Ooooh, look at that scarf! Wait, see that pretty shawl? WOW! Check out that “fill-in-the-blank-here of some long project on your list of things to do”. Currently, I have a project that is 6ft long, and entails 7 charts of which none are the same, but I also want to work on a shawl that’s over 250 stitches at the widest part. So what does a yarner do to keep from getting bored working row after tedious row of a project that isn’t going to be finished in a day, or a week, let alone a month or more of serious knitting or crochet time? You work on a little project of course!
Socks are pretty mindless if you don’t do anything fancy on the instep. Washcloths are simple, and honestly, you can never have too many. Even hats can be mindless and simple on a circular needle. Wrist warmers are great and can be super simple. I think you get the idea. Something small and portable, because that is what this is all about, and mindless. Something you can just work on without thinking about it, while watching tv, waiting for the doctor or your meal, or a friend who is running late.
Having a small but simple project to work on around the big ones keeps your hands busy, but your mind free. With no charts to follow or complicated row counts, you can focus on something else. It’s kind of meditative. But that’s another post.
~Rachel