Resolutions

We're a month into the new year. . .How're you doing on your resolutions for 2011?  Did you make any?  Officially I didn't.  Unofficially?  I'm in a group on Ravelry called Knitting Everest.

My goals for 2011:
Prepare and submit 4 items for publication
Weave 11 items from stash
Complete Level 2 of the Master Knitter program
Knit 11 pairs of socks
Have UFOs in single digits

If you know me in real life, you'll know I'm a pretty competitive person. I enjoy pushing the limits of my own ability and seeing how much can be accomplished by hard work and dedication.  That said, I don't compete against friends--especially with knitting and creativity.  We all come to the table with our own skill set and can all stand to improve our abilities.  That's what I think is so amazing about knitting in general.  Every time I turn around I see someone "unventing" a new technique or way to accomplish something, or someone else challenging themselves to move to the next set of skills.  But holding each other accountable to achieve what we set out to?  Two or more friends pushing each other to their goals?  I'm all over that!

In 2008 I participated in Summer of Socks to see how many pair of adult socks I could knit from the end of June to the beginning of September, in 2009 I tried to knit twelve adult sweaters in a year, in 2010 I was a slacker without any real goals.  I taught classes, went to camp and the BSKG retreat, knitted samples for PK, and mostly knit from stash, but overall, I was somewhat aimless.

The Everest group is a pretty quiet one. . .and I'm not really sure why.  Do knitters set goals and then abandon them? I don't think so, given the amount of finished objects are posted in Ravelry and on blogs all over the internet. . .

So on this last day of January 2011, I'm asking you to put it out there in writing. . .what are your goals for the next few months?  As a special ed teacher we constantly write new goals and objectives for our students.  As you consider your crafting goals make sure you write S.M.A.R.T. goals for yourself.  And post them somewhere for reference.  What is a S.M.A.R.T. goal?  I'm so glad you asked!

S.M.A.R.T. goals are this:

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Results oriented
Time bound

To say you'll knit from stash?  not so SMART. . .How much stash?  When will you know you've achieved it?  When do you want to have achieved it?

To say you'll knit all of your stash?  is that SMART?  can you actually achieve that worthy pursuit?  Will you really stay on a yarn diet for as long as you hope to?

What is your SMART goal for the year, or for the next few months?  I hope you'll consider posting it in the comments so that I know that as I push my own creativity to the next level you'll be beside me pushing yourself too.  What great knitters we'll be if we keep on learning. . .one stitch at a time.

I have a few submission deadlines looming. . .so I'll be working on proposals for the next month, and have plans to move a loom to the basement to begin my weaving practice.  Here's to two completed and submitted proposals and two finished woven objects by the end of February!