Sobriety Sets In

I suspect this is the kind of post many Stash-Flashers are making this week - you know, I hereby resolve to not buy any more yarn until the following conditions are met:

1. I've finished all my WIPs.
2. I've put up for adoption all the yarn stash I don't really want.
3. I've knit up every remaining yarn in my stash except the partial skeins.
4. I've lost 50 pounds.
5. I've lost my mind.

Bah, I say! Not realistic, no fun, and, let me repeat, no fun.

On the other hand, I'm not feeling the desire for any more yarn in particular (except cotton sock yarn for Earle), so I thought I'd outline a reasonable set of goals for the coming knitting year, that is, until April 1, 2007. Here goes:

1. Finish half of my current WIPs. Now isn't that a sane goal? First step: Catalog the current WIPs.
2. Get rid of yarn/patterns/books/etc. that I don't want. Lighten my load.
3. Make various promised or dreamed-of gifts for loved ones. See below.
4. Knit ten hats for Afghans for Afghans, or the local Warm the Children campaign.
5. Try new techniques. Specifically, try entrelac (my dismal-failure Knitting Olympics project may qualify here); beaded knitting; and felting. For the beading, I'd like to make a simple beaded-edge cardigan from Rowan's Vintage Knits. For the felting experiment, I want to make a knitting bag modeled on the canvas, zippered one I use all the time.
6. Make a shawl, from stash.
7. Design and make (that means finish!) a sweater for myself, from stash.
8. Learn how to spin on a drop spindle.
9. Weave a scarf on the rigid heddle loom Earle gave me.
10. Learn all (most of) the ins and outs of blogging. Maybe I can even learn how to put this list on the side-bar and record my progress, or lack thereof.
11. Hang out with knitters a lot. Maybe even knit while doing so.

Presents for loved ones:

• Cotton socks for Earle, preferably by his birthday in mid-May. He specifically requested cotton socks. I have no cotton sock yarn (I think); therefore - shopping!
• Afghan for Mom, by Christmas. I've never knit my Mom anything.
• Socks for Dad, for Christmas. Ditto.
• Scarves/hats/socks for various friends and family who didn't get knit gifts this past Christmas (ran out of time), for this coming Christmas.
• Yoga mat bag (Namaste) for Jen.
• Afghan for Jen (same Jen) and Jason, who are getting married in September.

And achieve world peace, while I'm at it. Snort!

However, I will point out that today I finished and blocked the first sleeve/front of my Sunrise Circle Jacket. And I turned the heel on my first sock in ten years. So there.

George and Sophie are just green-eyed devils, because I won't let them lie on the jacket while it's blocking.