First Quarter 2016 Intentions and Goals Update

Today is April 1, the first day of the second quarter of 2016.  Back in early January I posted a list of Crafting Intentions for 2016.  Now that we're an entire quarter of the way through the year (you are welcome, those of you that hadn't realized that yet) I thought I'd pause a moment and reflect on where I am now, and where I thought I wanted to go.

So.  On January 3rd I said:

In 2016, I would like to complete greater than 10,000 yards of knitting and crochet.  For context, in 2014 I hit 10,751.  2015's total hit a nice 10,415.... So essentially my goal is to carry on grooving.

I've completed 2,721 yards during Q1, so I am exactly on target to hit 10K.  In fact, I may well exceed this goal if my plans to complete the two afghans I have in progress pan out.  More on that in a bit.  If you have a Ravelry account, my completed 2016 projects can be found here.

2016 Q1 Projects

In 2016, I intend to complete 16 pairs of socks.... Socks that were on the needles in 2015 count, so long as they are finished in 2016. 

First off, FLAG ON THE PLAY.  That should have said "16 socks" not "16 pairs of socks."  Hahaha, whoops.   That said, I'm pretty much a sock star these days, and am sitting pretty on 8 of 16 socks complete for the year.  At that rate, 16 pairs isn't out of reach ... but my goal is still 16 socks.   Let's not get crazy.

So what? I'm still a sock star, I got my sock moves. 

I've picked my Monkeys back up (remember my Monkeys?  Yeah, I almost didn't either.) I cast them on last year on March 1 as part of my annual "HAHAHA FEBRUARY IS OVER" Festival. (You'll note I've already finished the pair of socks that I cast on March 1, 2016.  These are from 2015).  And then not a lot happened after that.  I'm happy to report though that I'm now well on my way to having sock number 1 finished.

Product Placement:  Erin Lane Bag!

All in all, I am in good shape to hit my 16 sock goal.

In 2016, I will limit my yarn purchases to festivals, shows, and the two yarn clubs I'm currently enrolled in. I've done a great deal of yarn acquisition in the past year and a half.  And I ain't even sorry.  But I'd like to slow down and enjoy some of the really excellent yarns I currently own. 

See, now, about that...

Here's the thing, this kind of arbitrary restriction is really grinding my gears.  I have the urge to go buy stuff I don't really want just because I said I wasn't going to.  This is dumb.  (Apparently I am better at making goals around what I WILL do rather than what I WON'T do.  I should probably make a note of that somewhere).

Anyway, with two notable exceptions, I have stuck with this plan so far.  The two exceptions being the Suburban Prairie kit that the Prairie Girls Podcast and the Suburban Stitcher collaborated on, and yarn for two shawls that I picked up at the Haus of Yarn when I took Rhiannon up there for her birthday.

And I'm not even sorry.

Especially about the kit.  Would you be sorry about this?

Yeah, me neither.

So anyway, here's what we're going to do.  We're going to modify this goal a bit.  What I was really getting after was intentional stash acquisition, instead of willy-nilly, shopping for the sake of shopping, random acquisition.

In that spirit, my modified goal is:   I have free reign to go as amok as I please at fiber festivals and shows, as was originally stated.  Jess, Koren, and I are going to go Yarny Tonkin' in Nashville at some point.   I am still in two clubs.  

All of that is the same as the original goal.   Here's the modified bit:

Outside of the above parameters, I will only buy yarn if it is for a specific project that I will be casting on immediately, and I do not have the right yarn in stash to do the job.

So the point here is that I am not going to be randomly acquiring the odd bits and bobs here and there that I'll stuff into my stash and ignore for two years.  THAT is the behavior that I'd like to change.

I want to buy yarn that I love, and then knit the yarn into projects that I love, that I will then use and wear (and continue to love).  That's the end goal.

And last, but not least (I know, this post is ridiculously long.  If you're still reading, I love you).

In 2016, I will finish my three oldest, biggest, or oldest AND biggest works in progress: Circles to Squares Afghan, Cosy Afghan, and Knitting in Red.

I'm making progress on this -- I've only got one square left on the Circles to Squares afghan and then it's time to seam.  I haven't really done much with the other two yet this year.  I am planning to do a big push on all three during the summer so I can log TONS of meters for Stash Dash.

Pile o' Squares

So that's my update.  On track and going strong on 3 out of 4 goals, and I'm choosing to modify the 4th goal to better suit my needs and whims.

How are your 2016 Goals and Intentions treating you?  Are you correcting your course mid-year? Holding steady? Have you already forgotten whatever it was anyway?  Do you even do yearly intentions?