In Which the Pirate Looks Back.

Day Seven: Looking Back, Looking Forward

If you took part in last year’s Knitting & Crochet Blog Week, look back on your Day Seven post. Did any of the techniques, ideas and hopes for the last 12 months that you wrote about at that time ever make it onto the hook or needles? Did anyone cast on and complete the project researched in last year’s Day 2 post?

And there is also time to look forward again: One year from now, when the 6th Knitting & Crochet Blog Week rolls around, where do you hope your crafting will have taken you to? What new skills, projects and experiences do you hope you might have conquered or tried? Do you have any wishes for your blogging that you’d like to follow?

I don’t remember why I didn’t write for Blog Week last year, but I sure did make plans! Some of them came to pass, and some of them… sadly, not so much.

I spun up more fibre (35+ ounces) than I bought (32 ounces)! But, I bought a lot more yarn than I knit. A lot. Okay, some of that can be attributed to buying a thousand-yard skein of laceweight, and some to the yarn I bought for the replacement couch blanket. I finished three pair of socks, a whole bunch of washcloths, a slouchy hat, and two scarves. Still, I want to see more yarn come out of the stash than what goes in.

One big accomplishment for me was writing and publishing a new sock pattern, Choppy Seas. I have a new design in the works already, and I’m excited to finish the knitting, take photographs, and write it up!

For the year to come… oh, I have so many things I want to do. Earlier this month when I went to Maryland Sheep and Wool, I was overwhelmed by ideas. They just came pouring in as I looked at all the yarns, fibres, samples, patterns, and especially the beautiful things that knitters and crocheters were wearing. I had more ideas in those five hours than I could possible accomplish in five years! Shawls, socks, sweaters, hats, cables, lace, texture, knitting, spinning, crocheting…

But let’s be realistic here, I have other responsibilities that keep me from spending all my time with wool. So while I might have a long list of things I want to do, they’re not so much goals with deadlines as they are a reminder to me of the fantastic ideas I get whenever I see more than three balls of yarn in the same place!

The next challenge will be the Tour de Fleece in July. I’ve set the bar pretty high, aiming to spin and ply 20 ounces of fibre in the 21 days that the Tour rides. (And go out for bike rides, too!) In moments when I’m completely honest with myself, I’m not sure that’s a realistic goal – but what have I got to lose by trying?