I really love a good plan. I would say I am also pretty happy to abandon said plan if something shiny crosses my path OR if the plan, which seemed super smart while I was dreaming it up, just isn’t quite as good as I thought it was!
For 2020 (I know, it’s March already), I made myself a grand knitting plan. Really it is more of a reminder system, so that I check in with my goals and see if I am meeting them or if they need adjustment. I didn’t accomplish all of the things I intended in 2019, many because I didn’t start early enough. I don’t want that to happen again this year! If it’s written down I figure I have a better chance of success so here it goes…
A Stack of Hats
A couple of years ago there was a bit of a baby boom among my close friends and family. This was a great joy to me because I love a baby cuddle! Mine had grown into children, but I was able to borrow the new babies from time to time, which suited me just fine. This year I plan to knit hats for all the growing kiddos in my circle. Kid hats are fast, fun, and are the perfect project for the precious single skeins I have collected over the years. So, this goal is very doable, I just need to keep it going through the year in order to have everyone hatted in the fall. A couple of hats a month should do it!
This is her modified Clayoquot sweater (details on the mods are here)
Love Note for Mum
Next up is knitting for my Mum. I gave her a few TCK sweater samples this year and has been wearing them non stop this winter. I am thrilled! I want to knit her a Love Note for Christmas 2020. This is another reasonable goal, as long as I don’t leave it entirely to December! I’m having a tough time choosing the colour. Mum has always loved red (also making it rather festive), but has been really into mustard lately… I think I’ll need to ask her in a slick way that won’t give away the plan.
Sweaters for the Kids
For my kids I am feeling somewhat practical… or at least as practical as a knitter can be. I mean, knitting is pretty much the slowest possible way to clothe a person right? My goal is to make each of them a sock weight sweater. Their wardrobes could use a good light-yet-warm pullover that they can throw on in the fall, layer up when it gets really cold in the winter, or wear on summer evenings when we go camping. Something simple and not too fussy. Possibly a Flax Light, or maybe a Compass sweater. Or maybe just a trio of Strange Brew sweaters to keep things interesting! Three sock weight sweaters is no small goal. These are slower knits so I’m hoping to keep them going throughout the year, with a goal of finishing all three for the beginning of October.
One for Gary Too
Next on my knit list is Gary. He sort of has a Marshland sweater (it’s half his and half mine), but it’s a bit too warm for him. Worsted weight with colourwork make it very cozy and Gary runs warm. So I plan to make him a sock weight sweater too. I am thinking something dark for the main colour with a bit of colourwork in a single CC at the yoke. My plan is to work this one from the bottom up so I can get cracking and deal with the thinking part later.
Knitting Plan recap:
A whole bunch of kid hats
A Love Note for Mum
3 sock weight sweaters for the kids
1 lightweight sweater for Gary
Emily’s Commentary on Alexa’s plan
OK, so as much as I love Alexa’s inexhaustible knitting ambition, I think I need to intercede and suggest that all of the above (except the stack of hats perhaps) will NOT happen, because Alexa will, in fact, be busy designing lovely new garments and accessories for our next collection, that’s right, isn’t it, Alexa?! Hahahaha – I love a plan too, but I especially love telling my business partner when her plans are utterly preposterous and unrealistic!
Tell me your plan!
Are you a knitter with a master plan? Or do you prefer to go one project at a time? Do you make boundlessly optimistic lists like the one Alexa has described here? Any tips for keeping on track? What are your knitterly goals for 2020? Tell us all about it in the comments!
March 30, 2020 @ 11:32 am
I have a garter stitch blanket on the go, made up of individual striped squares using 3 natural colours; nice and easy, stress-free knitting for tv watching at this very troubling time. Thank you for your colourful and inspirational knitting posts!
March 20, 2020 @ 9:15 am
Being inundated with Coronavirus crisis information, I now have the attention span of a flea. I have a pair of socks on the needles with a non fussy pattern so will try to finish those first. I agree with Jan, everyone needs a good pair of wool socks.
March 19, 2020 @ 12:30 pm
I have big knitting plans too, that mostly get done, hats, baby blankets and some sweaters for me and the kids and mittens for hubby, but hey if you need a test knitter for your new stack of designing, I’d be very happy to help! I’ll keep an eye out.
March 19, 2020 @ 12:33 pm
oh and my plan for getting them done, making a list and planning the colours, I always itch to cast something on once I’ve figured out the fun colours for that person. it’s satisfying to either cross it off the list or move it to the next year pile – a 6 month old baby doesn’t need a 2 year old sweater just yet
March 19, 2020 @ 11:29 am
I don’t usually knit with a plan, BUT this year I have a plan of 6 sweaters and at least 2 for me. The first one I mad for my daughter Jess. Beautiful yoke sweater in bulky. It went so fast. ( I should always knit in bulky. I find I love instant gratification). Then I made my granddaughter colette a mini me sweater to match used strange brew to match her mommy. Btw strange brew is absolutely brilliant. Thank you for your brilliance now I’m finally working on a sweater for me. HOORAY
March 19, 2020 @ 7:27 am
I’m right there with Alexa! There’s nothing that I can’t do – provided that I don’t have to finish it until 2023 or so….
I’ve considered offering to knit lightweight shawls for the “girls” in my son’s October wedding, but seeing as I haven’t even finished knitting the first sock for the bride’s birthday next month, I may have to rethink that plan!
March 19, 2020 @ 3:30 am
I just finished a Love Note sweater – work-from-home leaves lots of knitting time. Back in January when I first started it, I ordered yarn in two colorways but I forgot to return the yarn in the colors I decided against. So, still at home for the foreseeable future, I will start a second Love Note.
As for the rest of the year, I made a sweater for my 22 yo son LY and he wears it a lot. I’m thinking I will knit a lightweight one for him as he also runs warm. Perhaps a Flax Light! Plus a few hats because my stash is growing cumbersome. I like the idea of giving hats to my coworkers. And I love the Prism hat.
I think I just made a plan!
March 18, 2020 @ 3:25 pm
With having to keep close to home because of the coronavirus, I’m hoping to get back to the pile of unfinished projects. But first there’s all the other ‘back burner’ tasks that need to be tackled….. And the frustration when I fall between these two goals is bound to impede progress on either! Juggle juggle!
March 18, 2020 @ 2:39 pm
I think everyone at my work is going to finally get a hat from me, because I’m a doctor and I’m stressed out enough that hat-knitting seems about as much as I can manage right now. I’m having a hard time focusing on the fancy sweaters for my kiddos and husband (which are already started in some cases) when we’re rationing masks. But hats? That I can do. Good stash-busting, also. :)
March 18, 2020 @ 8:16 am
I love grand plans and have made many myself over the years! My own (probably unrealistic) plan involves a whopping 23 projects, everything from baby hats to grownup sweater, knitted out of yarn from my stash. Good luck and speedy knitting Alexa!
March 18, 2020 @ 7:47 am
Socks for family members’ birthdays. I made lacy kid mohair and alpaca scarves for several family members last Christmas and that did not go over so as far as I can tell. Everyone should have a good pair of wool socks and they are difficult to find these days.