I’ve just been watching Mina from the Knitting Expat Podcast talking about her 2016 knitting (in incredible detail) and it has inspired me to pull out and review my list of goals for 2016. I’m happy with what I achieved despite mixed success in meeting my goals.
Goal number one: Knit from stash – Keep a wish list and purchase wisely.
I’ve not been all that circumspect in my yarn purchases this year as I’m sure my colleagues at work will attest (they saw almost all of my yarn arrive at my PO box in the city). I managed to control my very expensive Plucky addiction (mostly), but had problems resisting sock yarn this year. I now have a very healthy stash of yarn appropriate for socks!
I made this goal because I had three large overseas trips planned in 2016-17. All of these plans have changed and so I allowed myself to relax and indulge a little (ok, quite a bit). I still have plans to travel overseas next year (hopefully to Rhinebeck 2017, maybe) and my savings for this trip are growing nicely.
Stepping into Fall socks by Sivia Harding, Yarn is Must Stash: Autumn Afterglow.
Goal number two: Knit a pair of socks per month
I made this goal easily – I have knit 14 pairs so far this year and there is one pair on the needles right now that may be finished before the end of the year…
Goal number three: Knit gift hats
I failed on this, mainly because I had a couple of conversations with family members slated to receive the hats who didn’t seem to think they’d wear them. I was happy to keep the hats I’ve made this year for me… I have 7 new hats!
Goal number four: knit a gift shawl for Miriam (my MIL)
Utter fail, still haven’t picked a project or yarn (she is hinting for socks now). 🙂
Goal number five: get my WIP count down
Specifically: finish Verdea (Michelle Wang), Ropedance (Melanie Berg), Playground Shawl (Justyna Lorkowska) and Candy dish (Plucky knitter).
50% success here! I did finish Ropedance and the Playground Shawl, I worked on my Candy dish (no finish yet, will finish next year). I think I will unravel Verdea. I still like the yarn and pattern, but it was ambitious to try it as a first sweater!
New skills
An unwritten goal for this year was to learn new techniques. This year I dabbled in Brioche and also tried knitting socks two at a time (I don’t really get second sock syndrome, but can see why this may be a fun way to finish a pair of socks.)
Finishes and Works in progress (WIPS) for 2016
I have had 26 finishes this year – not bad, eh! (I acknowledge that these were all accessories and not large projects by any stretch of the imagination) At present I still have nine WIPS – four are sad languishing ones from before this year. I am considering ripping these so that the yarn can go back into stash. I am expecting to finish one of the current WIPS before the end of the year, the others I am happy to carry over to the new year and will keep working on them all.
Looking forward to 2017
I haven’t as yet set goals for 2017, but I expect it will be more of the same, reduce WIPS by finishing stuff, try to use what I have and learn new things. I think 2017 will be the year I finally make my first proper sweater.
Wishing you a happy 2017 filled with joy and productivity.
No Sampler left behind 
Hi Cathy, loved your post! Could you resize your photo please as is is coming up in my feed with one very huge photo! Blogland huh!! Many thanks Kath