Monday, January 7, 2008

And a big hand for......2008!

Aaah! New Year!

Season of resolutions and new beginnings. For me, 2007 was a great year. I knitted my first ever scarf! Truly, I did! I always hated the endless nature of scarves and last year I was a confident enough knitter that I actually knitted 3 – 1 for my SIL for her birthday, 1 for my wonderful Stepmum forr HER Birthday (from Recycled silk – which she adores!) and one for me – which was my travelling knitting for a while.

I’ve made my first real lace things, done my first ever cables, knitted around 12 pairs of socks and 7 or so jumpers, dishcloths, and bags, felted stuff – 2 pairs of slippers and 5 bags, fallen in love with KnitPicks and Harmonies, started having more than 1 WIP, started a blog, met lots of wonderful blogpals (some face to face1) and ended up as a moderator on a Rav Group (with SPECIAL POWERS – WOOHOO!)

So for 2008:

I’ve already mentioned I want to knit from stash. I don’t know if I’ll make it to 10 jumpers (given that I need to buy some cotton from Bendi,) but I will try! I really do want to make lots of socks and have almost finished the 3rd SSoS pair and have already cast on the 4th pair and am ready to go on the 5th with my new Noro sock yarn (such pretty colours!). Bella has finally turned the corner and I’ve stopped the interminable but beautiful and hard-on-the-hands band and am on the cotton bit – nice soothing stocking stitch.

I’m going to do some more de-cluttering (all the STUFF that’s been accumulated), and I’m not going to stress about the fact that I’ll get one year older at the end of this month (46 - Oh my!!). I’ll spend more time on things related to knitting and blogging (that should be an easy one!), in an attempt to make it all more professional (eg writing articles and designing more). I’d like to do some dying and learn to use my drop spindle, and spinning wheel, but I’m not going to stress if I can’t fit that time in.

I’m going to make an effort to meet more of my blogpals in the flesh (that’s easy too!). I’m going to finally subscribe to Bloglines instead of clicking on everyone’s blog every day in the hope someone is making new posts about the fun stuff they’re doing.

I’ll definitely do more swaps – because the tea cosy was such fun!

I like Taph’s aim of buying something from an Australian independent producer every month, so I’ll try to do more of that!

I’ll try to be more organised and get rid of stuff and live in a tidier and less cluttered environment. And spend less money (especially on my credit card), and knit more.
I’ll make lists and have fun and spend lots of time doing fibre-y stuff with the kids! (We spent yesterday dyeing wool with food colouring and had lots of fun – more about that later)

I’d like to knit a real lace shawl (and have some gorgeous lace-weight of Spidey’s to do it with).
I’d also like to lose weight and get fitter (I can knit while walking, I’m sure), because then I’d get to knit more things because they wouldn’t need to be so big! Also, if I got fitter I’d probably live longer, and that would give me time to knit more stuff and become a cantankerous old lady – and poke people with knitting needles!

I’m also going to do some sewing this year – I’ve bought some fabric and want to make some project bags a bit like Rosered’s! (I’d also like to make some like 2Paws and Kate’s but am not sure I’m up to that yet!). I am also NOT going to try and build up a fabric stash because I need more stuff like I need a hole in the head.

There. That should be enough to keep me occupied for a while. There’s more – I should be gardening and cleaning out rooms and reading more and learning more things and knitting for charity and teaching more people to knit. But somehow I’ve got to fit my life in between all this other stuff, so if it happens, well and good, and if it doesn’t – well, there’s always next year!

Bore Da!


Ins and Outs

In

2 balls Noro sock yarn – yarn porn!
Norah Gaughan Volume 1
1 set harmony option ends
1 set harmony sock needles
Christmas pressies – including DPN holder and Small project bag (Thanks Kate and RoseRed)
Clothes and Undies
Perfume
Game
The Silver Spoon cook book
Walking with Dinosaurs DVD
8 tops for me – Op Shop, Rockmans, and mail order
1 dress
Nice soap and Tea
2 skeins gorgeous baby alpaca (Thanks Donyale!)
NB I received 13 not 12 balls of the Tencel/Wool mix from the lovely Donyale – so I’m fessing up to the extra one because I can’t count
20 balls Zara (on sale so not counting as stash!)
Large bag of Sale wool from Bendi
2 large plastic tubs for the looking after of aforementioned yarn
Other assorted little notions for Christmas

Out

23 jars – fruit and veg shop (jams and pickles)
70 egg cartons – fruit and veg shop
23 items of clothing – Women’s refuge
15 new items of underwear – Women’s refuge
2 pairs shoes – Lifeline
3 shirts – gift
2 nighties, 4 pairs trousers. 3 tops – gifts
Massive amount of old papers trashed, recycled and/or shredded (around 3 boxes full!)

Shake it all about

3 skeins of 14 ply stash wool, dyed with food colouring by kids and me – to be turned into hats!

14 comments:

Rose Red said...

Wow - those are some big lists - both for 2007, 2008 and the ins and outs! I must declutter a bit too. I'm making an effort in trying not to buy stuff, particularly stuff that doesn't have a place to store it. But clearly yarn and shoes do not count as stuff!!

Catherine said...

You're AWESOME, Tinkingbell! Keep it up, you had me totally rolling on the floor with this post. I can feel your energy all the way across the ocean! Don't forget to knit!! :)

Lynne said...

Looking forward to seeing that dyed yarn and those hats!

Five Ferns Fibreholic said...

That was some 2007 for you. I don't think that I could top off a year like that. I'm still waiting for the Noro sock yarn...and am becomming impatient!!!!!

That was some list of FOs. I've probably done something similar but unfortunately most of my FOs have been knitting jobs for other people. Hopefully I'll just learn to say no in 2008.

Alwen said...

"...become a cantankerous old lady – and poke people with knitting needles!"

Oh, me too! I can hardly wait to be able to claim I'm crotchety instead of just in a bad temper. I have a great cane picked out, too, for whacking young whippersnappers with. :D

Amy Lane said...

That is one heck of a list--I'm so very impressed! (Of course, you've already knocked my socks off...I'm not surprised you knit so many of them!) I'm thinking of doing some 'knitting from stash'--it should, actually, last me quite a while, but there's always more colors and (mmm) textures arriving by the day.

Taphophile said...

What do you mean fit your life in around it - isn't this your life? ;)

You've set yourself some serious goals - best of luck with them.

In the interests of my bank balance, though, and my resolve to not buy so much, please don't tell me about the Norah Gaughan book.

Are we going to see you in March? I do hope so!

DrK said...

thats a hell of a list youve got going there. i laughed when i read the bit about 'knit more' considering how much you DID knit in 07! if they invented a way to knit while walking id walk more too. but only so i could knit more, like you said!

Georgie said...

What an excellent positive list Tink! You have inspired me so much with your decluttering (if you can manage it with 2 kids, I can try with 1!).

I think we should establish a retirement home for cantankerous old knit bloggers! It'd be just one long stich n bitch!!

Bells said...

You don't have a blog reading subscription? My God. Get one. Now. You need it! That'll help A LOT! Right there. Top of the list. You need it.

And yes, join me in lace shawl making! It's fun! But hard with two kids, I'm sure.

m1k1 said...

Dear KMS and others
Coincidences abound don't they. I have just been alternating lace row while sitting, with plain row back, walking on the spot - long rows -it's gotta count.
And have you seen pictures of the Shetland Lace knitters, who wore knitting belts, so they could "put down" their knitting at a moment's notice to do something cottage-y? There's your answer.

m1k1 said...

Dear KMS and others
Coincidences abound don't they. I have just been alternating lace row while sitting, with plain row back, walking on the spot - long rows -it's gotta count.
And have you seen pictures of the Shetland Lace knitters, who wore knitting belts, so they could "put down" their knitting at a moment's notice to do something cottage-y? There's your answer.

m1k1 said...

sorry about the double post. don't know how that happened.

MadMad said...

That is an impressive 2007! I think you should get to take 2008 off, with no guilt, no effort, and no worries! (Oh, and I'd like to put in my reservation for a spot in that old cranky knitting lady retirement home before it fills up...!)