New Year Plans

Blog land appears to be full of people talking about their New Year's resolutions, or intentions, or all sorts of other things. I think I will stick with plans, and make a list because I like making lists. In fact, quite often when I write a list I stick on a few things that I have already done, or nearly done, just because crossing stuff off a list is so much fun!

• Finish my PhD, this was on last year's list, but this time I actually really really have to get it done. By the end of September. Otherwise the World ends. True story.
• Master colourwork. I have tried before, it was ok. It will be better because I am not starting on socks this time.
• Knit using stash yarn. I am not making any yarn purchase embargo type thing this year, but I do want to use some of what I have. Especially the yarns with a project in mind.
• Knit with my handspun, because it is too pretty to sit in a box not being used.
• Spin enough for a big project, either a blanket or a sweater. This might be my Tour de Fleece challenge.
• Make a blanket, oooh, that ties in nicely with the last one ;)
• I have a few specific projects planned, with the yarn for each all ready. Some slippers, Brandywine shawl and Endpaper mitts are top of the list.
• Write up some patterns, I have ideas, some notes and even some yarn.
• Add more to my sock yarn blanket. I have made progress, which will be shared soon. I may go back to the one a day method.
• Keep working on my Year of Projects yarn. progress on this to be shared next week too.
• Not join any mad year long KALs :D

And because I hate to post a picturesless post, a big thumbs up for Plans and Lists

Actually, that is one of the patterns to be written up. The recipient's Mum refused to believe they had been hand knit, mwah ha ha ha ha!

Year of projects- The post in which the plans are made public

The challenge:
I quite enjoy taking part in group challenges and projects through Ravelry, the A-Z sock challenge this year is a lot of fun. I do like to pick my own patterns though rather than follow a specific knit along type thing. Therefore I have an annoucement to make:

I have joined a Ravelry group called Come-blog-along (that sounds a bit like I have just confessed to joining a cult!). It is based on the idea of picking a book of patterns and working through it in a year, blogging about it as you go. Exept you can choose your patterns any way you like, a whole book, or part of one, or just a set of patterns you want to make based on any criteria you set.

For this I blame Tink, I found the group through her blog and thought "that's a good idea".

The pattern choices are being posted on the 1st of July (that's today, hurrah!), but other than that there are not any actual rules.

Choosing patterns left me a little stumped, I never like every pattern in a book, so I decided to choose based on some stash instead.

The yarn:
I was gifted with four of these-

That makes 2kg of aran weight, 100% wool, undyed yarn. It says it is machine washable, but not that it is superwash, so I will have to do a test at some point. It is not too scratchy, jumperable, but not really next to skin soft.

I did a search of the Ravelry pattern database using the terms, aran, knitting, free and have made a list of everything I fancied from what came up. I am going to work my way through, mostly in no particular order until the yarn is gone and I have a pile of knitted goodies. If I get there before the end of the year I will think of something else.

The patterns:

The Hemlock ring blanket, Jared Flood. I am starting with this one and going to make it from one ball to get a continuous yarn length since I don't fancy joining skeins mid lace pattern. I might dye it afterwards and am not yet decided if I should unwind an entire ball to check for knots. The pattern is actually for worsted weight but I don't see why it wouldn't work in aran.

Mr Greenjeans, Amy Swenson. This will probably be the second project. I think it will take an entire ball. It has been in my queue for ages so I decided to add it when I came to the conclusion the yarn is soft enough. I am going to dye the yarn for this one before I knit it so need to decide on a colour.

That is two balls down on projects I am definitely making, the rest will use less than a ball each and I will pick and choose which I fancy as I go.

Stirling Cloche, Cirilia Rose. Only if the yarn felts, I suspect this will be a gift as I look like a muppet in all hats (muppet as in stupid, not actually like a muppet).

Lanesplitter, Tina Whitmore. Not sure about this choice but it is a maybe. The pattern looks great but not sure it would look so great on me. A good cahnce to try some strpey syeing though.

Hoot water bottle cozy, Robyn Wade. Good for gifting, smallish amount of yarn. Might do this in undyed.

Vernal Verde Vest by Ammie Cannon. Cute, but I am undecided if the yarn is soft enough, plus it will need to pass the machine wash test.

Oisin Owl, Pauline Gallagher. Cute, need I say more!

Grebo, Atelier Alfa. This one would use quite a bit of yarn so is quite low down the list. Like the pattern though so it might be one for a different yarn.

Child's play crown, Juile Hunter. Speedy gift for small family members and good for using tiny yarn amounts.

Cascade Christmas Stocking (W104), Marji LaFreniere. If I am in the mood for colourwork (and possibly If I am feeling a tad insane).  

Little seedling soaker, Christine Blyden. Pattern is designed for worsted but bigger needles and yarn would slightly upsize it. Might need to edge with a softer yarn to be sure of no scratchiness.

Stripey Noro messenger bag, Deborah Cooke. Only if the yarn will felt, super patttern, messenger bags are my favourite type of bag.

Clair de Lune, Alice Nissim. Because who doesn't want a hat that means they can run around pretending to be a dictator type/ship captain?! Another that needs felting.

The work it out as you go vest, Jacki Kelly. Workwear for entering the real world (sigh).

All you need- a classic, London Leo. Hot water bottle cover, more gifting.

Soap sweater by Cynthia Hall. I don't quite understand these (I get the principle but am a little lost on the why), but they use tiny amounts of yarn and can be gifted.

Irish Wellington socks, Aileen Cahill. I sort of fancy knitting some knee high socks, but get bored making regular sized socks so am not working and extra 2' in 4 ply. Enter lazy knitter solution- thick yarn!

I suspect I will not get through the list before the yarn runs out. I might not get through the yarn before the time runs out either, but that is ok too. I have lots of other things to keep the knitting variety too, like the second half of the A-Z sock challenge, the tour de fleece and scrap downs. I am going to try to pick a specific day for my year of projects posts, it might be every other Sunday.

Looks like a busy year, but I do love having targets and plans :D