Working the Stash
I've made a big effort to be reasonable in my goals for this year -- not just in knitting, but for my whole life in general.
For several years I've told myself that I'll clean the basement and organize it -- a very lofty goal. Instead, this year I promised myself I'd deal with 10 objects in the basement each weekend -- put them in their proper place, donate them, give them to a friend, recycle them, or throw them out. This is only the second weekend but I'm closer to 40 objects than my goal of 20.
The smaller goal actually made me progress more.
So I'm hopeful that the same will happen with my knitting goals.
There's The Pact -- knitting enough yarn to account for the yarn bought at festivals last year.
I'm doing OK on this one -- I finished a scarf and mitt combo and am more than halfway through 3 pairs of socks -- Railway Socks, Lattice Socks, and a pair of knee highs in STR.
Even though 2 weren't bought at festivals in 2006, they'll count for 2 hanks of socks yarn. I'm OK if I swap out one yarn for another -- the point is to limit the accumulation of new sock yarn. I can't control which yarn inspires me to knit it -- the yarn for the Railway socks and the Lattice socks have been in my stash for 1.5 and 2 years each.
I'm also doing well finishing up some old projects.
There's the Crazy Colors socks that were started back in early 2004.
And then, one of my favorite FOs ever -- Little Man Blankie.
In the past week I've had the urge to work on a warmer weather sweater for myself. I was SO tempted to buy some new yarn. But I've been so busy at work that I haven't been able to hit a LYS. So I pulled out Saffy instead. I lost steam on her last year when I realized I had built in too much negative ease for the denim yarn. It simply wouldn't fit. I've just gotten through the ruffle again, but my interest is renewed and I'm looking forward to wearing it this spring.
To help keep me in check I've joined Rebekah's Yarn Focus Challenge #2. It's a modified "don't buy new yarn" knit along.
In other words, it's reasonable as well.
It starts tomorrow and runs for 3 months. During those 3 months I have 1 free day per month to buy yarn. I think this plan is ingenious -- I can't randomly buy yarn for 3 months, but if I want something special I'll have a chance to buy it. It's like the difference between going on a liquid diet and making a goal of losing 2 pounds a week.
We all know which one wins out in the long run there.
YFC 07 also has a charity component to it. We all need to knit one chemo cap by March 1st. It's a very reasonable goal and good for the soul too.
I'm enjoying my knitting as much as I ever have, I'm meeting my (reasonable) goals, and I'm giving a little to charity.
Getting older certainly has its advantages. I never would have written this kind of post in my twenties. And yet, it's exactly what I had in mind when I wrote this year's goals.
I'm finally wising up and looking at my goals differently, too. I could have written your whole "organize the basement" thing. Add in the baby and nothing gets done and it feels overwhelming. So smaller chunks at a time and voila! Something is finally accomplished!
good for you working all those goals! it's fun to rediscover all the old projects and things that we have lying around the house, isn't it?
I'll have to look at my goals for the year and see if they're practical/do-able, or lofty and intimidating. Thanks for getting me thinking along those lines!
I got bored reading all of those rules in the Yarn Focus Challenge. Good grief!
Hee hee-- I know you'll do great!
I'm very similar if I set smaller goals, I usually do much better then if I set a huge lofty goal.
Could you please e-mail me your e-mail address for the YFC? Thanks.
those sound like great goals to get you focused and knitting! I like using my stash - I bought the yarn in the first place for a reason - because I loved it - so now I want to "revisit" the love and knit with it!
Sounds like you have set great goals for the year! And when you actually rummage through stash, it feels so good to find something you really wanted whenever you bought it. Good luck!!
I'm already committed to Knit from your stash 2007, otherwise I'd try this one, too. So far I'm doing ok on the yarn diet. September does seem like a long way away though....
Emphasis Representative,worth object dress before interest trade tour review concern hold newspaper point somebody announce instruction hall slip report season domestic emerge pressure entitle afford sometimes sign fashion your cold nice audience favour urban visit theory treaty future football wrong capable size could game employee develop century software copy media interesting fix objective vital gentleman experience run immediately do city fairly guest reaction until view and them school black hit position winter step fuel county particularly tooth worker cry local guide motor upper return