Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Knumbers From a Knitting Knerd

First, a couple of things:

1. I have changed the commenting feature so that you can comment whether you're a blogger or not. I have had a couple people tell me that they cannot sign in or get it to work for whatever reason. I just ask that, if possible, you sign in or at least let me know who you are when you comment. Thanks!

2.
Calvin, you and I could go back and forth all day about this, but you and I both know that even little tiny feet don't freeze in 77 degree weather. Try not to be so dramatic, and have a great George Washington's birthday.*

3.
Joy, happy belated birthday! And congrats on the newcomer.

4.
Brenda, your nerdiness is inspirational. Read on.

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Today, I created a spreadsheet documenting the projects that I've started, completed, and failed over the past 17 months since I've started this blog. I was inspired by
this post from January 2006. I discovered some interesting things. Want to know? OF COURSE you do.

Since October 2005, I have started 83 projects. I have finished 51. I am currently at a 61% completion rate.

I plan to finish 12 more. That would put me at a 76% completion rate, except we all know I'll never finish those 12 projects without starting a dozen or so more.

That means I've abandoned 20 projects. Some of them I don't even have the yarn for anymore. That gives me a 24% failure rate. I think that's pretty indicative overall. One fourth of the projects that I begin, I will never complete. Sounds fair.

In 17 months, I have completed 7 pair of adult socks, 7 pair of kid socks, 9 kid sweaters, 3 pair of mittens, 6 hats, 3 scarves/shawls, 9 toys, 3 bags, and 4 snowflakes. All of the projects in the "miscellaneous" category are incomplete.

25 of 83 projects (30%) were originally intended for me. 7 of the 51 completed projects (14%) belong to me. Lots of people who know me have received knitted gifts.

The 12 projects I plan to finish include orange trekking socks that haven't been on the blog yet, railroad rib socks, stripy fuzzy feet, uptown boot socks, raindrop lace socks, rose garden sweater, central park hoodie, fetching wrist warmers, Greek mittens, the print o' the wave shawl, a stuffed rooster, and entrelac bag #2.

NOT included in the spreadsheet are the 10 or 12 new projects that I plan to start in the next couple months or so, including lots more socks, more kid sweaters, and likely a great deal more turtle shells.

Overall, I'm pleased with these results. On average, I'm starting one new project a week and finishing a project every week and a half. That makes me feel a lot more productive than I thought I was. And I honestly don't feel too bad about the 25% failure rate. That's actually better than I expected it to be. It helps me not feel so bad about the lateness of the Valentine's socks.

Which, by the way, should be arriving soon.

*

4 comments:

Yonners said...

Ohmigod I am so doing a spreadsheet! That entry entralled me to no end! Wheee!

Anonymous said...

Holy unlocked blog, monkeygirl! I'm so excited to be able to leave comments not unlike little crumbs leading... well, nowhere. I'm just glad to be able to leave my mark.

Dude, yer awesome. My spreadsheet would have 10 projects. 3 completed, 3 in progress, and 4 in permanent wasteland. That doesn't account for the yarn enough for another 43 projects. O' Knitter, My Knitter. Teach me, Mold me, Make me just like you.

~Tonia~ said...

Wow just reading that makes my head spin. I do have a spread sheet that I have all my yarn and books listed so I know what I have. I might have to add another tab and keep a list of my knitting as well. :)

The socks are cute. And yes you must knit more shells.

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmm. Excel. I don't think it would surprise you to know that I have excel open right now? I think you should do one of these posts every month. And perhaps you could incorporate bar graphs, line charts, and pie charts. Mmmmm. Pie Charts. Percentages! Spreadsheets! This is better than a chocolate fix!

But I do hate to point out that if you continue to start a new project every week and complete a project every week and a half, your success rate will diminish. That would be a great line graph.