2012 was a very good year for me for Finished Objects (FO). Well, this is the first year that I have really both kept track and tried to finish more than the occasional project. So yeah me!
My favourite completed projects for 2012 was my Vergennes Sweater, my Stripes A Plenty Shawl and the Baby Owlet sweater. I had originally knit the Vergennes for myself but, as is my habit, I knit it in the wrong size. So my sister was the lucky recipient of a gorgeous sweater- just her size! I will reknit that project someday- for me next time.
For the first time I also knit a few shawls. I don't typically wear them but I really like the idea of a shawl. I'm going to keep trying and see where this goes. One of my favourite podcasts calls them "socially acceptable blankets" and that makes me smile.
So what about the stash, you ask?
My ill conceived yarn diet worked about as well as... any other diet for me. Poorly. It wasn't all bad. I still have a rockin' stash and I can honestly say that growth has slowed near the end of the year. I am trying harder to make fewer purchases and plan projects from the yarn I already have. Yarn appreciation is going to be my theme for 2013.
In 2012 I was fortunate to be part of 2 different yarn clubs and that was both fantastic and part of the yarn acquisition problem. The Rocking Sock Club sent me 2 patterns and 1 skein of yarn every second month and SweetGeorgia Yarns Sock Club sent one skein every month. The great part of this was that I got yarny surprises in the mail all year. It was like Christmas all year round.
In January 2012 I had it figured that I would have a new FO each month and that I would knit up these new kits lickedy split. Um, right. I didn't even make one month before reality told me to smarten up and get real. And everything after that just piled up as single skein projects that were not getting finished.
So, no clubs for me in 2013?
Well, no. I am just going to try a different club and only one this year. This year I chose a yarn club that had more shaded solids as colours (ones I am way more likely to use) and had a variety of yarn types. It won't just be socks and that might help me actually complete the projects in a more timely fashion. (Say within three years of receipt.)
I'm still kind of on the fence about yarn clubs. I loved getting the packages but there were just too many that were not to my taste over the ones that were fabulous. Fundamentally I am too much of a control freak to get too many more years of lovely yarns that I know that I will never knit. I am not so committed to this craft that I will knit yarn that I don't love.
I did some trading, which worked out very well. I was lucky enough to have found someone within one club who loved the kits that I didn't and didn't like the ones that I loved. But now I have TWO kits to knit when I hadn't even finished the first one.
So, what's up for me in 2013?(Hmmm, could this be a sneaky resolution?)
In 2013 I would like to complete at least 5 big projects and 5 smaller ones. I think that this is reasonable and achievable. Specific projects that I would like to knit: a Tumeric sweater for myself, to try colourwork in a pair of mittens/socks/or hat and I would like to knit at least 2 baby sweaters as gifts. Finn would also like me to knit him a sweater with skulls.
By only being in one club this year I am limiting regular in-coming yarn. I have several projects planned for 2013 and I already have the yarn on hand for many of them. I'm going to try to stay focused.
For the record let me show you my digits...
2012
FO- 23
WIP at end of year - 3
Yardage at end of 2011- 26,504
Yardage at end of 2012- 64,511*
