. You sound a bit overwhelmed with requests, remember non-knitters dont always know the effort and time involved. I know what its like, I have a very very long list of stuff to make for other people, it takes a few seconds for someone to say "You can make me/my friend/my auntie some of those!" and for me to say " OK, yes, i love making them!" BUT, have you ever been worrying and apologised to someone for not having made something, only to find they had forgotten all about it anyway...
If you are getting really down about the knitting, just knit something that you actually feel like knitting and leave the rest, for later when the pressure is off or just strike it off the list altogether. If it makes you feel bad to not knit something for someone, show them you care another way - bake 'em a cake, its a lot quicker! Or have a dabble at making fast easy, non-knitted things - like an aromatherapy body oil or lip balms or something. That way you have still made it yourself but with a lot less stress (unless you burn yourself like me...let hot wax cool down before you try to stir it with your finger...:rolleyes:

I'm going to have a bit of a breather from knitting. It will probably not last long before I get itchy fingers :hihi:. I think I'll concentrate on a sweater I'm knitting for my mum and my dad's socks, both of my parents appreciate the time and effort spent knitting for them :thumbsup:. I'm going to plough on with my dissertation in a most studious manner and I will be reminding people that I do in fact work 37.5 hours a week (plus!) as well :wow:. I had no idea quite how busy I was until you reminded me!

As for the dissertation I need to get on with it and stop moaning. And perhaps use lots of small words where one big one would suffice to get the word count up :idea:

Lots of 'however', 'nevertheless', 'furthermore', 'in view of this' all help :)
Plus references with three authors take up more words than 'et al'! Citations were included in the word count of mine...

I'm going to have a bit of a breather from knitting.

SP you might hit me for this but why not try crocheting your presents instead -much quicker! Amigarumi animals would go down brilliantly at xmas and they can be finished in hours...

Failing that, just aim to knit presents for one or two people - you can come round to ours and we can make biscuits and macaroons for the rest! :) xxxxx