Happy 2013

I always try to spend the first day of the year doing what I want to do all year.  For this year it’s knitting – both starting a new project and working on a WIP – cooking healthy food and spending time with family.

Looking back on 2012 I feel like I could have finished more projects than I did.  Well, I know I could have.  Just look at the 11 active UFOs I have on the needles.  But, I spent my weekends doing a lot of things other than knitting – gardening, cooking, a huge house project, learning photography and cooking healthy.  All things I’m happy to have done.  When I remind myself of that I feel like I had a full year.

I did finish six knitting projects – all out of sock yarn (now that’s an achievement).  I also used all the festival yarn I bought in 2011, and 3 of the projects were made out of stash yarn.  The grey jacquard was the only FO whose yarn was bought in 2012.  That’s something to celebrate.

Sweet Dreams (lower left) is one of my favorite. FOs. ever.  I’ve yet to wear it (I need to find the right dress) but it doesn’t bother me one bit.  I LOVED knitting it and I had a lot of fun taking the pics as well.

Wingspan (upper right) was a sleeper hit.  I did not enjoy knitting it – the loosely spun single was not a good fit for me – but I love the FO and it makes a great scarf under my coats.

Lintilla (upper left) was a fun knit but I don’t wear it.  The colors aren’t the best for me and the size it a bit smaller than I’d like.  The skein was much shorter than the original used in the pattern.  Knitter error.  But I did enjoy my first Martina Behm pattern – all the smart knitting techniques were great.

Zuzu’s Petals (middle top) was a great achievement.  I had cast on at least 5 projects for that yarn before being successful with the cowl.  It was also my first cowl but it won’t be my last.  I have several planned for UILI.

And then the 2 pairs of socks – Coupling (middle bottom) and the plain vanilla gray jacquards.  I love wearing handknit socks so a couple more pairs are always welcome.  In fact, I bought 2 pairs of work-appropriate shoes a half-size bigger just so I could wear more handknit socks to work.  On days when I don’t have a handknit pair to wear, I double up my socks by slipping a footie underneath my thinner, store-bought socks.  Yeah – I really need more handknit socks.

For 2013 I have a few simple goals

• Continue my weight loss.  I ended 2012 having lost 17 pounds this year – the most weight I’ve lost in any single year – and 59.5 pounds total (60 is SO close) over the past 4 years.  I plan to lose 10-15 pounds again this year.  I’m close to my ideal weight and 2013 may be my last weight loss year.  It’s really hard to believe I’m almost done with weight loss.  Wow.
• Continue learning how to cook healthy.  I keep a Healthy Recipes I Want to Try board on Pinterest.  The latest additions – Vegan Quinoa and Sweet Potato Chili and Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps.  And I’m making up a hearty chicken stew today.
• Finish my festival purchases from the previous year before attending the 2013 festival.  I did that in 2012 and it was so freeing.  It also helped me focus my purchases knowing that I intended to knit all the yarn I bought within the year.
• Participate in Use It or Lose It – the Stash and Burn KAL.  I went through my stash the other day and picked several languishing skeins that I might knit up.

I’m so excited about my knitting right now!

I want to finally complete a stranded knitting project (maybe my first UILI?), knit 2 more cowls – I use Zuzu’s Petals all the time, knit up a pair of pretty socks (maybe with twisted stitches or lace) and complete at least one garment.  The big challenge will definitely be the garment.

And for events, Christy and I are going to Vogue Knitting Live NYC on January 19th.  Yay – we don’t have to wait until May for the first event this year!  And we can finally say that Sock Summit is next year!  Oh yes, I will be going.

What are your 2013 goals?  What are you most proud of in 2012?

Get the year started right and make sure you spend today doing what you love most – I know I will.