Year of Projects, Year 2: New Year, New List
After reviewing my progress in last week’s post, I decided to revise my list for the last half of the Year of Projects. This may not seem as ambitious as my original list, but for right now it works for me.
I’ve been purposely vague about the exact numbers of projects, etc. because I would like to keep my Year of Projects participation fun and not obligatory!
So without further ado, here’s my new list.
1) Continue to reduce my yarn stash and track my yarn consumption. I’m an active member of the Surmount the Stash group on Ravelry, but I’m always looking for new ways of tracking my yardage. I started using KnitMeter yesterday, and I think this will be quite helpful. I’ve already learned a lot from entering the projects I completed (and didn’t unravel) in 2012!
My goal is to have one less plastic bin of yarn by the end of 2013, so I guess I should be about halfway there by the end of the Year of Projects. I have no idea what that represents in yardage!
2) Make more projects for myself. I never seem to focus enough on projects for myself. I’d like to make myself a pair of crocheted socks and a full winter accessories set (hat, scarf/cowl, and mittens or convertible gloves). If I could do this by the end of June, I’d be pretty pleased with myself.
3) Learn at least one (hopefully more) new (to me) knitting technique or skill. Some options I’ve been thinking about are entrelac, efficient use of DPNs (the horror!), circular knitting that starts with a small amount of stitches and increases rather than a large amount of stitches and decreases (like some of the great motifs from Knitting in Circles
4) Host at least 2 CALs or KALs in my Ravelry group. I had a lot of fun with the Ripple Mania CAL last year and the Chubby Sheep CAL going on now in the Underground Crafter group. I’d like to be more organized about how I approach these, though. Maybe I might even write up a mystery project for a fall CAL…?
5) Donate crocheted (or knitted) projects to charity. Crochetlist is a Yahoo group that I’ve been involved with on and off for years. I’ll be hosting the September challenge this year (pet blankets for Bideawee again), and I’d like to donate my own projects to at least one of the other challenges.
Some possible projects are
- Cotton washcloths and hand towels (a great way to use up some cotton stash) due at the end of April for Mothers and Infants Striving for Success (MISS Inc.), a shelter for women and children.
- 6″ squares (and I think we all know that I love to make grannies) for Casting Off the Cold by the beginning of June. But I’m not sure about the cost of shipping to Canada…
I could also participate in a charity drive through the New York City Crochet Guild or to send some 8″ squares to Sandy for Bridge and Beyond. And I’m actually hoping to find a charity that accepts crocheted toys. I know that I can look charities up on Bev’s Charity Links or Lion Brand’s Charity Connection, but if anyone has a suggestion of a US based charity that accepts crocheted toys that don’t need to be made in any particular colors, please let me know!
Right now, this list seems incredibly ambitious since I have two samples due next Friday, another one due at the end of the month, and I’ve just volunteered to help out Crochet Happy with her January CAL. But I’m sure once February arrives, I’ll be amazed at the small size of my list. I can always add more things to it if need be!
For more Year of Projects posts, visit Come Blog-a-long on Ravelry.
That’s a good list!
Thanks, Kristen!
I like the look of your list and its always good not to add totals and keep it loose and fun, helps I think keep the interest going.
You’re so right about keeping the interest going, Ruth!
Great goals! I look forward to seeing all that you do this year
Thanks, CrochetBlogger!
I like your list and also that you are including charitable giving…I missed that one. Thank you for reminding me of that and also for all the places where I could. Plus, I LOVE the sheep…too cute!!!! I’d join but I’m trying to stay with my YOP’s for now but I did add the pattern to my favs! Thank you so much….you’ve inspired me! Keep up the great work!
I’m glad to inspire others to do charitable crocheting and knitting, Sandra! And thanks for your kind words about my Chubby Sheep.
Funny, you say you’re scaling back and then you ponder creating and designing a mystery CAL … that seems like a big project all by itself
I still have to learn entrelac although I’ve seen it demonstrated and I remember thinking that it was easier than it looked. It certainly creates gorgeous effects in long colour repeat yarns like Noro and Amazing
Hahaha, that’s a good point, Minding My Own Stitches. I was looking at the sheer numbers!
I’ve been putting together my list, thinking it is a perfect new years chore..Mine is not so much a list of projects, but of skills that would push me to the next level of knitting. Thanks for all the links you have provided for charity knitting…I need to do more when it comes to donating..
I’m glad you found the list of charities helpful, mary! I like your approach – learning more skills is a great idea.
Love your goal oriented vs numbers oriented list. Doing a bit of that, or trying to. Used to love those little how many miles you’d knitted or crocheted, but found I was lousy at keeping the count going. Perhaps I should it a go again. Kinda fun seeing it. Love to have your help with the squares, or cotton washcloths which would save you the added postage of Canada. AND, though I’ve not posted hand made toys as item we collect, I’ve gotten some and they’re a great addition for the kids making adjustments in shelter living. Let me know what you have in mind. I do plan to extend the mission a bit this year and that might be a good place to do it? I’ve grown steadily and slowly, not wanting to make to many changes at one time….making sure we could still supply people with the items the NEED to stay warm.
It is definitely fun to see the yardage, sandy! I would say give it a try if you can. That’s great to know about the toys – I’ll be in touch when I get to that point.
Love the list. I may do something like that for next year. Especially knit more for myself. I think in 2014 I may need a cardigan for myself.
Oooh, a cardigan sounds like a great project, DeliaKnits!
I think your list is very realistic! Like you, I incorporated a few goals rather than objects in my list this year–it feels good to be purposefully stretching my abilities in this manner. Just remember, no matter what the list, I think we all are free to look at it as a guide and not something to enslave us! Happy week to you–
*smiles*
I agree, Kim. I needed to step back and take a different approach to YOP.
That seems like a great list, and so achievable. I love your charity goals, and maybe your local women’s shelter will accept crocheted toys if you approach them directly
Thanks for the suggestion, Emma, but I’ve had a lot of difficulty in the past with trying to donate handmade items to local shelters. I used to work in homeless services administration and New York City’s homeless shelter system is large and complex (about 50,000 people were sheltered in 2012). That’s why I usually end up donating things to further off locations.
Looks to be a very reasonable goal list! Good luck!
Thanks, Suzy. I tried to be more reasonable this time around.
I thought when you started out that you said that you weren’t going to be too tough on yourself and then you proceed to list a million and one things! Goodness, that’s a lot of plans, sounds like me!
I like the idea of charity crochet, I would quite like to look into that too. I would like to do some knitalongs/crochetalongs this year, I fancy myself a couple of blog swaps too, I’ll have to keep it all in check mind!
Hahaha, that’s true, I suppose, Faith! I tend to get overly enthusiastic once I start writing!