Irresolute

It seems that in mulling over my resolutions for this year, I have two conflicting goals: knit more, and knit less.

Knit More:

• I signed up for NaKniSweMoDo (Rav link) because I like to knit sweaters, and because I knit 11 sweaters/vests last year.  Given that I also planned a wedding last year and I don't have to plan one this year, it seems like this is a reasonable goal for me.

• I need more accessories.  When my fingerless gloves went missing, there wasn't much in the way of back ups.  I want fingerless gloves and a pair of mittens for each coat or jacket where appropriate, and a few hats to choose from as well.  Besides, a lot of accessories can involve colorwork, and I really love colorwork!

• I want to knit a really ambitious project again, and I already have the kit (it was a birthday gift from David). It seems like this would be an ideal for Maryland Sheep & Wool, since it's in May and beginning to get warm by then, but I'll see how it goes (see my last resolution).

• I want to try new things.  I haven't done double knitting, mosaic knitting, entrelac, intarsia, and probably other interesting knitting techniques.  I think I'd like to give a lot of these a try, and this very possibly ties in well with Goals 1 & 2 anyway!

• I really would like to design, or more accurately, write up my designs for other people to use.

• It turns out that I knit every single day of 2008.  There were some days that I only knit 1 row just to say that I knitted that day, but almost every day I sat down and knitted for at least five minutes.  I want to do that again this year.

To prove I'm on my way with NaKniSweMoDo, here is the beginning of Violette-le-duc.

Knit Less:

• As I was diving into my second book over winter break, I realized that I really do miss reading.  I decided that sometimes reading should win out over knitting.  Usually if I have a choice, knitting wins, but it really doesn't need to every single time.

• Once the warm weather gets here I'm certain that I'll get back into sewing again.  I want to try more difficult fabrics this year instead of just quilting-weight cotton.  Although I'm sure there's a lot of quilting cotton in my future-- there's just too many pretty prints not to use it!

• I want to get back into quilting again.  I've got a lot of scraps left over from a lot of dresses, and I'm pretty sure they would make a pretty awesome quilt or two.

• In general, I agree a lot with Liz's post about knitting.  I think that I do sometimes allow myself to get in a rut and spend an entire evening/day/weekend knitting.  I'm not saying that I want to cut this out completely (days like that are really quite wonderful sometimes), but I do want to make sure I'm not missing out on too many other opportunities in the meantime.  Mindfulness is half the battle with this, I believe.

• Finally, I don't want to stress out about any of these resolutions!  All of the things listed above are my hobbies, and should be enjoyed and savored.  They should feel like a reward and not a duty. If I do stick to these resolutions I'll be thrilled.  If I find something else even more interesting, how could I be anything but happy about that?

Comments

[Clumsy Knitter]

I understand the push and pull of knitting more vs. knitting less. Either one is a winning proposition in my book--just go with whatever you feel like doing at the time! :)

[Stacey]

All great ideas.....None of them seem out of reach, and they all provide a nice crafting balance!

[Andrea]

You have some great goals listed and I agree with most. Especially reading vs knitting. Seems like in the last year I have just sat and knit and hardly read anything worthwhile....something to work on :)

[Jessica]

As my yoga teacher said the other night, this time of year is all about finding our balance in the world again. I hope you find yours this year. You have some great ideas!

[Katie]

I know what you mean about possibly knitting too much. Sometimes I forgo social time w/ my friends because I'd rather be knitting. (Why can't I just knit w/ friends I don't know.) Sometimes, we should read more or do something else.

[Kim]

Excellent and really not conflicting crafting goals you've listed. I'd like to try some new knitting techniques in 2009 too (entrelac: maybe a Lady Eleanor wrap?) and double knitting (hello, tapestry cowl). When at home I tend to knit rather than read cause I can talk and watch TV while knitting. When commuting I try to mix up the knitting with some reading. Must find new good book to read.

[jody]

Great post. I think we all struggle with this (and blogs and now ravelry surely don't help with our compulsion to churn out knitting).

I agree with your comment about allowing goals to evolve - but I also want to make sure if I stray it's intentional and not just because I've forgotten some of what I want to achieve. This is likely my type A coming out a bit too much ;)

[Brenda]

Since you have been so thoughtful about it, I'm confident you will find the right balance for yourself this year. Your post has helped me think about what I want to accomplish this year--thanks!

That said, we are a bit on opposite sides of the coin this year. Last year I wanted to read at least a book a week (before knitting I read 70+ books a year), and I read 54, including some heavy hitters. This year I've decided to take it easy on reading output, favoring short stories, but really try to get a few more sweaters and accessories knit for myself--I've been very cold this winter!

[grumperina]

Thanks for linking to Liz's post - it's the unspoken truth for many people, I think. The first few years of knitting were like that for me - lots of knitting and blogging, and not much living. Fortunately, life came around whether I liked it or not, and now I knit waaaay less as a result. But I could certainly relate to her post, and your take on it!

[Ariel]

Knit more, knit less...either way seems like it will make for a fabulous year! Looking forward to seeing the results...

[tiennie]

I feel the same - knit more, knit less. Get things done. I miss reading, I miss quilting.

[Cindy]

Just thought I'd share that you can read AND knit - at the same time. The day I realized I could do that was a very happy day indeed! You may need to read a little less on a complicated section, but for the majority of my knitting, I can sit on the couch, hold the book with my toes and knit away. Good luck - maybe you'll even come up with a better 'holding' idea!

[emma]

I knit while "reading" - I listen to books on cd! Now you can't get everything recorded, it's true. But it certainly doubles the number of books I ... ingest.
:)