Year NINE: Self-Imposed Year of Projects - Let's Get it Started in Here! (Update #1)

Hello and happiest of Sundays to you! If you've been living under a rock or were born in a barn, you may be wondering what's happening here....so, I'll give a quick go-over for the newbies. You've stumbled upon the first update of my Self-Imposed Year of Projects...of the ninth year. No, I am not joking. My Self-Imposed Year of Projects is almost as old as my oldest child. I am on a January-December schedule to coincide with my birthday, which is Tuesday. Most of the other people participating in the Year of Projects are on a July-June schedule, which I suppose falls under Fiscal Year or School Year calendars. Regardless, I'm starting my ninth year and you're hear to join me and that's delightful. 

It's taken me a few years but I feel like I have a general format that works for me with regards to my Year of Projects. It's not perfect and every so often, I start tweaking things but knowing myself, there are things that just work better with my personality type as far as crafting (and probably life in general). So, with that in mind....let's have a look, shall we?




FOs (Finished Objects):

Clearly there's nothing here as this is the first post of the year. I suppose I could have finished something over the last week....but, alas, that did not happen.


WIPs (Works-in-Progress) (These are carried over year to year if needed):
1. Wink: started 5 January 2015
2. Shetland Neck Wool (support spindle): started 8 September 2017
3. Returning: started 14 January 2018
4. Faerie Mountain Fibers Crazy Batt (EEW Mini): started 13 April 2018
5. Granny Square Blanket: started 28 April 2018
6. UW Ski Hat: started 11 July 2018
7. Abracadabra Socks: started 7 August 2018
8. Purl & Loop Weaving Project: started 28 August 2018
9. Campfire Socks: started 17 October 2018
10. Herbivore: started 15 November 2018
11. Ewetopia Stripey Socks: started 15 November 2018
12. Multi-Colored Merino Top (Viktor): started 16 January 2019
13. Prototype Something Something Raindrops: started 11 April 2019
14. Tiny Turtle: started 7 November 2019

As you can see, I have a pretty substantial WIP list right now. I hope to make a dent in these this year, if not finish some of them completely. And probably start more. Because of course. 

This past week, between the end of the eighth year and the beginning of the ninth, I worked a bit on my Abracadabra Socks (first sock), my Ewetopia Stripey Socks (second sock), and the Prototype Something Something Raindrops cowl. That was about it as far as WIPs. 


And now, the real reason you're here...you want to see what sort of crazy plans I have, right?

OMFGLSGWTFBBQ Lists

Design WIPs:
1. Messed Up Moss: started March 2009 - write pattern as PDF (iterations: first, second)
2. Susan's Hat: started 31 August 2010 - need new prototypes & write the pattern (iterations: first, second, third, mini, fifth, sixth)
3. Little Man's Baby Blanket: started July 2010 - need new prototype & write pattern (iteration: here)
4. Chunky Scarf: started 6 October 2012 - need new prototype & write pattern (iteration: here)
5. Pacific Waves Hat: started 9 March 2016 - need new prototype & write the pattern (iterations: first, second, third)
6. Fall in San Francisco: started 18 September 2016 - need new prototype & write pattern (iterations: first, second)
7. Stomping Grounds Collection: started 26 February 2017 - need prototypes & write patterns 
8. Unnamed Hat Design: started 14 August 2017 - need various weight yarn prototypes & write pattern (iterations: first, second)
9. Rastarmulke: started 20 November 2017 - write pattern (iterations: first, second)
10. Paradiddle Socks: started 19 October 2017 - write pattern (iteration: here)



Children's Items:

1. Oliver for Stormageddon (worsted weight - Stunning String Studio from Stitches West 2018)

2. Minecraft Socks for Little Man (fingering weight - Tosh Sock in Plaid Blanket?)
3. Baby Yoda for Babies (yarn required)
4. Honey Badger: (worsted weight - black & white acrylic I have banging around the stash)*
5. Mittens for Stormageddon (worsted weight probably)
6. I Love Stockinette Baby Bibs (worsted - cotton, acrylic, something)


Items for ME (Selfish Knitting FTW!):
1. Autopilot (worsted weight - Sincere Sheep Cormo Worsted)
2. Rose's Wrist Warmers (DK weight - using Aran instead; hand-dyed Malabrigo Twist?)
3. Perianth (fingering weight - Knitcircus Trampoline in The Whole Enchilada)
4. Pembroke Scarf (fingering weight - Fresh From the Cauldron Schoodic Sock in Sookie)
5. Flax (worsted weight - Misty Alpaca in the Harry Potter colors)
6. Park Slope (fingering weight - Mountain Fibers Crazyfoot in Shamrock)
7. Socks (fingering weight - I have tons...pick something!)
8. Washcloths (worsted weight - cotton)
9. Sockhead (fingering - I have tons...pick something!)
10. Age of Brass & Steam (Handspun purple/white barber pole)


Designs:
1. Christmas Stocking for Husband
2. Christmas Stocking for Little Man
3. Christmas Stocking for Stormageddon
4. Baby Blanket


Spinning:
1. Wonderland Dyeworks BFL
2. Mixed BFL
3. Allons-Y Fiber Arts Merino, Trilobal Nylon, Silk

4. Alpaca (from Lambtown 2014)
5. Fiberlady.com 100% Bamboo 


Dyeing:
1. Sock Blanks
2. Anything else I find along the way


Other Fibery Endeavors:
1. Create project bag inventory
2. Update library inventory (on Ravelry)
3. Update stash inventory (on Ravelry)
4. Stitch markers
5. Destash as necessary
6. Stash Fit



And so, we have a new, shiny list...some things are there from before, some things are new and shiny. This is how I operate. Am I going to finish everything on the above lists? 

No. Very much no. 

Am I going to attempt everything on the above lists?

Also no. 

I've learned after several years that I need some guidelines without too much rigidity. I tried the first couple of years to only knit things from my list and that did not go well. My Ravelry queue is currently 32 pages. I will never knit everything in my queue. It ebbs and flows. I've added and deleted things and readded things and redeleted things over the years. As my boys get older, things like baby sweaters are not as useful to me and I've had to start looking into little boy and (eeep!) adult sweaters for the kids (yes, I realize Little Man is only 9 years old but he's big for his age - his shoes are as big as mine!). Things ebb and flow. 

So, guidelines. No rigidity. I can add and delete and ignore as I want/need. It works for me. 



I think I'll swing in with a proper update next week. For now, just the new and shiny things. I hope you all had a good end to 2019 and let's hope 2020 doesn't burn us in the butt!