Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

February in Review

February Finished Objects
(Links to rav project pages)

  1. Catching Butterflies
    for myself  ^_^
  2.  Crocheted Dishcloth
    all four are going to my mom in a set.
    they're not in my project pages because, well...
    it's 17 stitch single crochet till big enough to make a square.
  3.  ""
  4. ""
  5.  ""
  6. Windowpane Hat, Orange
    made to test pattern, now on Etsy
  7. Granny Square Cowl
    for myself  ^_^
  8. Baby Blanket
    for a niece.
  9. English Pastry Socks
    for myself ^_^
  10. Valentine Maryjanes
    for myself ^_^
  11. Black Maryjanes size 6/7
    for a friend
  12. Black Maryjanes size 7/8
    for another friend
  13. Cecil the Computer Monster
    for my nephew's birthday
  14. Crocheted Owl Hat
    for Vyvyan
  15. Knit Owl Hathttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7919388655340546472
    for the fun of making a pink owl hat, will soon be on Etsy
  16. Some Cloudy Days
    because who can resist a knitalong? for myself  ^_^
  17. Koolhas Hat
    for Vyvyan
So out of 17 knits(err and crochets?), only 5 are selfish.

The baby blanket is probably my proudest achievement, not because it was complicated (stockinette rectangle with garter stitch border) but perhaps for the exact opposite reason. It was insanely boring, the yarn wasn't pleasant to work with, and it went on and on and on forever. This is the only project from this month that was from last year. I still have 4 projects carrying over: The Mara Shawl, The Hexipuffs (which don't really count, because I expected to have them on the go for a year anyways) The Ski Sweater(which is totally hibernating), and my Calcetines Azules which at least I have been working on.
I figure if I tackle them one at a time, I can eventually only have WIPS from this year. Though, hopefully by the time I do that it isn't already next year...

Techniques Learned
1) Granny Squares
2) Learned to knit 2 at a time
3) Crochet Magic Loop
4) sc3tog
5) dc3tog
6) EZ's Sewn Bind Off
7) Duplicate Stitch
8) How to publish a PDF on Rav. ^_^

Last month's February Goals:


1) Catching Butterflies (my THIRD pair!!)- counts toward 12 tok in 2012
2) Cecil the Computer Monster- knit for gift. either for upcoming birthday OR to be saved for xmas.
3) Vine Yoke Cardigan (though running out of yarn is an understandable excuse)
4) Calcetines Azules- 12 socks in 2012

So obviously I only got half of those done, but I decided to switch out the baby blanket for the Vine Yoke Cardigan and since I got that done I'm feeling pretty accomplished. I have been working on the Calcetines Azules (Blue Socks, but who wants to call them that?) and am nearly done with sock number one.


So March Goals look like this:
1) Finish Calcetines Azules OR Guitar Man Socks (I know, you're like WHAT guitar man socks? They were supposedly frogged in mid-august but they're actually still in a bag in my closet. They're just naked of needles. I have one sock done and half of the leg of the second) 12 socks in '12
2) Finish the Holden Shawlette (which I just cast on yesterday; I'm so excited!!!)
3) Knit Bear Mittens
4) Sleeping Beauty Cowl- 12 tok in '12

Oh, and about the yarn-buying goals.
I made a goal this year to buy most of my yarn IN-PERSON. Which, so far, is holding up nicely. However, I am going order online next month in order to buy one more skein of "Whatta Skein" in the Luna Granite colorway to knit the Calligraphy Cardigan.
Just thought I'd admit that here. ^_^

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

January in Review

January Finished Objects
(Links to rav project pages)
  1. Toothy Joe
    late present for Nicholas
  2. Gabby the Garden Monster
    random present for Vyvyan
  3. Opal Socksknit for myself SooOOoo selfish. (fulfilling 12 socks in 12 months goal)
  4. Raccoon Mittens
    knit for Zoe, but she didn't wear them. Also to try out raccoon design.
  5. Fox Mittens
    knit for etsy shop. have yet to list
  6. Mouse Mittens
    knit for etsy shop. have yet to list
  7. Convertible Owl Mitten
    knit for me. SooOOoo selfish
  8. Spiral Fingerless Gloves
    knit for me. SooOOoo selfish
  9. Windowpane Hat
    knit for me. SooOOoo selfish. Though, I guess it could become a Christmas gift, since I don't actually wear hats very often... will reconsider.
  10. Heartfelt Ring
    knit for me. SooOOoo selfish
  11. Crocheted Washcloth
    made for mom's birthday. I want to have a 3-piece set. Her birthday is in April.
  12. Crocheted Beanie
    made to fulfill "crochet a hat in 2012" goal. 
  13. Lapghan
    made for aunt marina's birthday in February.
  14. Heather Hoodie Vest
    knit for me. SooOOoo selfish
So out of 14 knits, 6 are selfish. What a greedy person I am!

Oh well. I will put the Windowpane hat in the long-range planning box and it will turn up in someone's Christmas stocking.

What's really sad about this list of 14 finished objects is that they were all but one cast on in 2012. So far, I am not meeting my 2012 goal number 9: "Finish 5 UFO's...the ones that are just sitting there." (Out of the 13 from yesterday's post I think about 9 or 10 of them are in that category.)

I have, however, cast on for the Vine Yoke Cardigan, which is on the list.

February Goals:


1) Catching Butterflies (my THIRD pair!!)- counts toward 12 tok in 2012
2) Cecil the Computer Monster- knit for gift. either for upcoming birthday OR to be saved for xmas.
3) Vine Yoke Cardigan (though running out of yarn is an understandable excuse)
4) Calcetines Azules- 12 socks in 2012

I should really add something like the baby blanket or Mom's Mara to that list, but... but I want to cast on for a Shalom. And the baby corn dress from Superstar Knitting. Or the Empire Strikes Back dress.
There is no hope for me. Really.
I have no self-restraint.... BUT the only yarn I bought in January was the necessary Wool-Ease to complete the prototypes for my mitten design. So far the knitting from stash idea is coming along. We'll see how long that lasts.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

2011: A Year in Review (AKA very wordy post)

I learned the basics of knitting in 2004, knit a sweater or two and cranked out a hat every few months. I didn't really get hardcore about it until late 2010, when I was pregnant with my son. That means I learned quite a few techniques and had a very busy year.

I started thinking about this today because I recently acquired The Knitter's Life List. It's a wonderful book, and I've gone through the whole thing and marked off the things I've done, places I've knitted, or techniques I've learned. I've been writing down the ideas that really speak to me, and I'm going to sort through them in the next few days to make some new goals for 2012.

For now, let's look back at 2011.

On Jan 25, I wrote down the following goals:
1) Knit a sweater that actually fits
2) Knit the Central Park Hoodie
3) Go to 3 Knit Nights
4) Keep track of yarn purchases so as not to go Hog Wild again.
5) Knit 3 wearable sweaters

Then in February, I added:
6) 12 pairs of socks

And, shockingly, I met all of those goals but one. The one I didn't meet? Number 3: Go to 3 Knit Nights. I blame this on the fact that I don't actually have a car and my SnB meets on the opposite side of town, but it could just as easily be blamed on my reclusive-ness. Or my baby. Whatever you want. I'll roll that goal over for this year.

Next we'll look at techniques learned. (I am sort of shocked at this list.)
  • Provisional cast on
  • Tubular cast on
  • Cable cast on
  • Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off
  • Picot bind off
  • "Hexipuff" cast on (I'm sure that is actually a thing with a name.)
  • Cabling without a cable needle
  • Mattress stitch (PROPERLY)
  • Knitting in the round on 3 DPNs
  • Magic Loop
  • Intarsia
  • Modifying for waist shaping at sides (Thank you, Stephanie Japel)
  • Modifying for waist shaping at back (Thank you, Amy Herzog)
  • How to crochet: sc, dc, hdc, rudimentary increasing and decreasing
  • How to dye yarn: natural dye stuffs, kool-aid, food coloring
  • Adding elastic to keep legwarmers up/hats on/socks up
  • Adding length by cutting into your knitting
  • Afterthought heel
  • Short row heel
  • Knitting a sweater in the round (Raglan and Yoke)
  • Use EPS to design a sweater
And this list is NOT including all the stitch patterns I learned from the Super Stitches project! My mind reels when I think of all the things there are to learn in knitting. Steeking, entrelac, brioche- and all the yarns I've yet to try!!

Some notable yarns I used in 2011 are:
1) Malabrigo Rios
2) Koigu Premium Merino
3) Rowan Kidsilk Haze
4) Knit One Crochet Too's Crock-o-Dye (still my favorite)
5) Berrocco Vintage Chunky
6) Curious Creek Fibers Tsavo

Keep in mind that before 2010 I hadn't really knit with much else than acrylic and acrylic blends. Most of my projects were made with yarn I bought at big box craft stores, though I did make a few online orders and occasionally I dished out for something good at an LYS. Looking back through my project journal from 2004-2007(Awww it's actually a paper notebook. How cute! It's like Ravelry didn't exist yet! ....Oh wait. It didn't)I can only find 3 projects using wool! My stash now is enviable indeed.

Which brings me back to goal number 4: Keep track of yarn purchases so as not to go hog wild again.
Did I do that? Yes. I have every receipt from every online order and LYS transaction. Both for yarn and for knitting paraphernalia. This goal will not roll over because the second half does not apply. I'll have to find a way to re-word that one. Maybe when I do a "Flash your Stash" post, my embarrassment will cause me to think about knitting some yarn up before I go buying some more.
.....
Maybe.