Goals need to be quite specific to actually be workable.  I’ve touched on this in the previous posts, but to summarize, for a successful goal you need to:

  • Be specific.
  • Identify measurable, attainable steps.
  • Set a timeline.
  • Periodically reassess (more than just yearly, lol!) & update

Here’s an example.

‘Spinning more’ is not really a good goal. ‘Spinning 10 minutes daily after dinner’ is better — it includes a duration and time of action.  But I think it’d be better to give even more specific parameters — what fiber to use?  learn different draws?  etc.

Then I should look at what I really want to accomplish with my spinning — which is, actually, to create yarn that meets my standards from some of the nice fleeces I have.

All of a sudden I have a lot more to think on.  That spinning 10 min per day is really to get me more comfortable with spinning, my wheel, etc.

At some point I need to really learn how to reliably create a certain type of yarn.  I need to learn how to ply efficiently & well.

At this point, I should start brainstorming for all the steps I need to take to attain the skills I need to accomplish this, and set a time frame for each.

Do I need to find a teacher?  take a class? If yes, find a teacher & set up an appointment.  Find a class & enroll.  Find some good youtube videos if nothing else!

Finally, I need to check in on this weekly.  Any longer, and if I’m not keeping up, I’ll keep postponing things.

And, um, for right now, the above is just an example.  I think I’m going to just keep spinning at picking up the Trindle ever so often.  No stress, no expectations, no plans.

So….

Nonknitting-but-still-crafty Goal

I’m going to have one main non-knitting goal this year:  Sewing!  I want to learn to sew this year.

(See, I can rein in my overachieving tendencies. Hah.)

Applying the above:  what do I specifically want to accomplish?  I want to learn a variety of skills through accomplishing several specific projects (still need to come up with the specifics on the skills, but I’m thinking things like darts, zippers, different ways of seaming, adapting patterns to fit me, and so on).

I’ve already made some pillows for Mel, via the Sewing Studio Craftsy class.

I want to make at least one skirt, one dress, and one blouse (some of the dresses either have blouse options or cute bodices that can become blouses), and a quilt.

I’ve signed up for the free block of the month club at Craftsy. For Christmas, Rosemary got us two reference books on sewing: The Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing & the Singer book.  I’ve scouted out and purchased patterns for a skirt and a couple dresses.

I have fabric for the skirt, a dress & a blouse;  fabric for my mom’s pillow; and fabric for the first block I’m going to do.

(Dave is going to work on the quilt with me; he wants to learn to do some t-shirt quilts down the road.)

What I still need to do is figure out, hmm, when.  I’d like to have the skirt in time to wear to TNNA (that’s in a couple weeks).  I’d like to finish the first quilt block by then.  I think that at least the square is possible, and I can extend the timeframe on the skirt to, say, Madrona.  The fabric for the skirt, by the way, is this gorgeous red and cream and aqua and brown and black paisley. I already have a couple outfits planned.