So, it's that time of year once again, time to reflect on the previous year and look forward to the new one. Mostly, I'm looking forward to the new one. This is the time when I usually post my knitting goals for the year, and this year is no exception. I've been marginally successful at accomplishing my goals in the past, so this year I'm upping it a notch.
My co-moderator TechAlum posted about setting goals over in the Team Michigan Ravelry group, and I decided that the only way I'm going to actually accomplish goals is if I have a small group of people holding me accountable, so a KAL it is. I've set some goals for the year, and each month I'm also going to set some specific things I'd like to accomplish just in that month. Full disclosure—here goes:
So, we all know how I love a good KAL, and this is not the only one I plan on participating in. I'll give quick rundown of the others.
Michigan KAL/CAL
Team Michigan group
The idea behind this KAL is to produce an item that is made with a yarn from a Michigan fiber farm, a yarn dyed by a Michigan dyer, or a pattern designed by a Michigander. I'm saving this one for February, I think!
Stash Down KAL/CAL
My Sister's Knitter group
This one is for those of us who have lots and lots of yarn. We're going to see how much stash we can use up. All projects much be made from yarn that entered our stashes prior to 2015, and no WIPs allowed.
Personal Mystery Sock Club
Instagram
I'm not sure who came up with this idea, but it's already generated some interest on Instagram. Bag up 12 skeins of sock yarn and randomly pull one at the beginning of each month, knit a pair of socks, and post on Instagram with #personalmysterysockclub2015. Rather than bag all my yarn, I'm letting the Random Number Generator pull for me each month, but it's the same idea. There's also a thread about this KAL in the My Sister's Knitter group.
Sock Hop
Sock Knitters group
In this KAL, you decide what pattern you want to knit and find someone else in the group who wants to knit the same pattern that you do. I'll be knitting the same pair of socks for both this KAL and the Personal Mystery Sock Club. You gotta love double (and even triple) dipping when it comes to KALs!
Harry Potter Knitting & Crochet House Cup
This one is crazy—truly, truly crazy. Think of it as the Hogwarts House Cup competition knitting-style. Members get sorted into houses and compete to earn as many points as possible for their houses throughout the term, which lasts three months. Each month eight classes are offered, and each member is expected to turn in (in other words, finish) a project for one of the eight classes. You can earn extra points by sitting for your OWLs (a two- or three- month project), going to detention (finishing a WIP), and playing Quidditch (I haven't figured this out yet). I decided not to be sorted into a house this term and am playing as NQFY—Not Quite First Year. I'm hoping that one of the two projects I'm working on for my January goal will fit one of the class descriptions.
And once again, I'll be hosting the Team Michigan Summer of Socks, but that's a few months away!
Are you joining and KALs this year? If so, I'd love to hear about them!
- Knit 1/5 of my current queue. That's about 24 projects. Try to stick to 1/5 of each project type with a little flexibility. (For example, I’ve got about 50 pairs of socks in my queue, that means about 10 this year.)
- Limit the amount of yarn I bring in. I still have 6 months of the Wool & Honey club, then I will cancel. For every four skeins that go out, one can come in. That means I have to knit 24 skeins to make up for the Wool & Honey club before I can buy yarn.
- Continue to work on the Barn-Raising Quilt.
- Finish two projects. One of these will be a pair of socks, one will be something else.
- Purchase no new yarn except for the skein I will be receiving from Wool & Honey's January Sleeping Bear Yarn Club.
- Sort through my cotton yarn and see what I already have on hand for the project I want to make for next Christmas. Get started knitting. (Can't tell you what the project is, in case recipients are reading.)
- Finish organizing my knitting room.
So, we all know how I love a good KAL, and this is not the only one I plan on participating in. I'll give quick rundown of the others.
Michigan KAL/CAL
Team Michigan group
The idea behind this KAL is to produce an item that is made with a yarn from a Michigan fiber farm, a yarn dyed by a Michigan dyer, or a pattern designed by a Michigander. I'm saving this one for February, I think!
Stash Down KAL/CAL
My Sister's Knitter group
This one is for those of us who have lots and lots of yarn. We're going to see how much stash we can use up. All projects much be made from yarn that entered our stashes prior to 2015, and no WIPs allowed.
Personal Mystery Sock Club
I'm not sure who came up with this idea, but it's already generated some interest on Instagram. Bag up 12 skeins of sock yarn and randomly pull one at the beginning of each month, knit a pair of socks, and post on Instagram with #personalmysterysockclub2015. Rather than bag all my yarn, I'm letting the Random Number Generator pull for me each month, but it's the same idea. There's also a thread about this KAL in the My Sister's Knitter group.
Sock Hop
Sock Knitters group
In this KAL, you decide what pattern you want to knit and find someone else in the group who wants to knit the same pattern that you do. I'll be knitting the same pair of socks for both this KAL and the Personal Mystery Sock Club. You gotta love double (and even triple) dipping when it comes to KALs!
Harry Potter Knitting & Crochet House Cup
This one is crazy—truly, truly crazy. Think of it as the Hogwarts House Cup competition knitting-style. Members get sorted into houses and compete to earn as many points as possible for their houses throughout the term, which lasts three months. Each month eight classes are offered, and each member is expected to turn in (in other words, finish) a project for one of the eight classes. You can earn extra points by sitting for your OWLs (a two- or three- month project), going to detention (finishing a WIP), and playing Quidditch (I haven't figured this out yet). I decided not to be sorted into a house this term and am playing as NQFY—Not Quite First Year. I'm hoping that one of the two projects I'm working on for my January goal will fit one of the class descriptions.
And once again, I'll be hosting the Team Michigan Summer of Socks, but that's a few months away!
Are you joining and KALs this year? If so, I'd love to hear about them!