Big Ambitions to Meet Crochet Targets

As the end of 2012 approaches, it's a good time to stop and reflect on the past year. This year was the first time I had ever deliberated about my crochet goals with a timeline in mind and actually committed them to paper. As if that wasn't enough challenge, I posted my list in online crochet forums so now there was no escape–I had to be accountable in twelve months' time too! Scary? Nervewracking?  Plain silly perhaps?




I should know better than to give myself any sort of deadline because unreliable autoimmune disease is good at undermining the best of intentions; plus any sort of stress (even a 'good stress' that I have chosen) will be detrimental to my health.

Nevertheless I couldn't help myself, exuberantly putting into print all of the inspired ideas that had entered my head in the preceding months. These were my 'great expectations' for 2012:

• Learn all about socks–so I can one day make customised socks for "special needs" feet
• Wedding gifts–three weddings in 2012
• Birthday gifts–two newborns to happily welcome into the family
• Garments–continue the learning curve about construction, design and fit by completing two garments for myself
• Work through my Ravelry queue which includes many of the above

Then I lamented "That's my year done, I reckon! hehehe". Little did I realise how true that was to become.

It was a super-busy year with the children's schooling and weeks have gone by this year without the slightest moment to grab my hooks because I was too exhausted. In general, I kind of stayed on track, but then kind of got totally distracted. (Can you read the guilt between the lines?)

Book Review–so far so good
At the beginning of the year I realised that "I can spend my Christmas gift vouchers, yay!"and chose to spend them on books about socks.

Success with the gift lists:

• Weddings:  Irish Lace Cushions and Ring Bearer's Pillow  covered two weddings (the third wedding the couple wanted only money to be given)
• Children: baby bibs, sunhats and sneakers, the old standby–washcloths!–together with dilly bags

But then I got distracted by making more gifts for other people:

• Hats for friends and family
• I fell in love with hand-dyed yarn and my companion on the day also fell in love with it so I made a scarf for each of us–this could be classified under 'gift' and also 'distraction'

Limited success with socks and making tops for myself:

• I made my first pair of knitted socks, a pair of crocheted socks and have learned to crochet a basic sock without a pattern. I would have liked to have made more but I did do a lot of reading and learning.
• I made one top for myself as a Crochet Along with my neighbour. Very pleasing results. This top was not on the initial wish list, so it could be considered a distraction from my 2012 goals but I was not going to pass up the chance to have fun by crocheting with a friend. It was very worthwhile because we both learned a lot and had a lot of fun. The two other tops I wanted to finish are on my hooks at the moment.

Other distractions:

• a Flapper Headband for a Twenties theme party
• I picked up the amigurumi Fab Four because I thought it was quick and cute–the pattern turned out to be detailed, tiny and fiddly, and took ALL YEAR!
• Then the Craft Fair came to town and I couldn't help myself from making a tricot scarf with newly purchased wool. The scarf became a distraction from the original distraction of the amigurumi (no wonder it took all year!).

Overall a relatively successful year considering the circumstances. It is hard to stay focussed with so many lovely things to learn about and make.

Zontee from Lion Brand Yarn (lionbrand.com) reminded me to not feel guilty about the distractions–they're just another opportunity to try out new projects, yarns, and skills! She is right.

It is often on those side journeys in life that one learns the most of life's lessons, like John Lennon said: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Did your 2012 go to plan? Were you sidetracked? Do you even make plans at all? Where did your crafting journey take you? Did you meet your targets, if any? Please share your comments here or by email jodiebodiecrochets@gmail.com.

I'm keen to know how 2012 was for you. Thanks for reading Lupey Loops and 'happy hooking'.