How many is too many?

Tell me, can you juggle more than one sewing project at a time? Can you cope with a number of works in progress (WIPs) at different stages? I ask because I seem to be pushing my limits at the moment. 

I’m a multiple projects on the go person and will have at least two projects happening at the same time. I like the variety and different options I get by staggering projects. If I’m short on time, I can stitch a couple of seams. If I don’t feel like sitting at the machine, I can trace a pattern or pin pieces together. If the projects are at the same stage, I don’t have the chance to maximise my sewing time and match it to my mood. Two or three projects feels manageable. I find myself in a place where I’ve slightly lost this feeling and I’ve been asking how many WIPs is too many?

At the beginning of last month I had a whopping 11 projects on the go. I had to create a spreadsheet just to keep track! You have seen some of them (my Buchanan and Cressida skirt) and you will get to see the others fully rather than the sneak peaks in the photos. I admit this is a completely self inflicted situation. November and December are busy months for me and I have no idea how much time I will have to sew. October was relatively free so it seemed sensible to try and use the month to get ahead. 

Working on 11 projects has been pretty difficult to move along. There is a pressure there that doesn’t normally exist. I'm still enjoying the process but there is an edge to it. Perhaps it is because six of the projects are selfless ones that I am feeling it more - the pressure of getting it as perfect as possible and delivering on time seems to dramatically increase when you’re not the recipient of your work. It seems that I haven’t learnt my lesson though as I’ve added another project to the list this week and agreed to finish a coat lining replacement with a friend that we started about ten months ago. The good news is I’m nearing the end of this marathon. Thankfully there is more grey text on my spreadsheet than black but there is a lingering sense that I've had too many projects taking place. 

What are your thoughts? What’s on your sewing table at the moment and what is your limit for WIPs at any one time?