2019 year in review

I don't care if it's February, I'm keeping up with my tradition of reviewing "what I made last year." Oy vey. In my defense, December was filled with travel and hosting family. January was filled with illness. Now I'm feeling back to my normal self and I'm chomping at the bit to get making. Looking at the numbers, 2019 was a big jump back up in individual project numbers. But that included 21 hats and 10 ornaments, so those numbers are a bit inflated--which you can see in the measly 10,453 yards of yarn crafted in those 52 finished projects. Whereas 2018 was the year of the sweater, 2019 was the year of the shawl. I have never made more shawls in my life--seven shawls, four cowls, and four woven scarves. That's a lot of "neck things." 2019 was also the year I returned to making a significant contribution to my knitting guild's annual charity project--hats for homeless children in our local school district. It felt good to contribute 20 hats to that project, and it gave me some good crocheting practice. In 2019 I returned to colorwork knitting, which is something I truly love but somehow quit doing--my records show the last time I did stranded colorwork was in 2017 and before that 2014. Yikes.

*2015 was the year I made three large blankets with yarn held double-stranded.

January - March 2019: 

one cowl, two woven scarves, one shawl, and one colorwork mitten project

April - June 2019:

This montage is deceptive--it creates the illusion that spring/early summer was my most productive season, but in fact December was. Simple crochet edgings on four fleece blankets, three more shawls, two cowls, and two more woven scarves.

July - September 2019:

Three shawls and one cowl. In hindsight I would have expected more output during this time, but the beginning of the school year is hectic and in 2019 was filled with weekend activities.

October - December 2019:

My most productive part of the year, with 10 ornaments and 21 hats finished. Also when I finished the project I'm most proud of last year--stranded colorwork mittens for my mom.

Now for the fun part … looking back at those crafting resolutions I made back in January 2019. This is going to be a bit painful.

• Goal #1: Reduce, reduce, reduce my stash. My stash of yarn, my stash of fabric, my stash of crafting kits! RESULTS: Since I completely failed at Goal #2, not much progress here unfortunately. I did make a lot of things, but I also bought additional supplies to make those things.
• Goal #2: String together at least six months of zero yarn purchases. RESULTS: Big fat nope!
• Goal #3: Continue to knit sweaters for myself! Shooting for nine adult sweaters this year. I've already picked nine patterns that are at the top of my list! RESULTS: Not a single sweater sadly. Shawls took over!
• Goal #4: Finish at least two quilts. RESULTS: WIN! I actually did this! I made two cute baby quilts: a very hungry caterpillar quilt and a forest creatures/lumberjack quilt. I made a TON of quilted finch bucket bags in 2019.
• Goal #5: Expand my weaving skills. Try to make a wearable garment/vest! RESULTS: Nope. Kept on making scarves, lol!
• Goal #6: Finish another big needlepoint project! RESULTS: Nope.
• Goal #7: Crochet a sweater. RESULTS: Nope.
• Goal #8: Crochet a toy. RESULTS: Nope.
• Goal #9: Practice overdying yarn! (changing a yarn's color by dying it) RESULTS: Nope.
• Goal #10: Blog more frequently and consistently. RESULTS: Nope.

What are my crafting goals for 2020?

• Goal #1: Revive my love of knitting from my stash and "stashing down." I've already joined some Ravelry challenges and groups that are already doing this. 
• Goal #2: The ratio of yarn out of stash to yarn purchases by the end of the year should be 3:1, as in yardage out will be three times more than yardage in. I'm not going to make any grand proclamations of not buying yarn this year, but I am determined to make a big dent in my stash this year. I've never tried using a ratio for this type of goal before, so this is an experiment. I've been "cold sheeping" (aka zero yarn purchases) since December now, which is what really helps.
• Goal #3: Use more of my old stash. Enough said!
• Goal #4: Weave more. Make a woven garment.
• Goal #5: Learn something new. (like brioche or stacked stitches or crocheting toys)
• Goal #6: Six sweaters this year. Ideally? My original #makenine from 2019, but we'll start small.
• Goal #7: Learn something new in quilting/sewing. Quilting as you go, paper piecing.
• Goal #8: Finish lingering things that are 99% done.

Looking forward to another productive and creative year! It's fun to look back at how my skills and design taste has evolved over the years.