2009 Knitting Wrap-Up and 2010 Goals

I didn't really set goals for 2009, which is just as well. But I did manage more projects than I did in 2008, including some items I was very pleased with. My favorite (to-date) knitted sweater, Gathered Pullover and the Love Bites Scarf that I wear almost every day. I also adapted a pattern and came up with a cotton-linen bracelet bag that will be a go-to last-minute gift idea for me.

Setting goals I can't achieve actually adds more stress to my life, so I won't be setting very many.

1. Finish Matt's Hjalte: Before I can knit anything else of any complexity, I have to finish Hjalte. It's been my almost-exclusive television knitting, but I don't actually watch that much television. I am finally nearing the end of the front. Then it's just the sleeves. Oy.

2. Summer tops! With Christmas money, I made some cotton-blend yarn purchases, including Rowan Calmer, which I love. My purse knitting at the moment is from a cute book I got for Christmas, Pints and Purls, a very basic ribbed tank top. In Knit Picks Comfy Worsted (a surprisingly soft, yet very affordable, cotton-blend yarn), and size 7 needles, it's going really quickly, and it's delightfully mindless. Other summer tops I have planned: Arbor, Siesta, Audrey, Tomato, and Camisa. I may obviously not finish these this year, which is fine. It's just nice to have enough summer yarn to keep a summer top on the needles indefinitely.

3. A sweater for Lilah. She's requested a purple sweater.

4. I'm not planning gift knitting this year; I'll just add those projects in as they strike me.

Non-knitting goals:

1. In 2009, I read 116 books. Not terribly impressive after 2008's 217 books. Not that it's physically possible for me to top that one. I'm not setting a specific number of books as a goal for 2010, but I would like to be more organized with my book reviewing over at On My Bookshelf. I'm entering review copies into my calendar with release dates. I also continue to be conscious of balancing my fluffy reading of mysteries and kids' books with literary fiction. This year, I'd also like to add a couple of classics I haven't yet read to my list. I haven't really determined what a reasonable goal for classics would be. One a month would be nice, but seems a bit much with review reading and entertainment reading. And brushing up on my Shakespeare thanks to the iPhone Shakespeare app :)

2. Lilah is in...preschool! Someone else is in charge of her three mornings a week! This is exactly what I need for 2010 to be the year the murder mystery is finished. Though I am going to be saaaaaaaaaad when summer starts. I'm just getting as much done as I can while she's in school.

3. I always set a goal of more frequent blogging. It's good for me to write something non-murder-mystery-related on a regular basis. I don't think I'll be a daily blogger, but maybe. Weekly would be good. Anyway, I'll throw a nonspecific "more blogging" goal out there.