Right, 2017 is nearly over (might in face be over by the time I finish this and get it posted, I’m not sure how long this is going to bed), and wowsa what a year!
Finished the PhD, got a job, knitted (checks ravelry) 9.5 projects on ravelry (the half was finishing the scrappy hexagon blanket), very nearly finished the rainbow cardigan (it is currently being used but I need to sew buttons on and I can’t do that whilst wearing it…), did four cross stitches (Hello, make today awesome and two stockings). Plus Christmas cards, the seagull (remind me to tell you about that later, it’s so cute!!!) and probably seeral other things. But I definitely feel that I haven’t done as much this year as I have in previous years (the PhD probably contributed to this!).
So, next year! As I announced a while ago, my 2018 word is going to be ‘Preparation’. I was rather hoping to have cross stitched this by now, but at least I have a pattern (Christmas knitting rather took over…). So as well as wanting to cross stitch that (I’m rather thinking a grey for the word, I don’t really feel that it’s a bright colour sort of word), I’ve decided to come up with a list of projects I want to make next year.
So far, I have:
Cross stitch my ‘preparation’
Kita’s OLAS cardigan- the sleeves are nearly finished, must remember to blog about that!
My OLAS cardigan- I’m not sure whether I want it big or not, so I’m using Kita’s as a sounding board- I’ll be able to try it on wince we’re about the same size, and see what’s what
Cockatoo Brae- I know I’ve been having a really hard time hitting gauge, but I really want this cardigan!
Masc buttonbox- it’s a really nice waistcoat pattern, I just want a masc version of it. Will have to blog about that too when I get the yarn for it 🙂
Socks for mother- she loves the bluetit yarn I used for some socks, and requested some socks with it. I decided to raise this to a pair of socks in every bird colourway West Yorkshire Spinners do (9). I’m also thinking that if I use contrasting yarn for toes and heels (afterthougt heel, I’m turning into a massive fan of it), I can use the rest of the yarn to make a bedspread- I’m thinking hexagon flowers of central colour in the bird yarn, surrounded by hexagons in the solid colour in some pattern. West Yorkshire Spinners suggest which of their solid yarns goes with each of the bird yarns, so I wouldn’t have to guess from the internet pictures if I can’t find a stockist of it.
Rachel’s wedding sampler- I don’t know when she’s getting married (after she finishes her PhD), but I’d hate to be caught out with this, so this becomes my cross stitch priority after I finish the wolf
Two wedding cards- as well as Rachel’s wedding (Mr and Dr by the time she finishes her PhD), I’m going to a same-gender wedding between a Mr and a Dr. I would be very surprised if I could find a suitable card for either of them, so I’ll have to make my own. Which involves finding a suitable pattern, but I figure that’s more likely, and I can always modify something if necessary…
2 pillow covers- Kita’s is nearly finished, mine hasn’t been started, but this plan has sort of ground to a halt since I need to replenish my sock yarn scraps for them…maybe ‘knit myself more socks’ would be a better plan…
2 blankets for me- I really want the woodland blanket attic24 is bringing out soon, and I would definitely want the larger size. I’m also thinking that I want the larger cosy blanket as well.
That’s all for now, which comes to a grand total of 21 projects (counting my mum’s as 9), and not counting any socks for me to do the pillow covers. Umm. This….could be interesting. Ok, let’s scratch the pillow covers, they’re probably the most unrealistic in the whole thing, thanks to not haivng very much scrap yarn. So, summarising, we have:
4 jumpers (aran, aran, aran, 4ply)
2 (large) blankets (crochet, DK)
2 cross stitch cards
1 large cross stitch
1 small cross stitch
9 pairs of socks.
I’m still not convinced that I can do all of this (but plans are still great), but that doesn’t seem so completely insane at the moment. Obviously, this isn’t everything I want to do this year (I have no other Christmas presents planned yet…), but I think this is pretty much the backbone of it all. Actually, looking at my Christmas list, it could well be that no-one else gets a hand-made present next year…
Other things I want to do: more cross stitch stockings and knit me more socks. It’s hard to be precise about these, because how many do I want to make? I don’t want to have a set number to hit, because I think that if I manage that I’ll stop then making them, and I don’t want to do that. I also want to make some knitted birds from a book my parents gave me for Christmas, but I need a lot more thinking to decide which ones (as well as what to do with them after they’ve been made…)
I also want to organise this blog a lot more in 2018. Organise my tags, retag most/all of my posts, have a look at organising posts in different ways etc. I’m also thinking of having a page for finished object posts, and maybe in thos posts link back to the beginninng/WIP posts I’ve made for them all. Or even just link it all to ravelry…we shall see. This is the thng I think is most likely to fall through the cracks, but we shall see. At some point I shall try to remember to have a look at what it’s currently like and hopefully break down the whole thing into manageable chunks.
I also have more not-crafting goals and plans for next year (including getting a new job…), but I’m not sure if people would be interested in hearing them??? Or do you all just come here for the crafting??? (In which case, sorry for the lack of pictures, there will be some later when I do finished posts for the shawl, and the rainbow cardigan and the seagull…)
GladeriderCrafts 