My Summer 2009 Knitting Goals & Contest Winners

I kept meaning to get my own knitting goals for the summer down on paper, but I kept getting sidetracked with 101 other things- that should tell me something. Something like keep it slightly simpler this season, time is fleeting, and my main goal for this summer is to enjoy the time with my family. That being said- I still intend to knit, and probably quite a bit. So here goes:

1. Baby J needs a new hoodie
2. Little M will need a Bulky jacket for fall
3. Some fancy mittens, pour moi!
4. Bulky mittens, pour moi aussi, for winter driving (I'm a major cold wimp, especially in the fingers department, no, especially in the any part of my body department)
5. 1 pair of socks for my husband
6. Cozy hats, in Worsted, for my 3 big guys (husband included)
7. New summer tank
8. Second Skinny Dyed shrug (and publish pattern)
9. A short sleeve variation...
10. Second (bigger!) stripey Sport Weight Baby J vest (and publish pattern)
11. A Felicity hat, or two... by Wanett Clyde
12. An Elefante, by Susan B. Anderson
13. A couple lacy washcloths, because little knit luxuries are so sweet
14. Ingenue, by Wendy Bernard
15. Tiny Brocade Cardigan, by Ann Weaver
16. A couple pairs of socks for Baby J (publish freebie pattern)
17. Design and knit a coordinating hat
18. Design and knit some short sleeve cardigans for the girls
19. Design and knit a zippered ribbed raglan for at least one boy
20. Design and knit a summery Cotton cardigan

I think that's enough for now (or maybe the next 2 years, we shall see.) I also have way too much sewing planned, some new recipes to try, a struggling garden to tend, picnics to have, and a host of other things to fill up my summer days. It will be snowing again before I know it- it always happens that way...

And for the news you've all been reading for- a random sequence has been generated, and the winners are, in order, The BeanQueen, Janice, aka The Viking Princess, and the non-blogging quiet Raveling, Purple. Congrats- and thanks for playing!

I really hope you have all been a little motivated with the goal setting exercise. Please, please, don't pressure yourselves. This isn't about setting yourself up for dismal failure, but rather, about having some clarity and focus in our knitting and various other creative endeavors. Now, on to the knitting, and don't forget to enjoy your summer!

Happy knitting-

ali

2009 Summer Knitting Goals Contest

Totally random pic, simply because it made me laugh!

It's that time of year again. While warmer temperatures have already moved in, the official start of Summer 2009 is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing, at least in the tiny world that revolves around me.

It's time to set some summer goals, more specifically, knitting goals.

You may remember some lofty goals from previous years. I'm a list maker. I'm lost without a list. I forget things like buns for the burgers without a list. I'm also a goal setter. I believe in putting a little pressure on myself, for without it I would end up spending most of every day with a good book, magazine, or movie, eating pizza- with paper plates.

New Year's resolutions aren't good enough for me. They're great for a week or two, but I need something more, like quarterly progress reports, so I set quarterly goals, even monthly and weekly at times, and I'm not just talking about knitting. Research has shown that people who make goals tend to be more productive and more successful, and those that actually write them down are even more so. I don't accomplish even half of what I set out to do, but with my slightly thought out goals I accomplish more than I ever would without them.

Here's where the fun comes in- incentives, it's like a Tupperware party, except you don't have to sell anything. You don't even have to achieve your goals, just set some, even one. This annual contest is specifically about summer knitting goals -what to you hope to knit by summer's end?- but don't let that limit you, feel free to add goals in any area of life that needs a little more intentional living.

I'm working on a few more goodies to add to the packages, but here's what we're starting off with-

Package #3-

• 1 skein of Suri Merino from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Cloud
• 1 copy of the Tie Sweater pattern
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• a lovingly handcrafted notecard

Package #1-

• 2 skeins of Skinny Dyed from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Pink
• 1 copy of the Simple Raglan pattern
• 1 copy of the Skinny Cardigan pattern
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• 2 lovingly handcrafted notecards

Package #1-

• 3 skeins of Dyed Cotton (my favorite!!) from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Expresso
• 1 copy of the Fitted Tank pattern
• 1 copy of the Eyelet Cardigan pattern
• 1 copy of the ever adorable Baby Bobbi Bear pattern
• 1 copy of the so cute I can hardly stand it Knit Chickens pattern (by the very fun and talented Susan B. Anderson!)
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• 4 lovingly handcrafted notecards

One of my goals (hehe) is to make the packages bigger and better each year! I'm having fun thinking of things to add...

I'm working on my list (always!) and will post it early next week. Now it's your turn. Set a goal (or 2 or 3), post a list (with a link back here), leave a comment, then on to the knitting, and the living, one day at a time, one moment at a time. Enjoy it.

Happy knitting-
ali

***Extra details- leave a comment by midnight June 21st, the first day of summer. Each comment will get a number and I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners. If your number comes up, I'll head to your blog and check for your goals list, if I can't find one, I'll go to the next number (so don't forget to post!)... If you're blogless, what is wrong with you?! Totally kidding! I guess you'll just have to leave a list here in the comments, no biggee, that'll work.

And the Winner Is...

Drumroll, please, I hopped on over to random.org and plugged in the numbers from 1 to 73 from the Mr. Linky list, and-

Here is what it said:
59
34
6
44
3
13
5
57
63
20
41
9
12
58
25
73
28
69
45
65
10
66
32
33
17
30
38
27
42
26
23
53
64
15
16
7
52
18
55
37
8
22
67
36
56
48
14
50
60
24
61
54
72
62
21
29
1
51
4
47
68
40
35
11
31
49
19
2
39
43
46
70
71

Our winner is #59, Aberdonian, from across the pond, in Grenoble, France. Congrats! I'll be watching your blog too see what you create with your new yarn!! Have fun with it.

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the contest- it's been fun to stop by your blogs (many of them new to me!) and see the wide range of goals out there, some of them nice, sweet, and simple, some of them loftier than my own!

A peek into the start on my own summer knitting goals should come later this week. Right now, I'm finding myself knee deep in book lists and lesson plans and ideas as I am attempting to put together at least the first trimester of our upcoming homeschool year- with 9th & 4th grade boys, and 2nd & 1st grade girls, a 3 yr old preschooler, and a 1 yr old wee one (and a baby due in October!) That planning, perhaps with a little spring cleaning that got missed, and a camping 'trip' to gear up for next week, will suck up much of my non-knitting time, I'm sure... oh, yeah, and playing in the pool with my kids as soon as I manage to find an acceptable maternity swimsuit (this one, perhaps?)...

Happy knitting-

ali

My Summer 2008 Knitting Goals

I only managed to finish 1/3 of my list for spring, but I did also knit an extra adult sweater, several baby hats, and I managed to sew a lot more than in previous months... I can definitely feel a sense of accomplishment in getting that much done!

I'm going to try to limit my summer knitting goals list to 20 items, knowing well that finishing 10 things would be a more than adequate accomplishment. I also have sewing, quilting, and other general crafting goals, not to mention the major goal of getting out of the house and having loads of fun in the sun with my 6 little people.

You may notice the the first many goals are socks- I've been compiling a list of socks to be working on for SoS2008 (Summer of Socks 2008), for which I've been trying to accumulate yarn ahead of time so I'll be ready to rock... we'll see how many of those get done, but they will make easy portable knitting to have with on some park days and other such galavanting that's bound to happen soon.

Also, some goals are being carried over from spring- I still want to knit them, so here goes-

ali's summer knitting goals 2008

1. Merino Lace Socks (FS) in Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool, colorway: Thoroughbred, in stash
2. Lace-Cuff Anklets (FS) in yarn undecided... (I think I need to make the skirt in the book pic as well...)
3. Retro Rib Socks (FS) in Trekking XXL, color 283, in stash
4. Uptown Boot Socks (FS) in Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool, colorway: Coral Pink, in stash
5. Wendy's Basic Toe-Up Socks (2 at a time) in some hand-dyed stuff my mom bought in Amish Country last summer, in stash
6. Slipped-Stitch Rib Socks (SKS) in Trekking XXL, color 84, in stash
7. Chevron Socks (SKS) in Trekking XXL, color 150, in stash
8. Cable Rib Socks (FS) in Trekking XXL, color 145, in stash
9. Fixation on Lace Socks (KCAS) in yarn undecided
10. Chunky, Cozy Cotton Socks (KCAS) in yarn undecided
11. Worsted Knee Socks (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, colors undecided
12. Sweater Socks (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, colors undecided
13. Baby Bobbi Bear (w/sweater!)
14. Maternity tank in cotton (working on design)
15. Kai Cable Sweater (Natural Knits for Babies and Moms) for nephew
16. Kai Cable Sweater (Natural Knits for Babies and Moms) for our new baby boy
17. Design sweater to replace old favorite from Anthropologie that I accidentally shrunk/felted so sad... (didn't get to this one this spring, but that was my favorite sweater ever, I need to make a new one)
18. Cropped Cardigan (BSA) in Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight, color 506 (Natural Strky Brown)
19. Girls' version cropped cardigans for my girls (didn't get to this one, either, but definitely still want to)
20. Update more on Ravelry and Flickr...

I know for a fact that a number of other knits will sneak up on me, squeezing their way onto my need-to-knit-this-next list, but having some of these laid out before my eyes will help, I hope, to keep me reigned in, at least a bit, over the summer.

I'll leave you with a pic of the finished Baby Shrug that I neglected to blog about. Notice how it's not on my baby, but my rather large toddler instead, details in a furture post...

21. Green Gable

22. Tangled Yoke Cardigan

I know I said I'd try to keep my list at 20, but I forgot about that blasted queue on Ravelry- how could I forget that?! I'd better get busy.

Happy knitting-

ali

Got Goals?

Okay, time to start writing out my own goals for the spring. I'm a list maker, an overly ambitious list maker at that. My to-do lists, as well as my seasonal goals lists, are virtually impossible for me to complete, unless somebody can come up with a way for me to survive on no sleep... but without the list, I wander aimlessly through most of my days, not accomplishing much, aside from filling toddlers' milk cups, keeping diapers current and dry, supervising kids' chores, and helping with things like math and english, violin and piano... Lists help me focus and energize me to stay on top of the daily mommy stuff in such a way that I can squeeze in some knitting, sewing, crafting stuff as well.

I know I will not get to everything on my list. In fact, I would consider it quite an accomplishment to finish half of it. With no list, I'd be lucky to finish a garter ridge scarf, for a doll...

ali's spring knitting goals 2008

1- finish kid's bulky jacket design, my TOP priority at present
2- cotton maternity tank (that would be for me to wear this summer... hint, hint)
3- finish Cable Rib Sock (Favorite Socks) and knit its mate
4-Girl's Sundress for Mercy
5- finish 2nd baby heart hoodie, get pattern written up and laid out
6- design sweater to replace old favorite from Anthropologie that I accidentally shrunk/felted (so sad...)
7- get cabled baby cardi ready for publication
8- bulky jacket for Mercy
9- baby girl sweater for friend- haven't decided which one yet...
10- try a toe-up sock pattern (I've only knit top-down so far)
11- Baby Bobbie Bear
12- coordinating sweaters for friend's soon-to-be-born boy/girl twins
13- Uptown Boot Socks (Favorite Socks)
14- Kai Cable Sweater (Natural Knits for Babies and Moms) for nephew
15- assemble my Eyelet Cardigan, finish neck and button bands
16- pink Baby Shrug (Simply Baby) for Mercy
17- a couple Pompon Berets, too cute (Simply Baby)
18- Boat-neck Sweater (Baby Knits for Beginners) w/ matching hat for gift
19- girls' version cropped cardigans for my girls
20- work on the Rectangle Shawl I'd all but forgotten about...
21- update more on Ravelry and Flickr
22- give the podcasts another chance, see if I can find one I can stand listening to...
23- Rolled Jacket (Simply Baby)
24- some dolly dresses and sweaters

That's more than enough for now... I'll try to update as I actually work from my list, but don't be surprised if I post about random things that didn't even make my list (I have always suffered from Project Attention Deficit Disorder, hence my need for lists in the first place) like, say, for instance, these little bags I made my daughters. (Yep, 4 of them for my 4 girls, my 2 boys could do without pink book bags...)

Out of this way cute fabric I bought yards and yards of for mere pennies at an old fabric store's 'going out of business sale'. Ten years ago I never would've paired orange and pink, now I can't get enough of the color combo. Lovin' it.


Details can be oh-so-tedious, but oh-so-rewarding at the same time...


Now if I can just stay away from the machine long enough to put the finishing touches on the design I'm working on...

How 'bout you, got goals?

Happy knitting-
ali