That Time of Year Again

Oy, I totally forgot my Blogoversary last Thursday. This year is off to a fast start and I can't see things slowing down any time soon.

Anyway, when I realzed that I forgot my Blogoversary it got me thinking about last year at this time and the goals I set for myself. Ugh! How pitiful that I missed nearly all of them. Here they are again with notes for 2009. No need to set new goals when I've yet to meet the old ones.

1. Be good to myself. I enjoy knitting for others but I would love to be a little selfish this year and make a few things for myself. I could use a new scarf, hat, sweaters.... stuff. I'm not abandoning the list of stuff I make for friends and family but I'm going to try not to let myself get lost in the crowd. - I did ok with this. I made a lacey shawl and a sweater (Sahara) for myself. I also added several pairs of socks to my collection. This year I hope to make another shawl, a sweater (Eris) and a summery top for myself. Naturally there will be more socks and, in the true spirit of being good to me I'm looking forward to diving into a pair of gloves in yummy cashmere.


2. Challenge myself. This really means breaking out the Barbara Walker books and graph paper. I was looking through my books the other day for the perfect pattern and hubbo suggested that I just put something together myself. That stopped me dead in my tracks. Who me? He pointed out that I've been knitting a while and I ought to be able to come up with something myself. He's right, I should. I have ideas in my head and I need to get over myself and work some of them out for better or worse. - I never got around to this at all in '08. There were just too many other things calling my name but I find increasingly that what's in my head doesn't seem to exist in pattern form.


3. Reduce the stash. You saw this one coming. The stash has become unmanageable and really needs to be addressed. Besides, how can I buy more yarn if I can't find a place to put it? - Let's not even talk about this. I was doing ok to a point and then the wheels came off the wagon. For now I've addressed the exploding stash by purchasing more plastic bins and cedar to line them and removing much of it to the basement. Sadly, fiber keeps arriving like clockwork. Apparently when I see a sweater I'd like to knit the appropriate yarn soon magically appears. I really need to get a handle on this and make some of it disappear.


4. Find a name for this blog that feels more like me. I've never felt entirely comfortable with the name of the blog. I'm not knitting for anyone else - I'm knitting for me. I knit for many reasons - for comfort, to feel a connection to the past, to honor my grandmother, to express myself, and just because it makes me happy. I need to find something that expresses me better and reflects me. Any ideas? - This was a no go too but it's by design because the current name has apparently developed meaning for some in my family. I can't say that I love it but I'm resigned to it.


5. Become a better spinner. I need to keep taking classes and use what I learn in classes to inprove the consistency and quality of my spinning. - Yay! Finally a goal that I can claim to have made progress with. I didn't take as many classes as I'd like to but I've spun more and it's definitely improving. Now I have 2 wheels and I feel like I need to justify it by using them often.

My goals for this year are happily mostly confined to stuff I want to knit. In addition to the sweaters for me I'd love to make the Central Park Hoodie for DQ and a modified version of the 1824 Blouson for Stinkette. I also owe Stinky a pair of fingerless gloves and DQ a replacement for her denim summer top. Easy peasy. Mostly I plan to have fun with my knitting this year. It's always been a stress reliever in the past and the recent spate of musts has made it stressful. I will absolutely do something about that.