I’m ready to start the New Year right with an impossible list of items I will never accomplish. At the same time, having a list ensures I will be somewhat productive. I do love the feeling of checking items off a list. Perhaps I will start adding gold stars next to completed projects. Plus, it gives me an excuse to blog weekly when I can’t think of anything else to say.

I’m grateful the Year of Projects group is loosely organized, and I was able to take a break last year. My approach this year is to divide and conquer. I’ve divided my full list of knitting projects into separate lists for 2023 and 2024. 2023 (below) includes works in progress (WIPs), and new cast ons I hope to complete this year. Add to this list socks, since my plan is to knit a pair of socks every month this year. That’s not realistic, but that’s never stopped me from trying. Some of these WIPs probably won’t make it this year. There’s a reason I’ve set them aside, but I’m not ready to rip them out yet.

Knitting To Do List

1. Powdermill (New Year’s cast on)
2. Willow in Moonstone Arcadia
3. Super Simple Summer Sweater in Cestari Ash Lawn
4. Hansel Hap in Ramsay Farms fawn katmoget Shetland with Jamieson and Smiths for trim colors
5. Knitter’s Dude in Knitpicks Comfy for Bob
6. Auchnaha in Schiehallion in Mooring
7. Fall Favorites Sweater in La Bien Aimee Merino Sport (short-sleeved purple cats version)
8. Cozy Autumn Socks
9. That Old Christmas Moon Shawl in In Betwixt Yarn Advent (I want to be wrapped up in this by December 1.)
10. Christmas Pudding Socks
11. Streely Maid Trigger Mitts in Holiday Doodle Cowl colors
12. Stash Aurealis
13. Alaska Hat in Knit Circus kit
14. Spisa Oven Mitts from stash (gift for Freya)
15. Advent Scarf

Completed Knitting

• Peaceful Lodge Sweater
• Merry Krampus Socks for Bob
• Arrowhead Cardigan in Lettlopi

Sewing To Do List

I’ve noticed my approach to sewing is to make a pattern to see if I like it. If I do, I make multiples so I don’t have to learn something new every time I sew. It’s more enjoyable for me if I can skip the instructions. So my plan for 2023 is to mostly make multiples. Also, I’d like to sew a trench coat, but I don’t have the fabric for it right now. Maybe next year!

1. Ottobre casual cotton pants in black brushed cotton twill
2. Liz Jacket in gray Shetland flannel
3. Rachel Shirt in apricot linen
4. Rachel Shirt in Liberty blue paisley lawn
5. Ottobre summer tops in cotton prints
6. Ophelia Overall shorts in Virginia cotton canvas with black walnut ecoprint accents
7. Pym Pants from Lotta Jansdotter’s Everyday Style in deadstock denim
8. Rui Shirt Dress from Lotta Jansdotter’s Everyday Style in Essex linen
9. Ophelia Overalls in navy wool flannel
10. Audrey Pant in Heavens to Betsy plaid wool, color Sophia
11. Martina Coat in black wool floral embossed coating

Completed Sewing

• Merino wool wide-legged crop pants and Tekura Tee
• Ottobre casual cotton pants in gray cotton twill
• Ottobre casual cotton pants in navy stretch cotton twill
• More Tekura Tees

Weaving List

I wove this scarf!

Spinning List

I’ll finish spinning my Pumpkins for Sale BFL and maybe participate in Tour de Fleece. I think I would also like to dye my natural rovings and spin skeins for gift giving this year.

Happy New Year! We’ve had a lovely weekend, with a gathering at a friend’s in Canton, then an overnight stay with kids in Cuyahoga Falls. New Year’s Eve was spent eating pizza and watching Bloody New Year and Terror Train. Neither of us had ever seen these, but they were an enjoyable diversion. I impressed even myself with my facial recognition gift by pointing out John from Shaun of the Dead in Bloody New Year. (I have a gift for pattern recognition. I am currently using this gift in my role as part-time Remote Bookkeeping Elf — title my own. I log in to computers remotely early in the morning and work on other people’s bookkeeping while they are still asleep. They wake up and their bookkeeping is all done for them! I would love to have an afternoon job that is more creative, and I’m thinking about knitting pattern tech editing.) Today we’re going for a New Year’s hike. Bob will make black eyed peas and collards for dinner.

I usually choose a word for the year, although I don’t think I chose a word for 2022. I spent most of the year focusing on my mental and physical health, and made some progress. I was able to stop taking medications. I was able to get off social media except Facebook. I think about closing my Facebook account, but there are connections with family and friends there I would miss. In fact, a friend recently shared this article that plays into my word for 2023. My word is Voice. The goal is to recognize and reaffirm my own voice, and share it if I want to. No pressure, though, if I don’t feel like it. My resolutions for the year are to knit from stash and have more fun. We’re also having a “no buy” year, as we have a new furnace and electrical system to pay off. This means we can buy food and necessities, but not anything else. Bob pretty much lives like this, so I think we all know who is going to be struggling the most. This was my idea, by the way.

This has been a Year of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list.