It seems like everywhere I turn there are people making long lists of what they've knit up in the past year. For some reason, it just doesn't feel like I've finished that much. Don't get me wrong, I know that I have finished items...but the starting far outweighs the finishing. In the past year there have been lots of outside things influencing my knitting time/knitting mojo. Don't take this as a complaint though. I'm happy with the things that I've accomplished and I do think that there are a few stand-out projects.
Ariann: I started this project, along with my Mom, last February when my Dad started his radiation treatment. I then dragged it to the hospital when my Dad had to have a couple stints put into his heart. (ummm, can you say scary!) Then I've just continued to work on it here and there while he has been in chemotherapy treatment. I'm at the point now where I just need to finish it. I am at the armpits and I need to knit the sleeves and connect it all together. My goal is to finish this before the end of February.
Sienna Cardigan: Finished, at last, in September.
Secret Projects: I had a few projects that I couldn't reveal here on the blog while I was working on them. The biggest being my Dad's afghan that I finished (well almost!) just in time for Christmas. It was made with 11 skeins of different colors of Malabrigo yarn. I'll be honest and admit that I didn't love only working on one project for the majority of 2 months, but the end result was worth it. I love knowing that it's for my Dad and that he loves soft and cuddly things. This definitely ranks as soft and cuddly. Overall, one of my best FO's of the year. The other secret project that I eluded to in November was for my roommate Genia. It was a skully dishcloth. You can get the pattern for free here. Genia flipped when she saw it...so if you have someone in your life that loves everything skully, you have got to knit them one of these!
I also took a couple big trips this past year...Russia in October being the biggest/longest/furthest away. I went to Chicago, Illinois. Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas (at least 3 or 4 times). Arizona with my parents. Overall...a pretty good year for travel. I don't really have any trips firmly planned for this next year. Of course, there will be DisneyWorld sometime this year, maybe late Spring/early Summer. My roommate and I are going to try and go somewhere together this year...we just don't know where yet. We've talked about taking a road trip, so maybe we'll finally do it!
I do have some knitting goals for 2008:
1. Knit more socks. I am determined to knit with some of the luxurious sock yarn that I own and just stash away. I just cast on for a pair of baby socks for the niece that will arrive in 4 weeks! Yay!
2. Knit more projects from the stash. This doesn't mean that I can't add to the stash, it just means that I need to think through projects and what I already own before I buy new yarn.
3. Finish. Finish. Finish. Enough said!
Posted by Stacey at January 4, 2008 07:53 AMI know what you mean about FO's. Boy do I like to start things!!! I really have some cool WIP's going. Do you have any idea where we can buy discipline? I've been following your Dad's blog. What an amazing man. I grew up in the same type of family. Boy, are we blessed!
Posted by: Maria at January 4, 2008 09:38 AMI'm glad I'm not the only one who feels like they haven't finished much this year! Here's to more in 2008!!!
Posted by: sarah b. at January 4, 2008 10:26 AMGood luck with accomplishing your goals. I wanna see those baby socks!
Posted by: Wanda at January 4, 2008 11:01 AMthanks for the skully link, i know someone who will love that!
as for road trips, i hear seattle has many great yarn shops ;)
Posted by: amy at January 4, 2008 11:12 AMFinish! Finish! Finish! That should be the motto - 2008 - the Year of the Finish. I'm with you. I also want to knit from the stash. Unfortunately, all I knit was socks in 2007... so I'm actually trying to knit fewers socks. Hope you're successful with your 2008 goals.
Posted by: Jennifer at January 4, 2008 11:49 AMI hate to hear you being a bit DOWN! Remember, yarn is there for love and happiness, knitting should not give you great frustration (well, most of the time.) Finishing is good (then you can wear it--and remember how good it felt to wear your Charlotte?) but its not the ONLY thing.
I'm trying for the next few months to make knitting and finishing a priority, so I will have space in the stash for the yarnfest that is Maryland Sheep and Wool. I am going to try to knit a sock a week until then--18 socks in all! That should really dent the stash.....and make me look at all the stored creativity I have IN the stash.
I am calling it The Weekly Sock Project. Its a celebration of daily knitting, and small knitting. AND I consider a single sock to be an FO! pairs are not important.
Maybe you could set yourself one small goal....like knit on BLANK for 3 hours a week until its finished.
Posted by: suzanne at January 4, 2008 12:10 PM