Crafting Chronicles: YOP: Last post of my first year!*

Here I am on Sunday afternoon working on my last post for my first year of YOP. Currently we're in Flagstaff, Arizona charging the car. Who knows where we'll be by the time I get this online!

It's been a slow week of knitting. California was beautiful! I called Husband stupid for leaving it several times. I eventually cast on my first top and I did do it in the car. It was easier to do in the car once we were in California and I wasn't having to play navigator anymore. I have the first pattern repeat done. I probably won't touch it or any other project before reaching Minnesota as I'm the sole driver now. Husband couldn't take more than a week off from work. At least it's a pretty drive (and a pretty car).

I could be knitting right now as the car charges, but it's so warm outside! Of course, I'm inside working on this post. I don't want to end mid-row as it's always a bit of a challenge for me to figure out where I am. At the moment I'm really appreciating socks as they have so few stitches. I had to cast on 3 different times because I kept getting the wrong number of stitches. The first time, I had about 2 yards of excess yarn and that was a bit much so I tried again. I thought I had the right amount of stitches so I started to knit. Got through the first row (with a pattern) and didn't have the right amount of stitches. Off it went and I cast on again. This last time was the charm though it took me several times to get it right. I kept trying to count and people (mostly Husband) kept trying to talk to me even though I was counting out loud! Two hundred and sixty-six stitches is a lot to count.

Year in Review

Now to look back on the past year and how I did. I think this will help me find a better balance for things as well as a more realistic timeline next year.

Overall, I finished 22 different objects. A year ago, I was very vague on numbers but I feel that this is a good number considering that whole "working, driving to work, spending time with family and friends" thing that means I can't just sit and knit. And the dog. She needs a lot of walks, which obviously cuts into knitting time. At least she's cute.

So how did I do with specific goals?

Socks

I want to do at least one pair every month of the Cookie A Sock Club. They all seem to take me longer than I think they will, which is why I'm committing in writing to only finishing one pair. I hope to finish all 12 before the year is out and to start the ones for the club next year.

Yeah....that didn't happen. I've not even cast on one of the new patterns for this year yet. Nothing has screamed KNIT ME and I've had a lot of other projects. In the last year, I finished one of the February patterns, one of the June patterns and...that's it. Socks really do take me longer than I realize and I tend to get easily distracted.

Shawls/scarfs/cowls

I don't really need either but there are some lovely patterns. I'd like to make myself a nice cowl for the fall/winter so I can go out and be dressed up and not have to keep track of an awkward scarf.

SUCCESS! I made two cowls for myself this year. I also made a cowl for Husband.

I'm definitely doing the Bigger On the Inside shawl, which will be finished in time for Chicago TARDIS.

Well...this was made but not in time for Chicago TARDIS. It was finished in time for the dance this past month. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I also finished a shawl for a friend of mine.

Gifts

I really like giving gifts that I've made. I've liked the reaction that I've gotten from the gifts I've made in the past.

Among those gifts will be 2 baby blankets for the children of cousins.

I had quite a few gifts this year. Socks, shawl, cowl, scarfs and one baby blanket. And I'm sure there were others but I don't remember right now.

Destashing/using the hoard of yarn I own

I need to work on getting through some of the yarn I have so that I can get more yarn....

I bought yarn. I was given yarn. I definitely did not get through as much yarn as I acquired... I suppose I need to work a bit harder on this one.

As much as I love my troll hat, I have some really lovely yarns that I want to make into hats. My husband likes this idea for some reason....

Also a success. I made a hat based on my grandma's pattern. My husband is very happy with it and is now willing to be seen with me in public in the winter.

Mittens

Last winter (in February-ish), I lost one of my mittens that I had made. So now I need to make a new pair for this coming winter.

I also managed to make these before it got stupid cold. It was cold when they were finished but at least it wasn't stupid cold yet.

Designing my own
I've had the chance to dye some of my own yarn and it was a lot of fun. I hope to do more of that this year. My husband has challenged me to design my own socks. I've got an idea in my head. Still need to figure out the logistics of it but it will be very geeky.

I managed to design and make a baby blanket and a pair of socks. Nothing very geeky but it was fun to do.
2014-2015 YOP Goals

Socks: I want to finish at least 6 pairs of socks this coming year. That's one more than I did last year. I'm not going to specify which designs get knit though I'd like to get more of the Cookie A socks knit this year.
Top: Finishing my first knitted top is pretty high on the to do list for next year. If I get that done, then I feel I'll be better prepared to knit a sweater for Husband. That won't happen until 2015 which is when I'm going to allow myself to buy more yarn.
Charity: I want to knit more hats/scarfs for charity. I've done a few and I enjoy doing it. It also uses up some yarn.
Unfinished projects: I want to end next year with no unfinished projects. If by some miracle, I've finished all my knitting before the end of the year, I suppose that means I won't cast on something big that I can't finish by the end. I also have at least one project that was suppose to be finished a few months ago that I've yet to cast on....
Spinning: I want to spin more. I'd like to finish at least one of the fleeces I have from my mom.
De-stashing: Seeing as how I failed horribly on this one (as noted above), I want to continue to work on this one. I've already pulled some yarns that I don't see myself using. Now to just get them sold.... This also means no buying yarn until 2015. Husband likes this but this wasn't his idea. I may feel a bit overwhelmed by all the yarn I have...and more is coming. Between the Cookie A club and the Indigodragonfly club, it's going to be a while before I need to buy yarn.