Knitting/Crafting Intentions: 2011

Since I'm one to wax romantic about a symbolic fresh start, I like to make a list of the things I didn't do so well with the past year and use that to focus on what I'd like to improve in the next year. I'm very much a "process live-r" and the journey is much more important then where I end up. Becoming is more important then being. Odd, I know. So, I'm all over resolutions/intentions/plans/goals/whatever-you-want-to-call-them.

For knitting--and crafting in general--it's much easier to pinpoint what I'd like to do. A bit less reflection is involved then other parts of my life. For one, I document my crafting life silly with this blog. Join me now while I muddle my way through my goals and how I intend to accomplish them.

♥ Knit mostly from stash and work out the excess.

Up until November 2010, I had already accomplished this for the most part. All of my stash, minus partials and some project cotton, fit into my under-bed storage container. And there was room to spare, kittens. Room to spare! After some project buying and one panic-induced purchase from Knit Picks (how was I to know that the haphazard mark down of colors did not mean they were discontinuing them?!), I have a bit of overflow.

So.

I plan to work primarily from stash and only purchase yarn needed for an immediate project. I'll have my one club skein coming a month, but 400-ish yards of fingering weight doesn't take up all that much room comparatively. The reduction of one sweater quantity will make room for 3-6 skeins of sock yarn.

I also plan to indulge in a special project here or there, as the goal of last year's Stashdown was to get to the point that I could do that...for the most part, I can. Stash should not be something one resents and feels obligations toward.

By the end of 2011, I'm hoping to reduce my current 09 sweater lots to 04. I also hope to crank out some socks this year to help balance out the 12 skeins that will come in through out the year from my club, as well as the one here or there I'm lucky enough to nab in an update.

All of the above really tied into what I consider to be my second sweeping knitting goal:

♥ Allow myself a few immediate cast-on indulgences so I do not feel resentful of existing stash.

Yeah. I kinda covered that already. Whoops?

Moving on.

♥ Avoid poor, impulsive purchases that will have to be destashed later on down the road.

I mostly curbed this in 2010, but the urge to buy all the pretties still hits hard sometimes. Most of them are gorgeous yarn that just will not work for me, no matter how much I love the color. They're impractical for one reason or another, and then I have to end up trying to sell them on Ravelry or give them away.

This mostly happens because I focus on small-lot, hand dyed yarn: even though some are hard to get, they're hardly a scarce resource, and it's silly that the hoarding instinct kicks in, and I want to "catch them all."

The easiest way to avoid this pitfall is to ignore groups on Ravelry that fuel the need for the yarn. The other is to just avoid the dyers' websites.

And finally, the most important sweeping goal:

♥ Sit back, relax, and enjoy all of my pretty yarn while I turn it into gorgeous objects!

It seems simple enough. After the December I just had, I'm really not into yardage grinding in 2011. I will have to stay focused, but eventually, I want to not have to think about these things.

For those of you who are still with me and not staring at the teal deer, here are the few concrete things I want to get done in 2011.

♥ Knit 05-?? sweaters and be left with 04 or fewer lots in my tote.

♥ Use up most-all of my partials or get them out the door. Some have been caked for 3 years, and it's just not good for them.

♥ Knit another 05 pairs of socks.

♥ Sew bean bag chairs for both of my children.

♥ Sew a sewing machine cover.

♥ Sew that new bedquilt for The Mister and I.

♥ Get that gift blanket re-crocheted and out the door in time for the couple's first anniversary.

I think that's about it for concrete goals. Should be an interesting 2011.