#83 End of Year Review – 2020

I make my knitting plans on a calendar year. 2020 was actually only my second year of doing a plan. The first few years of knitting I mainly bounced from project to project based on what knitting class I was taking. I was learning how to knit socks with various heels and how to knit shawls and sweaters. My yarn buying was frequently based on “that’s a pretty skein” versus having a project in mind.

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by my collection of yarn skeins as well as my local knitting friends were interested in creating a year long knitting challenge. So we all developed a challenge for 2019. We even assigned points depending on the size of the project although we all agreed it wasn’t about winning the challenge, it was about creating a sense of accomplishment. That was certainly true since we never did add up points and select a winner!!

I believe all my friends have stopped doing plans but I continue as it gives me a sense of control over my knitting. I feel better when I buy yarn based on a pattern I plan to knit and then have a rough idea of when I plan to knit it. I put my plan on a calendar, not just a list of projects, so that I can be sure I have them reasonably spaced over the year. I do not feel tied to my plans – both in terms of projects and timing. That’s part of the fun; seeing what stays on and what falls off over the course of the year. Patty Lyon’s Roselle Tee has been on my plan for 2 years and is still only a maybe for 2021.

So how did I do in 2020?

☺💃Gloves/Hats – I planned to make one pair. Instead I made 3 pairs. Plus I include the Christmas stockings in this category (fast knits). So planned for 1 – made 6.

☺💃Socks – I planned to make 3 pairs (2 of them anklets) and instead made 6 pairs (1 of them anklets). I didn’t knit a pair with the Redbird Studio self striping yarn that I love, love, love. So it has moved to my 2021 plan. I have a 7th pair on the needles that will be carried over into 2021 as well.

☺Scarves/Shawls/Shrug – I planned to make 2 and I made 2. Neither were the ones I had planned!! Instead I used up excess yarn from a sweater I made to make a matching cowl. Then I made my first shrug with some cute sparkly yarn I was gifted.

☺Sweaters/Tees – always my downfall. I planned to knit 4 sweaters and instead knit 3. I did start the 4th sweater (my non-shellseeker). Plus I did finish a 2019 carryover sweater that I had barely started in 2019. So I don’t feel too bad.

😴WIPS – I had 2 including the sweater mentioned above. The sweater I finished but the second was a pair of argyle socks. I find these magic loop socks difficult to manage the color change so I want to knit them in person with my friends that have already knit them to be sure I’m doing the color changes right. So they are in hibernation until we can meet again in person.

☺ Completed. 💃 Happy Dance – more than planned

I’m feeling very good about how well I did on my plan. I really only missed on my sweaters but I feel I covered the missing sweater with the extra socks and mitts I knit. I assign points to each project (1 for mitts, 2 for socks, 3 for shawls, and 4-6 for sweaters depending on how complicated the sweater is or if it has long sleeves or tunic length. This has helped me be more realistic about how many and what type of projects to put on my plan. My 2020 plan had 42 project points. The items I finished totaled 39 points. A goal for 2021 will be to add estimated stitches for each project so that yarn thickness as well as pattern difficulty is factored in for better estimating.