It’s That Time Again

I’ve felt a bit unsettled since New Year’s.  I’ve done some reflecting on last year’s knitting goals and accomplishments and have been thinking about my plans for 2010 but I haven’t had a chance to organize my thoughts and commit them to writing until now.  Even though January is already more than half over, I won’t feel as though the year has truly begun until I do.

Last year I made a rather lengthy but perfectly achievable list of goals for 2009.  Although I did meet many of my objectives for 2009, like knitting a sweater from start to finish, reorganizing my stash, and completing some WIP’s, I also failed to meet some others.  Despite my intention to knit more from stash and cut back on yarn purchases, my stash definitely increased again this year.  And, unfortunately, I did not finish the Great American Aran Afghan in time for Christmas, having lost interest sometime around July.  But instead of feeling guilty about it languishing half-finished under the bed, I took Goal #10 to heart and simply set myself a new deadline.

Which brings me to my goals for 2010.  

1.  Finish the GAAA by July 1st, in time for my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary.  There are twenty-some-odd weeks between now and then and twelve blocks to go—no sweat.

2.  For the most part, limit my SKA projects to one per month in order to free up time to knit other projects.  With so many choices each month it’s hard to resist doing one in each category.

3.  Knit every SKA mystery sock this year.  The designs are usually excellent and it doesn’t hurt to go out of my comfort zone and give up a little control now and then.

4.  Make a point of using my sock books.  I’ve owned Sock Innovation for almost a year and haven’t knit a pair from it yet.

5.  Finish some of my sweaters-in-progress, like Twigs and Leaves, the Tangled Yoke Cardigan, and Fylingdales.  I recently completed the February Lady Sweater and the Mondo Cable Cardigan and have enjoyed wearing them.  I’d like to wear more of my sweaters.

6.  Spread out gift knitting (mainly socks) over the course of the year.  I did this in 2009 and it worked out great.

7.  Embrace the stash.  I love yarn.  I love to buy yarn.  I can afford to buy yarn.  Then why feel guilty about something that gives me so much pleasure?  This year I am not setting any moratorium on buying yarn.  While I do have plans to knit more from my stash because there are some beauties in there that are calling my name, I will continue to buy yarn as the spirit moves me, guilt-free.

8.  Spend more time knitting and less time reading about knitting.  I’ve already begun putting this into practice.  As much as I love Ravelry and my favourite knitting blogs they can really suck up the time.  Although I will continue to follow my favourite threads and blogs, I will be scanning more and chatting less.     

9.  Blog when I feel like it.  Last year I set a goal to blog at least once a week, putting undue pressure on myself.  The truth is I am not a once-a-week blogger.  Sometimes I am a three-times-a-week blogger and sometimes I am a once-a-month blogger.  You get what you get.  No apologies.

10.  Let it go.  Other than setting a specific deadline for finishing the GAAA and participating in the SKA monthly challenges (which I love), my intention this year is to be less regimented when it comes to my hobby.  In 2010 I am going worry less about meeting other people’s expectations or my own self-imposed knitting deadlines; instead, I am going to go with the flow and knit and buy and blog what I want when I want.  Something tells me this is going to be the hardest goal of all.