First things first, the 2011 Yarn and Fiber Stash Reduction Plan review. To refresh your memory, I'll list out the original plan provisions and put the results after each item:
1. No yarn purchases during 2011 with two exceptions (there have to be some exceptions or I'd go off my head):
- The Webs May Tent Sale - However, all yarn purchased must be at least 60% off retail.
- Stitches East - However, only yarn that is not available locally or cannot be easily purchased on the web may be purchased.
2. Books, patterns, and needles may be purchased, but with the purpose of using yarn already contained in the stash.
Okay, so this is a gimme. Yep, I complied with this. Kinda hard not to, when you're not allowed to use any yarn but stash yarn anyway.
3. All projects shall be knit with stash yarn with the exception of any group baby blanket projects (said hoping that no one in my knitting group reproduces in the coming year).
Yep, I did complied with this too, except for some of the complicated justifications surrounding the Kyoto jacket and trades that occurred, but we decided those didn't count, remember?
4. Projects shall be chosen with the aim of reducing overall space amounts (i.e. 600 yards of worsted takes up more space than 600 yards of fine laceweight).
Well, I didn't quite do so well at this. I did have quite a few projects on small yarn this year. Oh well, something to work on for next year.
5. At least one project shall utilize my handspun yarn, which had already been spun as of 12/31/2010.
Done! Shawn's hat, here.
6. At least one project shall utilize a kit which had been purchased prior to 12/31/2010.
Done, the Vintage Sock kit, here. This would be one of the projects that was on small yarn, and also took boatloads of time, which may have contributed to other goals not being reached, not that I'm trying to make excuses or anything.
7. At least two projects shall be self-designed and the pattern shall be suitable for posting to Ravelry for sale. At least one of these projects shall be a design for a women's sweater with a wide range of plus sizes.
Yeah, well, this is again an area that I didn't do so well. I designed three projects, Mary T's afghan square, my Evening bag for the cruise, and a hat for Kate S's kiddo that I've not posted up on Ravelry yet, but I didn't write any of them up for sale. If I were to be so insane as to write up the Evening bag pattern which is very complicated with linings, hardware, reverse i-cord cording, and the beaded strap, I'd have to knit a whole new one because I pretty much made it up as I went along and didn't keep directions. I also meant to do a plus size sweater before the end of the year and even started designing it at Stitches due to Shannon Okey's Sweater Map class, but Mary T's group afghan project came up and I ran out of time. Next year.
8. At least one project shall be for Shawn.
I cheated and combined provisions 5 and 8 with one project. Ha. Shawn's hat, here.
9. With respect to the roving, top, and fleece in the stash, at least 4 ounces of fiber shall be spun each month. (Although this adds to the yarn, yarn takes up less space than roving, top and fleece.)
I didn't make it. 4 ounces a month is 48 over the course of the year and I only managed 36.62. But you know what? That's 36.62 ounces I might not have spun without the plan in effect. And I've noticed a sizable difference in what's in my closet. So again, as far as I'm concerned, that's another freaking victory, even though it's a technical failure.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with the progress that was made. The plan was implemented because I had 337 different kinds of yarn in Ravelry. Despite purchases at Webs, NH Sheep and Wool, and Stitches East, and the amount of spinning that I did (which also added yarns to Ravelry), the total yarns in Ravelry only went up to 347. That's pretty damn good. I also knit 3.82 miles this year. I'm happy enough that another version of this plan will be implemented. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
I also had a 2011 Novel Completion Plan. This was the plan:
1. At least once a month, I will participate in a Challenge Writing Weekend, whether anyone participates with me or not, in which the goal is to write 5,000 words over the course of a weekend. (Linda D and I occasionally do these challenges.)
2. In addition to the Challenge Written Weekends, I will average a 1,000 a week during the non-Challenge Writing Weekend weeks during the each month.
3. This schedule shall continue until the novel is complete.
What this really boiled down to was that I had to write 8,000 words a month for the year or until the damn novel was finished. Well, that means I had to write a total of 96,000 words or finish. I'm not finished. While I didn't make 96,000 words because November and December were near total losses with everything going on, I managed to write 80,174 words this past year. I know that people think I'm a nut cake with the plans and the calendars and yada-yada, but you know what? I'm pretty damn sure that I wouldn't have written even close to what I did, if I didn't have some crazy goals written down. I think the crazy goal makes me work harder than I would have without it, and even if I don't make the crazy goal, I'm okay with that, because I got a hell of a lot further than I thought I would. So I think this one is a win too.
So this is the point that I want to get across in all this. I don't make a crazy goal, and then feel bad that I didn't get everything done. I'm not a perfectionist martyr. That is not the point of the crazy goal. The point of the crazy goal is that you know at the outset you are never going to get all of it done. But by trying for that crazy goal, you're going to get a whole lot more done than you ever thought, and isn't that the point? So even though I didn't make my crazy goals, so freaking what? Look what I did manage to do! Yay!!
And on that note, let's discuss the 2012 crazy goals and the 2012 Purple Calendar of Doom. The 2012 Yarn & Fiber Stash Reduction Plan Rules, which I have modified somewhat from last year's plan:
1. No yarn purchases during 2012 with two exceptions: (a) The Webs May Tent Sale - however, I may not spend more than $100.00 on yarn; and (b) Stitches East - however, I may only purchase yarn that is not available locally or cannot be easily purchased on the web.
2. Books, patterns, and needles may be purchased, but with the purpose of using yarn already contained in the stash.
3. All projects shall be knit with stash yarn with the exception of any group blanket projects (hoping that none are needed for any reason in the coming year).
4. Projects shall be chosen with the aim of reducing overall space amounts (i.e. 600 yards of worsted takes up more space than 600 yards of fine laceweight).
5. At least one project shall utilize my handspun yarn, which had already been spun as of 12/31/2011.
6. At least one project shall utilize a kit which had been purchased prior to 12/31/2011.
7. At least one project shall be my own design for a women's sweater with a wide range of plus sizes, and shall be suitable for posting to Ravelry for sale.
8. At least one project shall be my own design for a decorative item (either my fish tank diorama idea or my dragon head taxidermy idea).
9. With respect to the roving, top, and fleece in the stash, at least 4 ounces of fiber shall be spun each month. (Although this adds to the yarn, yarn takes up less space than roving, top and fleece.)
And now for the 2012 Writing Plan. I'm calling it a writing plan because I think I'll complete the novel this year, I'll need to plan revisions when I rewrite the novel, and I'm working on a new project with Mary Kate.
1. Write 8,000 words a month until the Yet Untitled Novel is done.
2. Find a title for the novel.
3. When the novel is complete, divide into chapters. Revise one chapter a week until the first major revision is complete. Aim to complete revisions in three months after novel is finished.
4. Once revisions are complete, recruit three new people to read it and critique.
5. Research and develop a submission plan.
6. On the cookbook project, spend at least one hour a week researching recipes for list, and cook one thing per week, posting research and results to Google Docs.
7. Work out a schedule with Mary Kate for testing recipes on unsuspecting individuals.
Ambitious, isn't it? Remember, it's supposed to be a crazy goal. :)
And now for that whole healthy thing. Well, in the past year, I've determined the whole (said hoping no more develop) list of food allergies that I have. I've cut these things out of my diet. I also joined a gym in August. I did pretty well for the first 4 months, meaning that I went enough times for my health insurance to pay for it, but December was a bust with the cruise and Christmas, and the million other things I had going on. So this year, the 2012 Health Plan is really simple.
1. Go to the gym 8 times a month or more so that I don't have to pay for it.
2. Be careful and don't eat anything I'm allergic to. Try to avoid any accidental exposures.
And that's it for the plans. I think that's quite enough, don't you?
I'll be posting further updates on all kinds of stuff that went on during the last months of the year, since I completely failed at updating the blog during November and December. Have a Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all have a crazy goal in the coming year that you mostly complete :)
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