A Pocket Full of Goals

With the encouragement of my sister-in-law as well as a budding group of knitting mommy friends (that's you Knit While They Nap girls!) I have begun rethinking my crafting goals.  One thing I have always known about myself is that I love to start projects, but I rarely finish them - does anyone relate?

So, this dear sister-in-law was a good example and shared her crafting goals for the year with me, and quite frankly, I was blown away! She is going to finish all of that by the end of the year! wow! And what am I going to finish?  Well, at that point... not much.

Not to be out-done, I pulled out unfinished project after unfinished project and did a personal review of the state of my mess.  I didn't bother counting, so don't ask how many there were... let's just say it wasn't pretty.  And while looking at all those projects, I thought to myself - which of these are really important to me, and which of these should just disappear? - Here is some of what I found:

Things I plan to finish this year (2010)

• Helen's Monster Pants - at this point these where barely started (see previous post: On My Needles).  Now these are finished and I am feeling great about it.
• Megan's Morning Mitts - from the "Maine Morning Mitts" pattern, these charming fingerless gloves I began as a birthday present for my sister (her birthday was last March.. oops) but, hurrah! I cast them off my needles last night and they are ready to be posted about and shipped to the great white north where they can be used and loved - happy belated birthday Meggers :)
• Mother's Turtleback Sweater - still plugging away on this one, but it is so slow going that I am tempted to give it up.
• Helen's Christmas Stocking - She is ready to celebrate her second Christmas, and poor girl still doesn't have a stocking.  I am currently finalizing the pattern details and colors on this one... she will have a stocking this December - I am determined.

Things I plan to finish next year (2011)

• A Sweater for Me - believe it or not, I have never made myself a sweater... that is about to change.  I have chosen the pattern, ordered the yarn, and am patiently waiting until 2011 to start this daunting and exciting task.  More on this "Dream Sweater" to come in a later post!
• Applique Table Runner and Window Valences - During the summer I drew up plans for the perfect table runner and Valences for my sweet little kitchen.  And, I already bought the fabric.  Have I started? No.  I am still hesitant about the whole applique part, but one of things that I love about crafting is the wide range of new things to learn! So, I bought a book on applique techniques, and I am determined to make this project happen next year.
• Sun Dress for Helen - this is another project that I already have all the materials for, and the deadline is really spring for it so that she can wear and enjoy it before she grows out of it!  A side goal for this one is that the process of making this dress will help me learn how to better follow sewing patterns... something I have never been very good at.

Projects I will not be finishing and may use the yarn/supplies for other things

• Helen's baby shrug - she is already too big to wear it.
• Helen's knit jumper - see above.
• 500 million knit washcloths - I just don't like using them so why knit any more. (I have several of these done, just need ends sew in - any takers?)
• Nathan's Sweater - sorry little nephew... it just never happened. Maybe I will try again sometime with a different pattern.
• My shawl/wrap thing - I just don't have much use for it, and it is boring.
• Baby Jacket and Pants - the baby this was for is now almost 3... a little late, and they turned out ugly.
• and Many Others not far enough along to even mention.

It is good to have goals, and nice to have people to tell about all the crafty goings-on of life. I am already seeing the fruits of my "finish-it" mindset.  Thank you.

Helen's Monster Pants

So, they are finished... ta da... Helen's Monster Pants.  These pants were started in a Knit-A-Long for mothers who "Knit while they Nap".  I am quite happy with how they turned out, and they look so cute on Helen.  I will have to snap a picture of her in them as soon as possible!

All of the yarn used was stash yarn.  Here is a list of the yarn "genealogy":

Rust Yarn - from my mother's stash, taken from her while I was in college... she originally used this yarn as hair for a giant doll she made me for Christmas one year... when I was 6 or 7?

Tan Yarn - purchased in 2003 (?) for an afghan I made for Mom and Dad Fernandez.

Multi Yarn - purchased when I was in middle school (1996?) for a granny square blanket project.

Pink Yarn - purchased in college as part of a "cheap deal"  eight skeins of ugly Red Heart in dusty rose.  I sold the majority of this yarn at our garage sale this summer, but this bit had to be cut off from the rest of the skein because Marble decided to get all tied up in it.

White and Black Yarns - from my Grammy's sister-in-law's stash (shipped with several other odds and ends in 2006)

What a sweet face!

On my needles

Das Monster - Every toddler needs a pair of monster pants.

Turtle Back Sweater - At the request of my mother... though, I have somehow lost the pattern and am now trying to read my own stitches to re-create it.

Baby Shrug - For a friend's sweet little girl, just need to sew in ends.

Pink Pullover - no ravelry link, for my little girl - not pink.

While reviewing my current projects, I noticed something- I am seeing a lot of brown.  The one thing all of these have in common is that they are all using stash yarn... I guess that says something about the state of my stash.  Suddenly I have the desire to add another project to my queue... in turquoise perhaps.