From WIMs to WIPs: The Joy of Knitting with Optimism

On our walk the other day, Mr. Fuzzy Goat asked me if I had my WIMs ready for our upcoming trip*. I love it when he tries to talk “yarn-y.” When pressed, he said, “you know, work in mind” (turns out, he meant WIP (work in progress) but I just love the idea of WIMs too!). We have FOs (finished objects), UFOs (unfinished objects), and WIPs, and I’m planting my flag for WIMs! And yes, I didn’t just have WIPs ready for the trip, but lots of WIMs swirling in my mind as well.

As knitters and crocheters, we don’t just work with yarn—we work with potential. There’s something inherently optimistic about having WIMs. They’re the glimmer of future possibilities, the projects we imagine and dream about. I’ve often said that one reason we are such great people is that we’re humble—we don’t mind asking for help, we (mostly) don’t mind starting over, and we’re willing to admit our mistakes (in fact sometimes I have to tell you all NOT to point out your mistakes ;). Plus, all that time spent knitting or crocheting releases endorphins into our systems, making us natural self-medicators—in the healthiest way possible.

And we’re optimistic. Every WIP and WIM is a testament to something fun or beautiful that we’re planning, something we can look forward to. Whether it’s for ourselves or a gift for someone we love, these projects are future promises that keep us moving forward. It’s been said that to be happy, we need three things: something to do, something to look forward to, and someone to care about. Knitting and crocheting tick two of those boxes right away! I know I’ve used knitting as the “something to look forward to” at the end of many challenging days. When life feels chaotic, there’s a calmness in sinking into a challenging project—one that pulls my mind away from distressing thoughts and focuses my energy on new stitches and patterns. And even when the stitches don’t come together perfectly, there’s grace in allowing myself the patience to try again. That process is its own kind of therapy. I can still look at my Xeni shawl (by Kitman Figueroa) and remember the solace and joy it gave me during that time, especially since I knit it in such a bright, happy color!

Now, my WIMs are a little different than my WIPs. WIPs are tangible—projects that have yarn chosen, wound up, and cast on. There’s a finite number of those (even if the number grows ;), but my WIMs? Those are immeasurable! So many projects swim around in my mind, and that’s a happy thing for me. There’s no pressure to start them, no need to be accountable for them. They can live in my imagination as long as they need to. Sometimes, I’ll even browse my stash or favorite patterns in Ravelry as a way to “interview” them, deciding which WIM might graduate to a WIP next.

Some WIMs I have right now? Well, there’s this gorgeous sweater pattern I spotted,Nola by yamagara and I’ll admit, we ordered Illimani Amelie yarn for it as soon as I saw the pattern. Intarsia 🫡! And Melissa might be right behind me. It’s one of those can’t-wait-to-start projects that’s just waiting for the right moment. And maybe Knit Sisu's Simpatico Bandana Cowl (double knit? 🤯) and/or Wool & Pine's Mossblossom wrap. And buttons play a big part in imagining my WIMs. 🪡

At a time when optimism and something to look forward to are so important, we hope you find that same joy in your own knitting or crocheting. We’re here to help you take your WIMs to WIPs and eventually to FOs.

So, what moves a project from WIM to WIP for you? For me, it might be the anticipation of wearing it to a special event, or maybe I just need a good travel project—or two, or three! Sometimes, it’s the arrival of a new yarn at the shop that I can’t resist playing with RIGHT NOW.

*Our recent trip to Chicago was to meet up with my MasterMind retail group, where we brainstorm strategies to better serve you all—whether it’s improving our Goat Gang (loyalty) program, hosting more engaging Facebook Lives, creating our curated boxes, or finding ways to have even more productivity with our team meetings. And yes, I definitely needed some travel/meeting projects for the trip!

I’d love to hear your thoughts! What pushes you to cast on a new project and take it from a dream to something real?