Time has whizzed by so fast, I didn’t even review my goals at the end of March. But this month I’ve made a little time to review and here’s how I’m doing…
Creative Goals for 2017
Attend at least two workshops
As I reported in Feb I attended Alison Ellen’s workshop at Unravel. So still one down, one to go.
Knit Lovely Husband a Christmas jumper
I’ve done three or four rows of this since the end of Feb! Everything else is so much more exciting. I really must make myself knit it in the car instead of always finding something else.
Learn something knitting related each month
So far so good. Here’s 5 I’ve blogged about, although I’ve realised I often learn small new tricks and refinements that I don’t particularly realise are new learning..
- Slopped shoulder bind off
- Casting on a flat circle without creating a hole in the middle
- Weighing wool to estimate if you have enough left for another row.
- German short rows
- Making knitting tutorial videos
Knit projects that aren’t for the DYC at least three times a week
Definitely doing this. In fact my non-DYC knitting has really taken over. Several non-DYC projects finished this year….
And three still on the go…
Make a knitted bag
I haven’t done this, but there’s still plenty of year left.
Make a gift a least once a month
I’ve made no gifts in March or April, but I have bought some yarn for sock presents, so hopefully will be starting to catch up with this goal very soon.
Become and remain UFO free all year
I’ve been UFO free since February, as long as we don’t count the aforementioned hubby’s Christmas Jumper!
Creative play
I changed this goal to indulge in creative play one afternoon a month for the rest of the year; experimenting and exploring with no particular goal in mind. Although I’ve done a fair amount of experimenting and playing since, I find it impossible not to think that what I’m doing could turn into something.
This second confession probably isn’t a surprise to those who read this blog regularly, I am very goal/product focused. I don’t see that as a bad thing. So, yet again I’m rewording this goal and removing the ‘with no particular goal in mind’. However, I’m also going to think about how I can use my time to mess about at non-fibre related stuff without a goal in mind.
Two new goals
I’ve also set myself two new goals since February.
Work on my quilt for at least an hour a day unless it’s impracticable – I’ve already blogged about that here. So far this is going well.
Write up non-DYC patterns within a month of completing an object/garment
I’ve now been designing my own sweaters for over two years Nudged on by Lynn at Tialys, I decided it’s high time I actually wrote them up as patterns! I’ve also designed various other knitting projects for even longer and non written them up, so I’m setting a goal to write all my patterns up within a sensible time frame.
All in all, not too bad and I’m very please and a little excited about my two new goals.
Have you set goals for this year? If so, how are doing with them?
Dartmoor Creative - Bekki Hill 
As somebody who set absolutely no goals for herself at all again this year (apart from the alcohol free January which nearly finished me off and, IMO, relieves me of any other goal setting for the rest of 2017) I am only too pleased that I could give a nudge to somebody who does set them especially as I am very keen to get my hands on the cable cardigan pattern.
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Glad you survived the alcohol free Jan 🙂 and thanks again for the nudge. Delighted you like the cardi pattern 🙂
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You certainly are the busy, productive one!
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I do hate doing nothing. Still trying to work out how to knit while I sleep 😉
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It seems that these goals are really working for you, very good job! I love when you share what you mearn so we can learn along with you. And as for writing down the oatterns, yes please! I can’t buy your yarn but I can buy patterns!
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Thank you. I do feel that the word ‘goal’ puts a lot of people off, who would really enjoy and benefit from using them, so hopefully showing what I mean will help someone. However, I’m also very happy to admit, goal setting can be very counter productive too and needs to be used in different ways for different people and at different times. Delighted you like the patterns 🙂
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You have been productive – I’d count that lot a good output for an entire year! You know I don’t set goals so no point saying anything about that 😀
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Thank you. Having hubby off is helping as I can get him to drive more often, while I do more knitting next to him 🙂
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Great achievements Bekki 🙂 I’m sure you’ll well outdo all your goals in the end of year review!!
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Thank you. I do feel I have set a very achievable set of goals this year 🙂
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🙂
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Excellent progress on all goals. Play for the sake of play is hard. When do we loose the ability to just play. I love the cactus.
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Good question. I do play for the sake of play in other ways that are non-crafty – our mini Olympics for example was very much for the fun of it. But that sort of play is, of course, competitive and with other people. I want to find the grown up equivalent of when I was a child sitting at the bottom of the garden making mud and cow parsley stew.
Glad you like the cactus 🙂
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Well done! You have been busy. I’m reviewing my goals for 2017 very shortly, I’ve a feeling it’ll be a real mixed bag of achieved/working towards.
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As well as helping us achieve things, I it’s just as important to use goals to give insight to what we’re embracing and what we’re avoiding and working out why, to help us in the future.
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That is very true, I’m definitely avoiding sorting through the big cupboard in the childrens’ bedroom… I’m also avoiding thinking about what to do after my temporary contract ends and hoping my agency find me some work!
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Let’s hope they do – that will save you thinking. Or would it be a good idea to think about a non-agency direction anyway?
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I’m keeping my eyes peeled for part time teaching positions and applying when they do come up, but every single supply teacher of a certain age with young children is also applying. I’m going to keep trying, my boss has promised me an excellent reference and has said if anything else comes up she would offer it to me first. The other option is full time but working 70+ hours a week lost it’s appeal after having children.
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Will keep my fingers crossed something comes up and it’s you they go for. Absolutely, not only am I not surprised it’s lost it’s appeal, I’m sure you need to spend more time with your children than that would allow 🙂
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Thank you! Luckily I’m well I’m with the management at Asda so if all else fails… 😅
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🙂
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That is so awesome, you are still on the roll and it is May already. Time has been flying indeed, and in two months time I will be taking my winter break vacation already. What a year.
Well done on all the gorgeous projects, I absolutely love your projects. 🙂
Have a good week.
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Thank you 🙂 Still can’t get my head around it being your winter when it’s my summer. Time certainly is flying. You have a great week too xx
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