Several years ago I followed the advice of an article in Just CrossStitch magazine and pulled out all my started but incomplete stitching projects and made a list of where I was on stitching them and what the next step was.  I discovered that when I had all the stitching done and just needed to backstitch, I would quit the project. So I started backstitching as I go and that has helped.  But since then, I’ve kept a spreadsheet of my Works In Progress (WIP list).  Over the years I’ve added additional information such as stitch count; if it’s a small, medium, or large project; how many hours I’ve dedicated to stitching it; and where it is currently stored if it’s not on the stitching stand.

The largest my list has been is 68, the smallest since I started keeping track is 32.  I find that I’m comfortable with 36 projects on the list and if it goes any higher I get anxious.  This leads me to my current dilemma.  As an officer in my local EGA chapter, I participated in our class from a visiting teacher, Lauren Sauer, and started two of the projects she taught the class.  I finished the first 2 rows of the Anniversary Rose sampler and I finished over half of the Basket of Roses scissor fob.  I should add that both of these projects are over 1 thread projects and I definitely needed magnifying to work on them.  Both projects added to my list brought me to a total of 36 projects.  Normally, this would be fine but I had told myself and my kids earlier this year that once I finished over 50% of Mirabilia’s Autumn Queen, then I would start one of the other queens.  I have both Spring and Summer kitted up and ready to go.  They have been ready to go since 2004 when I got a yard of Silk/Linen to work with for them.

Maybe it’s the talk at work of enforcing WIP limits but I hit 69% on Autumn Queen this weekend and although I really want a new start, I look at the list and think, not going to happen until something else comes off.   So do I work on the over one stitches to finish the monogram and design on the scissor fob or do I work to finish off Autumn Queen before I start the next queen?  Maybe I work on OverDyed Dragon which has under 10,000 stitches left.  OR I could work on Tide Pools which has about the same number of stitches left as Autumn Queen but goes quickly once I get in the groove of working on it.

But as I get close to a finish, I also have to take into account my track record with completion anxiety.  Just so you know, when I get close to finishing a large or medium piece, I slow down or find excuses not to stitch. (Facebook and associated games have become a great distraction). In trying to analyze this, the best analysis I have found is I have worked so long on the pieces that they have become friends and it hurts to end the friendship even if it means they will be moving to the walls. I end up bribing myself with such things as, if I put one strand in the almost finished piece, then I can work the rest of the evening on a piece that excites me.  I usually end up putting 3 or 4 strands in the anxiety piece before moving on so that works well.

So to help with the decision, I added a new column to my spreadsheet called stitches remaining.  Interestingly, there are fewer stitches left on Fruit Bellpull by Teresa Wenztler than I have left on Autumn Queen. But the scissor fob is definitely the piece with the fewest stitches remaining to do before it’s done.  Maybe I should look at getting a stronger pair of magnifying glasses and just finish it so I can start a new queen.  Now just to focus on the seasonal queens and put thoughts of Mirabilia’s Raven Queen to the side.