2021 Goals Revisited

I’ve never been much for resolutions.  My brain doesn’t place bookends at the beginning and end of years so I think that’s part of the mental block I have with resolutions.  I always think of goals but they’re more in general, not calendar goals.  

However, every year, I write down knitting goals just so I don’t forget some projects that need to absolutely get done.  And while I try to stick to some of the goals, my priorities change throughout the year, as does my knitting motivation.  All of this is to say that I rarely achieve my knitting goals.  Ha!

2021 Goals

Let’s recap my 2021 goals…

• Finish my first-ever knitted Christmas ornament
• Knit another Stephen West shawl
• Finish my Habitation Throw
• Read more books about knitting (leftover goal from 2020)
• Design a knitting pattern
• Knit colorwork mittens/gloves
• Knit about 10 projects

I did not finish a Christmas ornament.  In fact, every time I pick up the one I started, I get frustrated….sigh.  My reading has slowed to a snail’s pace so I only read one book related to knitting, which was Clara Parkes’ The Yarn Whisperer.  And another unachievement: I did not make any colorwork mittens/gloves.

But on to the good.  I finished another Stephen West shawl, his MKAL, Shawlography.  And I finished my Habitation Throw.  Two huge accomplishments!  I also knit more than 10 projects, but more on that in a bit. 

My biggest accomplishment was designing a sock pattern.  I have not, however, written that pattern up or done anything with it.  But the pattern exists!  

2021 Projects

2021 was my most productive knitting year so far.  And while my FO number is probably lower than most people’s, it’s a big deal for me.  

I completed 22 projects!  Here’s how they broke down:

14 pairs of socks

4 cowls

3 shawls

1 throw/blanket

2021 definitely cemented my love of sock knitting.  And what’s not to love?!  Socks are so invaluable and completely wearable.  I can even wear shortie socks in Texas in the summer! 

Of the projects listed above, 5 were gifts!  That was super fun!  I don’t have many people to knit for so it’s always a delicate matter of not knitting unwanted items.  But I think I had some good ideas last year!  

My favorite FO for 2021 was my Habitation Throw…followed closely by Shawlography.  This throw – my first completed throw ever –  was so much fun to knit and now I use it my home office on cold mornings.  

Conclusion

In my next post, I’ll talk about knitting goals for 2022.  My stash grew a lot in 2021.  Apparently I really found a lot of new dyers and yarns to like.  I won’t state numbers but I will say that my stash grew by 27% last year.  In my tiny defense, I bought a lot of yarn in November/December in preparation for gifts to knit in 2022….but more on that later.

2021 was a great knitting year and I hope 2022 is just as productive – for all of us!