Stitching in Rotation

There's been a lot of talk recently about people stitching in rotation.
What does that really mean?? If, as I assume, it means stitching one
project one day and then another the next or something like that, then how
long does it take to complete something??? Are there any tips out there to
make this an efficient way of completing projects? Since I don't generally
stich for specific events, this might be a process I want to try.

Thanks.

Addie

"Addie" ) writes:
There's been a lot of talk recently about people stitching in rotation.
What does that really mean?? If, as I assume, it means stitching one
project one day and then another the next or something like that, then how
long does it take to complete something??? Are there any tips out there to
make this an efficient way of completing projects? Since I don't generally
stich for specific events, this might be a process I want to try.

Thanks.

Addie

To me rotation is a psychological thing. Sometimes one gets stuck
not feeling the urge to stitch a particular piece. Do a little of it at a
time, in between other projects, and as the work progresses you might find
the urge to take it up again. There are all sorts of different ways to do
projects in rotation. Just select the one that makes sewing more
enjoyable for you. The total amount of work to complete the projects is
the same; rotation wont speed anything up. But sometimes it makes it
feel as if you are going faster.

--
Jim Cripwell.
The gods do not subtract from the allotted span of one's life, any
time that is spent in stitching.
Adapted from a sign on The Cobb, Lyme Regis, England.

"Addie" wrote:

There's been a lot of talk recently about people stitching in rotation.
What does that really mean??

Have a bunch of projects going at once.

Either work on them in a strict rotation (usually people use 5 or 10
hours...work 10 hours on A, then 10 on B, then 10 on C, when you get
to the end of the pile, start again on A); pick one up as the mood
strikes and work on it until you want to do something else; work on a
different one each day; have an easy one, a complex one, and something
in the middle, and pick which one you work on based on what you feel
like dealing with.

There are nearly as many ways to do rotations as there are people
doing them.


jenn
--
Jenn Ridley

WIP: Will Work for Freezer Space, TW's Carousel, Emperor's Coat, Stretch
Most recently Finished: Turnberry Ridge, Noah's Journey, SPRING Flowers

To me rotation is a psychological thing. ... rotation wont speed
anything up

True, Jim. I completely agree. Time-wise, a rotation won't speed up your
stitching. I think the reason that having a rotation helps me finish
projects quicker is quite simple - it's Goal Setting at it's best.

I tried to use a rotation for years, quite unsuccessfully. For me, I have
very little time to stitch each week or month. So the standard "10 hour
rotation" method simply didn't work. Also, the idea of putting all of my
projects into a rotation was overwhelming. But eventually I found something
that works. My rotation is based on the following:

- each project is worked on for 5 hours, and then I move onto the next item
on my rotation
- I only have 3-4 projects in rotation at a time, with each being different
from the others (i.e. no 2 samplers, only 1 projects per designer, one
"seasonal" item, etc.), different sizes, different fabrics, different
threads even.
- I try my best to only have one "gift" project in the works at a time.
- I always have a Focus Piece - typically the "gift" project, that needs to
get done on a deadline (birthday, Christmas, etc.)

So for me, my "rotation" looks something like this:

1. Focus Piece (currently Love Never Ends by Great Bear Canada) - 5 hours
2. Project 2 (currently Alice by Lynne Nicoletti) - 5 hours
3. Focus Piece - 5 hours
4. Project 3 (currently Celtic Christmas by L&L) - 5 hours
5. Focus Piece - 5 hours
6. Project 4 (currently Welcome to the Nuthouse by Waxing Moon Designs) - 5
hours.

When one project ends, I put another in its slot.

I also carry a small project (usually an ornament or some small 4"x4" piece)
in my bag so that I can stitch in a waiting room, or during lunch at the
office, etc.

Since I keep track of the time I spend on each project (using my Palm
Pilot), I can assure you that none of my pieces get stitched any faster in
terms of minutes or hours than if I weren't using a rotation method. The
only thing it does do is keep my goals in mind. So, my projects ARE stitched
faster in terms of days, weeks, or months.

Yes, it is entirely a psychological thing.

Shannon L.

There's been a lot of talk recently about people stitching in rotation.
What does that really mean??

For me, it means that I have several active projects. I have my purse/travel
project, which at the immediate moment is Faithwurks' July Spoolie (sorry, it's
not yet posted at SNT for me to post a link). On weeknights I work on Lady of
the Flag, and on weekends I work on a model project.

Between my roundtrip commute every day and my lunch break, I get roughly 2
hours a day (or 10 hours a week) into my purse project. And yes, sometimes
that piece is too large to actually fit in my purse, but they're always small
enough to fit in my 15x12x3 totebag. I usually get 1.5-2 hours a night after
the kids go to bed, interspersed with message boards and email and instant
messages. Weekends vary greatly from only that after-bed time to as much as 8
hours, depending on what plans we've made, what housework needs to be done, the
weather, etc.

Jenn L.
View My Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/jaliace
Current projects:
Chicago Skyline (The Needlecraftsman)
Lady of the Flag (Mirabilia)

Rotation - I used to consider it an ugly word but I've finally found
one that works wonderfully for me. I make an enlarged working copy of
the pattern because I like to see what I am stitching and to mark off
what I have completed. Since the enlarged copy pages are bigger than
the original my rotation is completely finish a page and then finish a
page of my other project. So while I may only be rotating 2, I can
live with this rotation and its working.

Monika