2014

poke, poke

Does this thing still work?

Huh.  Maybe it does.  Look at that.

I have no idea why, but I am motivated to blog again, and since this is Day One of 2014, I'm going to indulge myself and prattle on about goals.

I have a lot of goals for 2014.  There are three big ones:

1. Start working on the requirements for the Apprentice rating from the Weavers Guild of Boston.
2. I have declared 2014 to be The Year of Silk, for no particularly good reason except I want to.  (Well, and Sara Lamb's silk book is coming out mid-year.)  I intend to do all manner of silk work this year.
3. Give in to the temptations of fiber (as if I weren't already).

I quit blogging three and a half years ago because it felt like all I was doing was whining.  I'm not so whiny any more, so maybe I can stand this blogging thing again.

 Anyhow, here are the goals for 2014 I wrote up a week or so ago (look, I've already completed some!):

Knitting:

• Finish the Minimalist Cardigan. DONE
• Finish the Habitat hat from Alice Field’s scrumptious gray Cormo yarn. DONE
• Inventory my knitting WIPs . DONE
  
• Knit another sweater, a handspun one.
• Don’t buy any more sweater lots of yarn until I have 4 sweaters knit (including the two above; the next two of the four are the purple Custom Fit pullover and the Kathryn Alexander pattern out of Spirit Trail yarn).
• Knit a lace shawl from silk (preferably handspun silk) (see 2014: The Year of Silk).
• Knit on my February Blanket (but only in February!).
  

Spinning: (this is probably where I’ll spend the least effort)

• Wash the few dribs and drabs that haven’t been washed
• Spin silk, lots of silk, of all kinds (see 2014: The Year of Silk).
• Don’t acquire any more fleeces till Rhinebeck (and maybe not even then).
• Spin some cotton.

Weaving: (this is the biggie for the year)

• Work on the Apprentice requirements from the Weavers Guild of Boston, for submission in March of 2015. This involves a minimum of nine warps
• Weave off one knotted pile warp on the Mirrix loom.
• Weave at least three silk items (see 2014: The Year of Silk).
• There are three red or red-and-white warps already wound (towels, two runners); weave them off. Warp #1 DONE
• Learn, learn, and break my brain learning still more. Take a week of More Swedish Classics at the Vavstuga. Take several days of classes at Convergence. Take John Mullarkey's tablet-weaving class at The Gathering. Attend lots of guild meetings. Almost certainly pit my name on the waiting list for the Hill Institute weaving courses. Read lots of books. Look at lots of textiles.
  

Sewing: (yes, sewing)

• Sew three articles of clothing, at least two from handwoven cloth.
• Work on the stripy quilt in my mind.
  

Dyeing/Painting/Surface Design:

• Dye a silk warp (see 2014: The Year of Silk).
• Paint at least two warps, of any fiber.
• Experiment with fabric surface design, such as stamping, painting, shibori, and so on.
• Make an indigo dye pot and dye something (or, even better, a bunch of somethings!).
  

Be with My People:

• Go to SPA, Connecticut Sheep & Wool, New Hampshire Sheep & Wool, Massachusetts Sheep & Wool, Convergence, Vavstuga, Rhinebeck, and The Gathering.
• Organize at least three trips to museums with the Boston FOAY crowd.
  

Overall Goal:
Realize how important fiber work is to me and yield to its temptation.

...................................

I've finished a bunch of projects lately, too, but I'll write about those another day.  Happy New Year, my friends!