As I am nearing my mid-50s I have come to the realization that I won't live forever. No one does. Which means I need to focus my knitting, yarn purchasing and pattern choices. I'm going to get a bit selfish with my knitting in 2009. I mainly am knitting for myself, a few gifts and some items for the Golden Retriever Rescue to sell at fund-raising events.
So, in addition to my other personal resolutions, here are a few knitting-related ones:
1. Work to de-stash. I have so much yarn stashed in rubbermaid boxes I could open my own one-of-a-kind shop! Plan to go through yarns and make a nice collection of those I know I will never knit. I am doing a yard sale in late June (the community townwide sale) and this will be a good place to recoup some $$$ of what I spent. I have been inspired by an article in Knitter's Review which is a wonderful email publication I receive. Read this article to get the jist of their term "slow stashing" ... a realistic view -- no we knitters won't stop buying yarn but we must think a bit before purchasing more. Knit from stash if there is something we love and then buy only what we love. Wow! Was I ever inspired today....
2. Be more particular when purchasing yarns. Don't buy so much until I'm sure I don't have something similar. Guess doing a yarn inventory will be a good idea ... particular of the fingering weight. As I mainly knit socks, that is primarily what I purchase these days.
3. Knit only what I truly love in yarns I really like. Socks, fingerless mitts, scarves and a few shawls. Maybe a baby blanket or two, too. As the saying goes Too little time...so much yarn or something like that!
4. Raise money for Golden Retriever Rescue by knitting some specialized items -- fingerless mitts and ornaments. This is already begun! Had to purchase some yarn from Knit Picks -- nice but not my favorite -- to keep the price points reasonable. The yarn has arrived and actually is lovely.
5. Use the computer less and the knitting needles more! Computer time is cutting into my limited knitting hours.
6. Frog what I have started and don't love. Frogging is not an offense punishable by law! Enjoy what I am knitting. Don't look at it as a task to be completed.
7. Challenge myself a bit with some more lace knitting and new techniques. I never knit a thumb gusset until this fall (thanks Libby!!) and now I love making the fingerless mitts in Libby's pattern. She owns Mad About Ewes yarn shop in Lewisburg, PA.
8. Stop knitting when my neck and arm begin to bother me.
9. Organize the books, magazines and patterns. Yikes! They are becoming overwhelming but if I would take a day and work through it 2009 will be a much more productive year. While I'm about it I must complete the sock yarn organization project I began nearly a year ago.
10. Blog more often!
Happy New Year all!!!!
2 comments:
Wasn't that a great article? I am also committed to slow stashing, and as you know have been "setting free" yarn that is in that stash that I don't think I'll use. I can't do the yarn-in-bins thing, because if I can't see it I think I need yarn and go out and buy more! I have found using the stash feature on Ravelry helps a whole lot -- I now know exactly what I have. Talk to you soon! (And hey, I thought you said your cats don't like each other?! That picture says otherwise!)
Destashing is something I do every once in awhile. I have to do it again soon. And I love the "Free to Frog" philosophy. I have a couple things that just need to be put to rest.
Happy New Year!
Post a Comment