Looking ahead: Goals for 2014

Happy New Year!

A lot of the other blogs I read have been posting year-end roundups of various sorts: top-liked instagram posts, top 5 FOs, bottom 5 FOs, how they did on last years goals, goals for the new year... Seeing as I've only been blogging for a few months, I don't have much wrapping up to do from 2013 (at least, nothing documented).

I do, however, have a set of crafting goals from 2013 that I'd like to share and build on for 2014. Last January, when I made these goals, I kept them entirely to myself. Nobody knew about them but me. That wouldn't normally be a problem, as I'm usually pretty self-motivated, but I put those goals in a place where I completely forgot about them. I barely remembered I had written them at all until mid-December. Google Drive's history feature shows that I at least looked at them in July, but that's about it. Part of that, I'm sure, is that we moved out of an apartment and into our very own house in the middle of January, 2013. Purchasing, moving into, and settling into a new house was a HUGE game changer (in a good way!). I did accomplish a few of my goals, but it was accidental.

My 2013 Crafting Goals

General goals:

• (Lofty) Create a enough handmade items such that it is possible to wear at least 1 handmade item every day

If I were to count jewelry, I could probably do this now, but not according to the real spirit of it. Stays for 2014.

• Craft smaller, less time consuming gifts

This one I think I achieved! 

Sewing:

• Sew all fabric in stash

Not so much. Besides my Staple Dress, I barely sewed anything this year. At least I didn't *add* to the fabric stash.

• Find some good knit fabrics (FabricFairy.com seems like a good place to start) and sew several basic layering pieces; sleeveless tops, ss top, simple long-sleeve top.

See above.

• Self-draft pattern for knit circle skirt dress

See above.

• Trousers

See above. 

Knitting:

• Experiment with kitchen yarn dyeing

Achieved! I dyed my first yarn, with great success, and it will be a Reef Knot tank come springtime. 

• Knit something w/Brooklyn Tweed yarn

Not achieved. But (wink, wink), if you'd like to get me a shade card for my birthday, that would be a step in the right direction! 

• Knit something with beads

Not achieved, carrying over for 2014.

• Knit something in Quince&Co yarn

Not achieved. Shade cards make great gifts...

• Knit at least 1 pair of socks for me

Not achieved, and most definitely on the list for 2014. I discovered Addi Sock Rockets this year while working on Christmas stuff (to be blogged on Friday), which might make this a more enjoyable goal to finally achieve. 

• Knit a pair of wool legwarmers

Not achieved. Carrying over for 2014. It is absolutely pathetic that I am still wearing that $5 pair of acrylic legwarmers from 5 Below on my way in to work in the winter. Also, my lovely sister-in-law gifted me Literary Knits this year, which has the pattern for these lovelies:

Oh yes. These are SO happening this year. 

• Knit Andrew a plain sweater, fisherman’s wool or EcoWool

Done! Still waiting to be blogged; Andrew wears and loves the sweater but runs every time I try to get a photo :-/

Crafting Goals for 2014

Including the carry-overs, and adding in a few more, here are my revised goals for 2014. 

• Continue increasing my handmade/storebought clothing ratio.
• Sew more this year. But, DO NOT buy any more garment fabric until I've sewed through my queue/stash.
• Sew a button-down shirt. This would be a huge challenge for me, and I think it would in return be an excellent way to build my skills. 
• Spin yarn suitable for knitting, and knit something wonderful out of it.
• Build out my spinning tools with cheap DIY hacks, and share my results here on the blog. (Psst - I got started on this today! Stay tuned.)
• Conquer my hibernating WIPs bin. I did some cleaning and organizing over the past week, and...I have a hibernation bin now. It needs to be emptied, one way or another!
• Organize my supplies. I have my very own, dedicated craft room now. There is no reason it should be messy and disorganized. It should be beautiful, tidy, and inspiring.
• Branch out in my yarn selection. Brooklyn Tweed, Quince & Co, Sweet Georgia, others.
• Knit myself some socks.
• Knit myself some legwarmers. 

Last, but not least:

• Keep this blog alive! Starting a blog was on my undocumented bucket list for a long time, and I'm really glad I've finally started. It's been fun so far, and I think it is accomplishing one of the goals I had for it, which is to keep my organized and focused. 

Here's to a great 2014! 

--Amanda