Goals Versus Resolutions, Part One

It's that time of year again—January, when the multitudes are making New Year's resolutions. I am most definitely not a resolution maker, although the one time I did, in 2008, it was a life-changer. The resolution: to take a knitting class and learn how to knit a sweater. Little did I know what that resolution would lead to!

Anyway, with that one exception, I prefer to list my goals for the year. With a goal, it feels as though there is less pressure to accomplish it, and if I fall short, or don't do anything toward that goal, I don't feel much, if any, guilt. I also like that I feel much more comfortable in modifying the goal, and I don't limit myself just to January, or only for one calendar year for goal setting and completion. Goals can be set anytime I feel like it, and they make take me several years, or a lifetime, to accomplish.

So here is the start of my 2012 goals list:

1. Finish or frog at least some of those languishing projects.

I have to admit that this was on my goal list all of last year, too, and I did make some progress toward achieving it. I frogged two projects, and, perhaps my biggest achievement of the year, finished my Tilted Duster, which had been on the needles for more than two years:

This year, that "Finish or Frog" goal is still on the list, but I am hopeful that there will be very little, if any, frogging, and a lot of finishing. I won't bore you with the long list of UFOs, but I will show you what I have picked up in the last few days. It's my more than two years old, "Out of Hibernation, Even Though it's Winter" scarf:

I'm hoping that this is just the first of a long line of projects that will be finally finished in 2012. I will update you on my progress throughout the year.

2. Improve my stranded knitting skills.

I recently proved to myself that I can actually finish a two-color project, a Christmas stocking for Mr. D. I need to keep using those skills so that I don't have to start from square one two or three years down the road when I want to try another stranded project. My Tuesday night knitting group, led by our fearless leader, Christy, is going to knit a Fair Isle cowl in the very near future, so here is my opportunity to work on this goal. In addition, there is always the Slow and Steady Selbu Modern still waiting for me, more than two years after cast on:

3. Knit more from my stash, and buy less yarn than last year.

I know myself well enough to know that I won't completely go cold sheep, but I am going to try to use my stash as a yarn store as much as possible. I'll keep you updated on that goal throughout the year as I post about my projects.

Well, that's it for the knitting goals as they stand right now. I'll be posting about my non-knitting goals soon.