Goals vs. Happiness

Eternity by Boo Knits--the December Club Project

My goal for 2015 is to finish all the projects that were on the needles at the beginning of the year by December 31. I can still probably make it, but...

The projects I have left are mostly plain knitting. I'm itching to work on lace, or cast on my next stranded sweater. In the past, I've worked towards meeting goals even if I knew it wasn't what would make me happy, and that's something I've been trying to change over the past few years.

So while I probably could still meet my original goal, I think I'm going to extend the arbitrary deadline I set myself to the end of February 2016, and cast on a few new projects. Maybe even just say I'll keep working regularly on the UFOs until they're done and leave it at that. It seems healthier that way. (Especially since I'm the only one who cares at all about this.)

While I'm thinking about goals, my goal for 2016 will be to knit all the projects I have in mind/in my queue to knit for other people--not the ones I've thought of as gifts for my family, but all the things like "this hat has Penguins on it. Kelly would love this hat! I should knit it for her" and "I haven't knit anything for Kehley yet. Ravenclaw scarf it is."

Again, I'll try not to push myself too hard--knitting is supposed to be fun, not stressful! But I enjoy working towards goals, and I think as long as I'm willing to modify them there's no harm.

Last Christmas Present--almost done!

I did do a pretty good job this year on my other goal, of having no (or at least less) stressful holiday knitting. All I've got left is half of a slipper, and I should be able to finish that by the end of tomorrow... so that's definitely something I'll try to do again. This year I'm giving my family smaller gifts, since last year's three and a half sweaters in four months sucked some of the fun out of Christmas. I might do sweaters again next year, but if I do I'll try to knit a Christmas sweater every few months so that they're all done well ahead of time. We'll see.

In the meantime, it's the weekend, and I've got kitties, knitting, tea, and cream clotting in the fridge. Life is good.

Unusual Knitting Habits

My knitting goal for this year is to end the year with everything on the needles on January 1 (both active projects and those in deep hibernation) finished. I'm making fairly good progress there, but I think it is somehow contributing to my odd knitting situation right now!

For the past few months, I've had 5 or fewer active projects on the needles. Compared to my usual 10-15, this is practically nothing! (Especially considering the hibernating projects are decreasing...) It does mean I'm finishing things more quickly, and I'm not feeling the lack, but it does feel odd.

So far this year, I have finished:

Butterfly Cardigan (a Starmore vest to which I added sleeves)

Hallow Moon (a shawl I cast on for a quick knit then gifted to Jen)

Cygnus Lothlorien (to which I still need to add some sort of closure)

Wheel of Time Leftie (a wonderful size for wearing!)

Gino is an excellent model, no?

Ves (the first project in the Tour this year, and a super-fun and addicting knit!)

Bobbie's Birthday Norie

Leuchtfeuer (September 2014 Tour project, simple and cleverly constructed)

Mitts for Linda's Birthday

Knee-High Slipper Socks for Marie's Birthday (that are too big, so I'll probably be knitting another pair to fit better for next year)

Socks for Daddy's Birthday

Mitts for Alex's Birthday

Baby Sweaters for Alex's Twins

A Baby Surprise Jacket for Lil's Grandson

Tyrion's Gift (A test knit for Lara Smoot, perfect timing since I needed some lace...)

Mitts for Veronica's Birthday (Apparently this is the year of co-worker mitt gifts!)

Mitts for Jan (started in college and FINALLY finished!!)

A Day to Remember (December 2014 Tour project--now I'm all caught up and ready for June... which is going to be a fun one!)

Purple Jackaroo (which really should have been marked hibernating at one point, but never was. Now I'm just waiting for fall to be able to wear it!)

Calli Rae's Birthday Hat

Annie's Birthday Cowl (super early! It was meant to be a Christmas gift, but she said she wanted it earlier, so it'll be for her birthday. Which means I've still not knit any Christmas gifts... but I'm still hopeful that the four for my family will mostly be done before October)

Mother's Day Socks

Reversible Circles of Lace Scarf (which needs to be blocked)



and I currently have in progress:

Arwen (which has been in DEEP hibernation while I figure out how to modify. Now I'm hoping to finish by the end of the month, and since I'm only about half done, I need to get a move on!)

Carmen's Autumn Oregon (because without a Starmore on the needles, life is less fun. But it's going so quickly! I know which one I'll cast on next, though, so it's alright.)

Father's Day Socks (in our new base, Hot Shot--a wonderful sock yarn!)

Tibetan Clouds (which has been in my queue for ages, and I wanted more lace... but it's about 75% done, so I'll need to find a new lace project to cast on shortly!)

Things to finish this year:

S... the Sheep (won't take long, I shouldn't think)

Christmas Beret (I think I don't have enough yarn, so I'll probably frog and knit some other hat)

Nashita (Still don't have an intended recipient, but I'll finish and put away I guess)

Carrot Top (It's actually done, but I don't like it. I'll probably frog and put the yarn back into stash.)

Calmer Top (No longer interested; but I have an alternate plan for the yarn. So to "finish" this will be to frog and knit the other sweater)

Knee Highs #1 (Almost done; just part of the second leg left. However, it'll take a bit of thought because I don't have the notes from the first sock...)


The kitties make excellent supervisors.

And Now... For Me!

Selfish? Us? HA!

I have decided to dedicate January to selfish pursuits (selfish here meaning either for me or just for fun).

Amazingly, I managed to finish all my Christmas gifts on time. However, I've been focusing mostly on Christmas knitting since late August or so, and therefore I feel this break is well deserved.

I'll be finishing my current Starmore; Jade's Butterfly, made into a sleeved cardigan:

Butterfly... one sleeve to go!

I've about half a sleeve, button bands, collar, and finishing left to do. This may be finished by the end of the weekend, because I do love my Starmores!

I also plan to work on some other WIPs: my Cyngus Lothlorien, my Hallow Moon Shawl, and my Leftie.

Cygnus Lothlorien

Hallow Moon Shawl

Wheel of Time Leftie

I shall certainly give in to temptation at some point and cast on Leuchtfeuer and A Day to Remember (the projects from our trips to Schleswig-Holstein and Argentina, respectively, both of which came out during Christmas knitting,) and something lacy.

I'd also like to make progress on the quilt I started piecing this fall, as it would be nice to have a properly sized quilt for my recently acquired queen sized bed!

Certain Parties disapprove of quilting. Piecing means no laps. Knitting is much preferred.

ETA: Also, I should probably hem the curtains... at some point...