My Year of Knitting – 2017 Review

Happy New Year!  I’m so excited about starting a new year.  2017 was not a great year for me.  But the beginning of a new year is a time to reflect and put new goals into action and I’m looking forward to making 2018 my best year ever.  And one way I’m doing that is by better planning.

A few years ago I started keeping a knitting journal.  I wanted a way to remember projects I wanted to make other than my Ravelry queue.  Something tangible that I could keep in my knitting bag.  Besides we all know what happens when you jump on Ravelry to see what’s next in your queue.  (squirrel)  You get distracted by all the pretty NEW patterns and that carefully curated queue goes out the window.

At the end of each year I like to review my list from last year and take note of the projects I started, the ones I finished, the ones I didn’t and the ones I decided to frog.  I also like to add all those great new patterns I didn’t get around to casting on.

For 2017 I made a list of 22 projects I wanted to knit.  Now, this doesn’t mean that I planned to knit all 22 in 2017.  It’s merely a list of projects I want to knit at some point and don’t want to forget. Two of those projects were WIP’s I had cast on in 2016.  Of those 20 remaining projects (22 – 2 WIP’s) I actually cast on 8 projects.  Of those 8 new cast ons I have finished 4. I frogged 1 project and 3 WIP’s are still on the needles.

Four completed projects doesn’t sound like a lot but in 2016 I made a list of 28 projects I wanted to knit, I cast on 8, completed 2 and frogged 3.  I think I’ve made progress considering I’m known as the Cast On Queen.

 

In 2018 I want to be more intentional with my knitting and knit more things for myself (I don’t own any of my handknits).  I also want to use up some of the yarns in my stash.  After all, I didn’t just buy it for petting.

I plan to participate in a couple of challenges to help me do just that.  The #2018MAKENINE challenge hosted by Homerow Fiber Co and #2018YEAROFTHESWEATER hosted by Skein Yarns.  I would also like to participate in the Yarngasm Podcast #BOXOFSOCKS2018 but I don’t know that I can knit 12 pairs of socks in a year.  I’ve never actually knit a whole sock.  We’ll see how that goes.  But I do love the idea of having a whole box of hand knit socks.

 

For 2018 I have made a list of 29 projects that I want to knit (6 are WIP’s).  From that 29 I have chosen 9 projects for my #2018MAKENINE and 3 of those projects are sweaters or cardigans for my #2018YEAROFTHESWEATER.  Two of the 9 projects are also socks so while I may not get a whole box I hopefully will have 2 pair.

I won’t bore you with the complete list of 25 projects. I want you to make it to the end of this post without falling asleep (you can see them on the right) but here is my #2018MAKENINE list.

1. Hermione’s Everyday Socks
2. Scottish Highlands Shawl
3. Tegna
4. Pure Joy
5. My Cup of Tea Socks
6. Find Your Fade (WIP from 2017)
7. Risen
8. Nurmillintu
9. Chilla

And my 3 sweaters for #2018YEAROFTHESWEATER

1. Tegna
2. Risen
3. Chilla

Ofcourse there’s still my cozy memories blanket I’m working on (which is included in the list of 29), the new 2018 version and I also want to participate in the Ravelry 2018 Ravellenics.  I’m planning to knit one of the pairs of socks from my #2018MAKENINE list.  I’m also hoping to do a Christmas Eve cast on this year.  Last year my husband went to Alaska and brought me back a skein of qiviut.  I’ve had the Starlight and Snow Flurries Shawl pattern picked out ever since and I’m hoping to cast it on this year.  If not the shawl perhaps a pair of socks.

There are MANY more patterns I want to knit.  Each year my list grows and changes.  Some things I wanted to knit in 2016 didn’t make the list in 2017 and new things are added all the time.  But for 2018 I tried to pick the 9 patterns I most want to knit and hopefully I can stick to it.

Well, that’s it.  Those are my knitting plans for 2018.  But we all know what they say about the  best well laid plans…

I’m going to try to stick to this list but I’m sure there will be some new pattern that will catch my eye and the whole list will get thrown out the window.  But I’m going to do my best and all I can say is people please don’t point me in the direction of any pretty new patterns.  Oh look a new Andrea Mowry pattern….

Ooops, sorry.

See…what did I just tell you about the best well laid plans?

Do you make a knitting list? Do you plan out your projects? Or do you just go with the flow? What would you like to knit in 2018?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

 

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