2015 seemed to fly by and I think I'm a little in denial that it's the 6th of January all ready.
Never the less, it's that time of year where I reflect and think about what I want to achieve in the coming year.
My goals for 2015 were:
1. Get back into sewing - I didn't get a needle roll made as I had planned but I did make a few envelope pouches and Christmas baubles, and I'm happy with how my back stitch, whip stitch and blanket stitch turned out.
2. Carry on improving my photography skills - I'm definitely happier with a lot of my photos which was my aim, and I feel like I understand the technical aspects a lot better.
3. Knit a pair of toe-up socks - done! (Owl Socks) I'm definitely a convert.
4. Graduate - With Distinction! (More on that later)
5. Practise spinning - I did a little but not as much as I would have liked.
6. Work with beads - again I did a little but not the full projects worth I had planned. I'm aiming to get that project finished this year.
7. Comment and interact more - Whoops? It's been a quiet year all round for a variety of reasons but I plan on this year being better.
8. Manage my time better - I'm happier with my levels of faffing about being lower which is what I was aiming for.
9. End the year lighter and fitter -
I'm definitely fitter but not lighter. I'm happy with my progress for the most part though so I'm not going to beat myself up about it.
10. Finish the original fiction piece
- not by a long shot but I did add more words to it as well as add an additional thread that improves it.
Some of my goals for 2016 are similar:
1. Finish the novel - the first draft at least.
2. Spin more - if I finish the year with one complete skein I'll be happy
3. Sew a garment - ideally, I've got my eye on a pair of pyjama bottoms but anything will make me happy.
4. Practise embroidery - I've been bitten by the stitching bug and I'd like to at least be able to do french knots and satin stitch to expand my ability to decorate fabric.
5. Knit more patterns in queue and stash - I have a lot of yarns paired with patterns ready to be knitted up, I just need to actually knit them now. If I can cross four patterns off my list I'll be happy.
6. Blog more - I really missed blogging and all the interaction of social media last year so I'm very eager to get back to it.
7. Reach target weight - I've made a promise to myself that this year I am finally going to reach this. In part it will involve getting fitter but by and large it's mostly down to me eating better and making better choices.
A lot of people have being picking one word intentions for the year, and I've settled on 'Believe' for mine. Believe in myself, my abilities and that I am actually capable of reaching for and getting what I want.
Which brings me onto possibly the hardest goals for 2016, the ones the really require me to believe.
8. Apply for PhD funding - I'm really excited about the topic and a lot of people around me have been very encouraging, I just need to take a deep breath and believe that I can actually do it rather than let my fear take over.
9. Submit paper - My
supervisor from my dissertation wants to get it published so I need to work on editing it down to article size before sending out it to a journal. Again, I've realised that part of what is holding me back is my self-esteem and the worry that it's not good enough.
10. Write a shawl pattern
- I've got a shawl or two that's been in my head for a couple of years
that I would like to finally translate to paper and yarn even if it's
just for myself.
Here's to a good 2016!
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
This way, that way, forwards and backwards
Happy New Year!
I can't believe it's the sixth of January already, and that my last post was in September. I'm loving my course, but it's a huge effort for me and everything else has sort of fallen by the wayside.
This is pretty much how I've spent my time when I haven't been in classes:
I'd like to say that is going to change this semester but it's probably not.
However, I managed to take a couple of weeks off from uni, and I've emerged from my knitting nest long enough to reflect and think about the coming year (well, that and I couldn't resist the Singing Kettle reference) before I start studying again in earnest.
At the beginning of 2014 I had seven specific goals:
1. Knit a pair of socks - done!
2. Knit something with fair isle - also done! Well, all bar the photos but that can wait a day or two.
3. Knit one of the jumpers I have everything for - I'm mostly done on the simple jumper so I'm counting that as a win.
4. Move beyond chain stitch in crochet - facecloths, blanket motifs, snowflakes and mini stockings all achieved to I'm definitely calling this one done!
5. Improve my photography skills - I've been reading a lot of photography posts and books, and I definitely feel like I understand a lot of the concepts more. I'm not entirely sure it has transferred across in physical skill yet, but then it was kind of a vague goal to start with.
6. Learn to Spin yarn - I took a workshop and read up a little so it doesn't seem so overwhelming a topic, but I would have liked to have practised more on my own.
7. Write more - I definitely wrote a lot more original fiction in 2014, and though I'm not ready to share it, I'm happy with the progress that I made.
Overall, between reaching most of my goals and finally making the decision to go back to uni, it's been a better year than the previous couple and I'm hoping the trend continues.
Looking forward, by the end of 2015 I would like to:
1. Get back into sewing - I did a little when I was younger and it's definitely a skill I want to improve on. I think my first project is going to be a needle roll for my DPN's.
2. Carry on improving my photography skills - I'm going to give this a more concrete goal of being happy with the majority of my photos by the end of the year.
3. Knit a pair of toe-up socks - I think I've been bitten by the sock bug, and I've love to try this technique.
4. Graduate - I think this one is fairly self explanatory!
5. Practise spinning - I have some lovely fibre calling to me from my stash that I would love to use.
6. Work with beads - ideally I would to work with them in both knitting and with wire, but I will settle for one of them.
7. Comment and interact more - I definitely have a tendency to lurk given half the chance and I would like to change that.
8. Manage my time better - ie less time spent faffing about. Again it's a bit vague, but if I can look back at the end of the year and be happy with my balance of time spent productively, than I'll consider it a win.
9. End the year lighter and fitter - I've been attending Scottish Slimmers for a while now, and getting down to my target weight is certainly doable by the end of the year.
10. Finish the original fiction piece - it's sort of fallen by the wayside with all the coursework, but I'm still excited by it, and even if I never show it to anyone, I would like to get at least the first draft finished this year.
I can't believe it's the sixth of January already, and that my last post was in September. I'm loving my course, but it's a huge effort for me and everything else has sort of fallen by the wayside.
This is pretty much how I've spent my time when I haven't been in classes:
I'd like to say that is going to change this semester but it's probably not.
However, I managed to take a couple of weeks off from uni, and I've emerged from my knitting nest long enough to reflect and think about the coming year (well, that and I couldn't resist the Singing Kettle reference) before I start studying again in earnest.
At the beginning of 2014 I had seven specific goals:
1. Knit a pair of socks - done!
2. Knit something with fair isle - also done! Well, all bar the photos but that can wait a day or two.
3. Knit one of the jumpers I have everything for - I'm mostly done on the simple jumper so I'm counting that as a win.
4. Move beyond chain stitch in crochet - facecloths, blanket motifs, snowflakes and mini stockings all achieved to I'm definitely calling this one done!
5. Improve my photography skills - I've been reading a lot of photography posts and books, and I definitely feel like I understand a lot of the concepts more. I'm not entirely sure it has transferred across in physical skill yet, but then it was kind of a vague goal to start with.
6. Learn to Spin yarn - I took a workshop and read up a little so it doesn't seem so overwhelming a topic, but I would have liked to have practised more on my own.
7. Write more - I definitely wrote a lot more original fiction in 2014, and though I'm not ready to share it, I'm happy with the progress that I made.
Overall, between reaching most of my goals and finally making the decision to go back to uni, it's been a better year than the previous couple and I'm hoping the trend continues.
Looking forward, by the end of 2015 I would like to:
1. Get back into sewing - I did a little when I was younger and it's definitely a skill I want to improve on. I think my first project is going to be a needle roll for my DPN's.
2. Carry on improving my photography skills - I'm going to give this a more concrete goal of being happy with the majority of my photos by the end of the year.
3. Knit a pair of toe-up socks - I think I've been bitten by the sock bug, and I've love to try this technique.
4. Graduate - I think this one is fairly self explanatory!
5. Practise spinning - I have some lovely fibre calling to me from my stash that I would love to use.
6. Work with beads - ideally I would to work with them in both knitting and with wire, but I will settle for one of them.
7. Comment and interact more - I definitely have a tendency to lurk given half the chance and I would like to change that.
8. Manage my time better - ie less time spent faffing about. Again it's a bit vague, but if I can look back at the end of the year and be happy with my balance of time spent productively, than I'll consider it a win.
9. End the year lighter and fitter - I've been attending Scottish Slimmers for a while now, and getting down to my target weight is certainly doable by the end of the year.
10. Finish the original fiction piece - it's sort of fallen by the wayside with all the coursework, but I'm still excited by it, and even if I never show it to anyone, I would like to get at least the first draft finished this year.
Thursday, 2 January 2014
2014!
2013 was a bit of a funny year for me healthwise which impacted everything, but I ended it better than I began it so I'm fairly happy.
I'm hoping 2014 is going to be a good year, and I started it how I mean to go on: feeling well, surrounded by family, talking to friends, and knitting in a house that's clean and relatively tidy.
I always like to set goals ahead so I have something to reach for (resolutions don't work for me).This year, I have the usual year long goals of being lighter, stronger and fitter at the end of 2014 than at the start as well as more specific ones.
1. Knit a pair of socks. It's been on my to do list for ages, but I just don't seem to have managed to get around to them yet.
2. Knit something with fair isle. Ditto.
3. Knit one of the jumpers I have everything for (probably Owls). Ditto.
4. Move beyond chain stitch in crochet.
5. Improve my photography skills, especially when it comes to taking photographs of my knitting.
6. Learn to Spin yarn. I've had a lovely kit from HilltopCloud sitting beside me for a couple of months now, and I would like to do more than just stroke it, lovely though it is.
7. Write more. I'm not going to be more specific here as I've found that doesn't work for me. As long as I write a little something most days, I will be happy.
So onwards and upwards!
I'm hoping 2014 is going to be a good year, and I started it how I mean to go on: feeling well, surrounded by family, talking to friends, and knitting in a house that's clean and relatively tidy.
I always like to set goals ahead so I have something to reach for (resolutions don't work for me).This year, I have the usual year long goals of being lighter, stronger and fitter at the end of 2014 than at the start as well as more specific ones.
1. Knit a pair of socks. It's been on my to do list for ages, but I just don't seem to have managed to get around to them yet.
2. Knit something with fair isle. Ditto.
3. Knit one of the jumpers I have everything for (probably Owls). Ditto.
4. Move beyond chain stitch in crochet.
5. Improve my photography skills, especially when it comes to taking photographs of my knitting.
6. Learn to Spin yarn. I've had a lovely kit from HilltopCloud sitting beside me for a couple of months now, and I would like to do more than just stroke it, lovely though it is.
7. Write more. I'm not going to be more specific here as I've found that doesn't work for me. As long as I write a little something most days, I will be happy.
So onwards and upwards!
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