I just stumbled across the Year of Projects group on Ravelry. This is a blog-along group. Participants make a list of crafting goals for the year and post weekly updates on their progress. The Year of Projects runs from July 1 through June 30, so we are almost at the end of the year. Some participants run on an annual schedule, however. I decided that I will participate on an annual schedule. I already made a list for 2015, but I haven’t been reviewing it or updating it. Now you’ll get an update post every Sunday. Since I already post a WIP Wednesday post, I think the Sunday post will probably just be a list with completed items crossed off, but that may change!
Previous Posts
Since it’s been awhile since I’ve written about my goals — and I haven’t really reviewed them myself since I wrote them — I thought I’d link to the posts I wrote back in January.
Breed Specific Fiber Inventory & Breed Specific Fiber Inventory, Updated
Apparently, I never wrote a post about my Stashdown plans. I thought I had!
Current Status
Stashdown
I set the goal of knitting from stash. I would not buy new yarn, except for weaving yarn. Uh, yeah. turns pink That hasn’t happened. There’s been much acquisition of stash, and not all of it is for weaving.
UFOs
Here’s the list again. If I’ve finished or frogged the project, it’s linked to the relevant blog post. If it’s not linked, I haven’t finished it.
- Traveling Scarf
- Liquid Silver
- Bigger on the Inside Hat
- Evenstar
- Quinn Bag
- Granny Square Blanket
- Wearing of the Green(e) Socks
- Tribble Scrubbies
- Maple Leaf Shawls
After I made this list, I found another project. I need to stuff and assemble a Baby Blue Monster.
2015 Goals and Plans
Knitting
- Knit myself a sweater
- Improve my finishing techniques
I haven’t done a sweater yet, but I never intended to make one until the fall, so that’s okay. In July, I’m attending The Knitting Guild Association meeting in San Diego, and I’m taking a two-day Finishing class with Arenda Holladay!
Crocheting
- Learn to read crochet patterns
- Learn all the basic crochet stitches.
- Make at least one non-granny square crochet project
Yeah, I’ve done none of this.
Spinning
- Breed Specific Spinning
- Process the $5 Mystery fleece
The Cotton Candy Corriedale was a breed-specific fiber, but I haven’t been thinking of it as part of that project and I did not write a separate blog post about it. The Cormo that I’m currently spinning is the first fiber that I’m counting as part of the breed specific spinning project. The updated Breed Specific Inventory is no longer correct. I never received the fiber from Little Barn. I ended up filing a complaint with PayPal to get my money back. I’ve also bought some fiber from other sources since. I’m no longer sure that I want to process the Mystery Fleece. I’ve brought it to demos and it’s nice to have an unprocessed fleece for that purpose.
Weaving
- Continue playing with color and weave drafts
- Learn pick up stick drafts
I finished the Ravenclaw and Slytherin Houndstooth Scarves this year, which goes to the color and weave goal. My OWL proposal for the current term of HPKCHC was to weave 8 scarves using 8 different color and weave patterns. I haven’t started that yet, but plan to start this week. If I complete the 8 scarves, that will pretty much fulfill the color and weave goal. I have not started on pick up stick drafts.
Dyeing
- Finish dyeing the MAPLE LEAF Shawls
- pH / water source experiment
None of this has happened.
Projects
I only had a few project goals for this year.
- Dishcloth Advent Calendars
- I need to complete 18 copies of 25 different patterns.
- Completed Patterns
- Tribbles
- Leaves
- Patterns in Progress
- Additional Copies Needed
- Bricks
- Crocheted Ladder Stitch
- Charity Knitting
- Mock Rib Scarf
- Emergency Scarf
- Weavers Guild Sale
- Socks
- Wearing of the Green(e) Socks
- I started another pair on the trip to India, but haven’t worked on them since I got back.
- Layette
- I haven’t done anything with this project.
Other Finished Projects
This is a list of all the projects I’ve finished so far this year. I’m omitting anything already listed above. These projects don’t necessarily fit into any of the goals I wrote in January. I was surprised that there’s so few! I guess I’ve been more on target than I realized 🙂
- Woven Doctor Who Scarf (a present for my cousin)
- Kitty Bed (for Pepper)
- Clapotis (finished this week)
- Super Secret Shawl (finished this week)
Updated List of Goals
I’m collating the above list into one so that I can more easily post on Sundays. I’m also adding some goals. I’ve taken on additional projects and I’ve acquired a floor loom! I’m not including a stash-related goal. I don’t plan to acquire more yarn this year, but who do I think I’m kidding?
Knitting
- Knit myself a sweater
- Improve my finishing techniques
- Finish MHK Level 1
- Dishcloth Advent Calendar
- Tribbles
- Leaves
- Charity Knits
- Do some test knits
- Sand Tracks Scarf (in progress)
- Raindrops on Roses Shawlette (in progress)
- Finish or frog all UFOs
- Traveling Scarf
- Bigger on the Inside Hat
- Evenstar
- Quinn Bag
- Baby Blue Monster
- Socks
- Other Projects
- Liquid Silver (remaking from scratch, since I frogged it!)
- Fountain Pen Shawl
- Design at least one project from scratch
Crochet
- Learn to read crochet patterns
- Learn all the basic crochet stitches.
- Make at least one non-granny square crochet project
- Dishcloth Advent Calendar
Spinning
- Breed Specific Spinning
- Learn to spin on a drop spindle
Weaving
- Continue playing with color and weave drafts
- Learn pick up stick drafts
- Learn Inkle Weaving
- Learn Kumihimo braiding
- Explore Twill weaves on the floor loom
- Make items for the Guild Sale
- Slytherin Houndstooth Scarf
Dyeing
- Finish dyeing the MAPLE LEAF Shawls
- pH / water source experiment
- Return to dye triangles project
Goals for the Week of June 14 – 20, 2015
- Finish the Sand Tracks Scarf.
- Finish the Raindrops on Roses Shawlette.
- Finish half of the questions and swatches for MHK1.
- Finish at least one color and weave scarf on the rigid heddle loom.
- Cast on the Liquid Silver Shawl.
- Knit the Grisou Scarf (another test knit).
Welcome to YOP , I hope you enjoy it. It is a great way to make great progress through your projects, sometimes it seems and feels like not a lot of progress is made but at the end of the year when accounts are done it is always quite surprising what is done and achieved. Nobody will hold you to your list either, if you feel like dropping things or adding things on the list do just that. I look forward to seeing your progress through the year on your list.
Thanks for the welcome! One of the reasons I started blogging was to motivate myself to get things done so I have something to write about. The YOP fits in with that goal!
It’s lovely for you to join us, you have a great list. As Ruth says no one will hold you to task if you stray or don’t complete things. But there is always someone in the group to cheer you on.
Welcome to YOP! Hopefully you’re a more reliable blogger than I am 🙂 I’m quite impressed by your lists, and maybe a little more impressed by all the crafts listed – knit, crochet, spin, weave and dying … did I miss anything?! WOW!!!
I expect we must be polar opposites as I’ve tried my hand at those things and then decided that overall I prefer just to knit socks. LOL! I do appreciate those who make all the lovely yarns for me though 🙂
As Ruth says, there’s nobody policing the group, but I do find publishing a list motivates me to work through it. Hopefully some aspect of it works into your crafting plans as well.
Thanks for Bringing this to my attention. I’m about to sit down and create my list for the 2015-16 year. I’m excited and I look forward to seeing everyone’s updated and FO!
Wow and welcome! You are really good at setting and monitoring your goals. I start out that way but drift after that! LOL! I love your shawls and the green socks are adorable! I’m moving this year so my list may be a little sketchy but I’ve already got a few projects I want to do plus all those UFO’s from last year! LOL! Looking forward to your future posts.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was so on track with the goals I wrote in January. I hadn’t really looked at the list since I first wrote it. This is a big reason why I joined YOP — it’ll force me to look at my goals every week!