Long-time friends of the show know that I like to do a bit of goal-setting and planning about my crafting. I remain allergic to resolutions, but I do love a list.
Back in late December of 2024, I sat myself down with a cup of tea and a notebook and gave the coming year a good think. Sometimes I really enjoy very detailed lists and other times I set a few guidelines or intentions and call it a day. This past year I was leaning far more heavily into the vague than the specific. Sometimes it just be like that.
So, without further ado - here's what I thought I wanted to do 11 months ago, what I've really done so far this year, and what I might still prioritize as we wrap 2025 up.
1. I would like to continue to work on cross stitch as well as knitting and crocheting.
Am I on Track? Not really, no. I was going strong right through about March or so, and then suddenly my interest kind of fizzled. Admittedly based on limited data, it looks like I'm kind of a seasonal stitcher? Over the past two years I've been quite interested in cross-stitching across the winter months … which is wild since my vision is kind of dodgy and apparently the urge strikes during the darkest part of the year, go figure. My brain is a wild and wonderful place, I tell you.
What's left for 2025? I'm not too fussed about it, to tell you the truth. I am enjoying what I am working on, and I expect the urge to stitch will return at some point. One thing I may do is pull out the Christmas tree ornament that I was close to finishing and see about getting that on my tree this year. After that, who knows?
2. More Socks
Am I on Track? Assuredly. Socks are the only thing I'm consistently knitting these days. I've finished 12 pair for the year and am on track to finish a few more.
What's left for 2025? I'll finish up what's on the needles (a vanilla pair in festive colors and a cabled pair in a lovely dove gray). I am also planning at least one and maybe two pairs of advent socks…which means I need to prioritize the two active pairs in November, now that I think of it. The cabled socks don't "have" to be finished in 2025, but it would be nice.
 |
| the story thus far... |
3. Get new glasses
Am I on Track? Totally, and it really did make a difference in my crafting (as well as all of the other parts of living, like being able to see the computer monitor to do my job). I also discovered that taking them off completely helps for really close work, but that strains my eyes somewhat so I try to do it sparingly.
What's left for 2025? Nothing - this one is a one and done for the year. Woo hoo!
4. More out than in (stash management)
Am I on Track? lol
What's left for 2025? I don't have any active stash acquisition plans for the rest of the year, beyond another One Row mini skein delivery in December. I did quit my Yarnable subscription earlier this year, so I'm no longer getting that monthly deposit in the yarn bank, but between a couple of fiber events earlier this year, advents, blanket kits, and the occasional wild hair, my stash continues to grow. A grip. I need to get one.
5. Sweaters. Start with stash and queue.
Am I on Track? Again, no. And at this point I'm starting to wonder who I thought I was going to be in 2025, because my track record this year is not great. At least in terms of hitting the goals I set last December anyway. I've gotten lots accomplished, but not a lot of what I said I wanted to do.
What's left for 2025? I started a sweater vest earlier this year and I'm more than half done with it -- I'm going to focus on getting it wrapped up and then start some swatching to see if I can't get excited for a January 1 cast on. I still want to knit (or crochet!) sweaters for myself, and Lord knows I've got the stash.
In Summary
I should have just put "Haul off and start another 16 blankets" on my goals list for the year. I'd have been closer to the mark, if we're being honest. I am ungovernable.
One thing that definitely threw a monkey into my wrench works is that I quit my long-time wizard-based internet crafting game at the end of March. I've planned so much of my crafting around the rhythms of the House Cup for the last ten years - when I quit it left me a little adrift, I think. I spent the rest of the year just working on whatever I felt like, whenever I felt like it. I'm not mad, and probably needed the break, but I think I need to decide if I'd benefit from some light structure in my crafting, after running amok for 6+ months.
I really do have a silly number of blanket WIPs.
