It is Monday and I do not know what to write. And its not because of lack of topics, no it is the overwhelming mass of projects :-DDD Last Monday I told you about the scholarship I got granted for an art project and since then I am frenetically running between my yarn boxes, my (paper) notebook, the sewing machine and my computer.

Let me explain myself: I am a perfectionist, over thinker and super-worrier. No idea how I developed these not too helpful traits, but they are here, and I must cope with them. Mostly I do this by planning things out and working hard to fulfil the plan.
Did you have a good laugh?
I myself am snorting while reading my own words, because although I really am an perfectionist and worrier I am also a bit lazy and tend to alternate between work frenzies and periods of relaxation where I actively repress all task which have to be done, only to get more stressed out in the next moments. I am one of these persons, who always finishes exactly at the deadline and not a minute before.
Nothing different this time, only that I never had to make a fibre artwork to a deadline.
AHHHHHHHHHHH
I have a good estimation how long I need to complete a painting from idea to varnish, I have an idea how long I need for shooting a short film, I even have a plan how to plan out a year long period of rehearsals for an dance or theatre performance, but apart from the occasional birthday or Christmas present, I never had to make textile projects to a deadline. This got me thinking… How can I plan out how long I will need for the “fibre web of memories” or a knitted banner I want to make or or or…?

Two days ago I was so panicked that I forced my husband to stop my knitting speed (just that you know, with “slow” bamboo 5 mm needles in stockinette I could knit 47 stitches in one minute, which is not fast). I then tried to calculate how long I would need to knit a piece with 20 x 60 cm in lace yarn and I felt the sweat pouring down my forehead.
Perhaps I should exchange knitting by crochet… I am faster in crochet I think… Wait…. @giavellottista are you here? Could you please time my crochet? I fear he is hiding… ???

But my inability to calculate how long I will need for the textile parts of my installation is not all, no I am also missing a lot of materials and because of the covid pandemic this is a bigger problem than I anticipated. For example, I wanted to order some wooden knitting needles because my beloved metal addi needles were too slippery. After I nearly killed the fabric several times because it slipped at a whole from these needles, I thought I should try out wood. But fun fun fun: one order got through, but the order for the needle sizes I needed most was cancelled. I originally planned to integrate the needles into the artwork, so it was not irrelevant which color they have and not only did the nearest yarn shop closed forever (not sure if it is because of covid), but the others only sell very colourful or light coloured needles. The same goes for a dress form I will need… all out of stock.
Oh and don’t let me beginn with the construction market, we really need a lot of things…

But do not fear, I panic already enough for twenty people, but because of other projects I did in the past, I am nevertheless sure, I somehow will manage to be finished in time.
Hopefully …?
But on the other side, I am absolutely grateful that I already got some amazing messages from fellow needleworkers. And my brain is in overload, spinning all these wonderful inputs around.
I am so curious what you will write or make. Please know, that you can send me everything you like regarded the pandemic time. If you write, you could send a poem, one word, an informal comment or a long text. Do what feels right for you. You can send photos of finished projects or photos of things you started or inspiration what you want to do. Feel free to whine or laugh, to invent or to describe. (If you need a reminder what I am talking about, hop to last Monday’s post).
I hope to hear from you ?

Thank you @crosheille for iniciating and @muscara and @marblely for hosting the #needleworkmonday. If you want to see more beautiful projects with yarn, fabric and most of all needles, follow @needleworkmonday on hive blog. Or even better grab your needles and keyboard and join the #needleworkmonday community. You can read more comments on this post on my hive blog.