2011: What I did do!

Looking at that last post, my track record for meeting goals wasn’t that hot.

I think, sometimes, we need to distinguish between what sounds good & what we really, really want to do.

If I really, really wanted to weave, I’d find someone to help me refurbish the Pup and get at least one or two lessons to get me familiar & started.  I’d do it before the tail end of January, because at around the time of TNNA, things are going to get crazy.  (Or, I suppose, more realistically, I could wait til the end of February, after Madrona & after Stitches West — but still get this all set up.)

If I really, really wanted to spin, well, I’d just do it.  Maybe keep the trindle close by (i.e. not up on a shelf) with the fiber samples I’ve kept from when I was getting those fun Phat Fiber boxes.  Dust the wheel off, oil it as needed, and spin for 10 minutes or so a day til I feel I’m producing something I’m happy with (and then go on to my hoarded fiber).

And the small cooking goals?  Right out the window.  I don’t eat dried beans often enough for that to be a priority.  Now, the bread…well, the bread machine may or may not be working.  We’ve been afraid to try it after water leaked out of the ‘bowl’ and into the oven section and from there into the bowels of the machined and after smoke began emitting from it.  It’s all dried out now, so should be okay, but….If it’s not working, making bread goes up higher on the list but for real this time.

I consider my stash management over the last year a success.  This one’s easier for me, because cutting back on purchases in general fits within my day to day philosophy.  I gifted some skeins, bartered with some others, and added only a couple that aren’t design-related.

I did start sewing — granted, at the very end of the year, but as noted in the previous post, I actually did finish a project.  (Yes, starting this hobby goes counter to the cutting back on purchases idea.  I fully acknowledge that.)

Design-wise, I feel 2011 was a success.  I’m not where (no where near!) I’d like to be financially, but slowly I feel like my designs are being noticed.  I had designs published with Sanguine Gryphon (one of my favorite designs ever, Simone), with Knitcircus (Elise, Cinnamon Bay, and Lupine Mitts), and the Icelandic Knitter (Ravens in Snow).  I also self published the Zylphia Cowl.

And…I have the book!  California Revival Knits took over in about April 2011.

I’d originally planned on it being a small self-published collection, available as both an ebook and a printed booklet.  I then thought ‘what if?’ and did up a proposal that I sent in to Shannon Okey at Cooperative Press.  She loved the idea, I foolishly promised I could have everything done by Vogue Knitting Live LA, and that was it!

I personally knit 8 of the items (both sweaters, Peacock mitts, Peacock Cowl, pillow, etc), and one each of some of the other patterns.  My wonderful sample knitters Elle (Fringe socks, the final pair of the Wrought mitts, the final pair of both of the Quatrefoil mitts, and the Stairsteps Tam) and Jamie (Wrought socks, Wrought hat, Bijou version of the Undersea Garden Cowl) knit their fingers off as well.  There’s no way I could’ve gotten everything done in the time frame we did manage (most done by VK Live) without them.

I traveled a lot more this past year.  I went to winter TNNA (well, Long Beach, so I was driving back & forth daily).  I went to Madrona for the first time. I went to Sock Summit.  I went to Stitches Midwest.  Finally, I went to my first Rhinebeck (and hung out with fellow  Cooperative Press authors, which was JUST SO AWESOME). I met a ton of people in person I’d only met online before (finally got to meet Jaala of Knitcircus!).  I met a ton of people, yarnies, who’d heard of me (!!!!) and liked my designs (still bemused by that).

I taught a couple classes at the Knitting Nest in Austin (Stacey, the owner, is an absolute doll) at the end of the year.

I visited a plethora of other wonderful LYSs this past year:  (in no particular order)  Ranch Dog Knitting in Atascadero, CA; Yarns at the Adobe in SLO, CA; Old Oaks Ranch in Wimberley, TX; Serial Knitters in Kirkland, WA; Knit Purl and Urban Fiber in Portland, OR; Hill Country Weavers in Austin, TX; Knit and Pearl in Santa Barbara;  Strands Knitting Studio in San Clemente, CA; Wild Fiber in Santa Monica, CA; and the Black Sheep in Encinitas, CA.

I also continued tech editing, both for Knitcircus and for individual indie designers.  I had to cut back a bit while the crunch was really on for the book, but am doing more again.

Overall, it was a hectic, busy, crazy year!