Hi guys! It's been a while since I've posted on this blog (and when I say that I mean almost 2 years)! Since it's January, I thought it'd be good to set myself some crafting goals for the year and share them with you. Maybe it'll give you some ides for your own crafting goals!
1. Get back into blogging
I guess I could say I've started this one already, but my goal is to post at least one blog a month this year. Since Instagram has been a pain recently, it seems like blogs are the move. So here we are! I aim to write about my current makes, finished objects, yarn dyeing, spinning and also do some book reviews. I'm also considering releasing some free patterns on here later on in the year.
2. Start designing again
After GCSEs last year, I felt very burnt out and just didn't have the brain capacity to design and write patterns. Therefore, I decided to take a complete break until Christmas 2021. It was very necessary and I'm very glad I made that decision, seeing as when I started A-levels last term, I had absolutely no time for myself. Designing on top of that would never have worked!
However, now that I've got a bit more used to the workload, I want to start introducing designing back into my crafting. I have a few pending patterns that need to be written up, graded or tweaked, but I hope to be releasing patterns again very soon!
As well as this, I want to start designing for magazines again, as this was a great experience. However, this will probably on the smaller scale, designing things like hats, scarves and shawls (definitely not sweaters). I will be very careful on what I submit and chose to go ahead with as I do not want to be getting stressed over deadlines (A-levels are enough stress!!
3. Learn to properly knit
As much as I love crochet, knitting certainly has its benefits. It offers a much drapier, stretchy fabric (the stretch is perfect for socks) so I'd love to master knitting too so I can be a much more versatile crafter! I know how to knit and purl but I've never really ventured further than a swatch. My goal this year is to knit an actual project. Lets say, by the end of the year I want to have knit a pair of socks and a sweater. I already have my eye on a few of the designs from Ready Set Raglan which I think would be perfect for a beginner like me.
The other reason I want to learn how to knit is to make a Stephen West design! I've always envied his designs, but never had the courage to pick up the needles. Maybe after a few projects, I can give one a go :)
4. Spin yarn for a sweater
This is a really big goal of mine! I've only ever spun single skeins before now. How cool would it be to spin enough yarn for a sweater, make the sweater out of your own handspun, and then wear it? That sounds totally awesome to me.
5. Make more for myself
Currently, due to the lack of male patterns out there, I only really make items for my mum, nan and a few other relatives. However, this year, I'm going to become a selfish crafter! - I'd love to be able to make more for myself. I made myself a pair of socks in late 2021 and I loved them. I have plans, for a scarf, a hat and I might even design a sweater for myself .
6. Use up that stash!
Last year, I bought a load of beautiful yarn, and now I have a rather large stash!! So, my aim for 2022 is to make at least 6 projects from my current stash (I'll aim for more but this is a minimum). Here are some photos of some of the beautiful yarn I bought :)
7. Finish those WIPs
Because of all the stresses of the last 2 years, I have started many projects, got bored, and cast on another. Like with the stash, I'll aim to finish as many WIPs as possible , but set a minimum of 6.
8. Stay more on top of projects using Ravelry
Ravelry is a great tool that I should really make more use out of. So this year, I aim to keep more organised with it. This includes keeping on top of uploading my stash and tracking project progress more frequently (which ties in perfectly to my previous 2 goals).
Thank you very much for reading my rambling! Hopefully you've enjoyed reading through this, and I hope it inspires your crafting for 2022! It's really nice to be blogging again. Now that I'm doing it, I've realised how much I enjoy it!
See you next month (hopefully!!)
Joe :)
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