Back when I was writing about my need to declutter, I really meant it, this is just an example of what I’m dealing with. I spent my weekend cleaning everything (except the furniture) out of my room. All the fiber, yarn, CDs, books, DVDs, fabric, beading stuff, everything is now in my spare bedroom, waiting for me to sort it all out. It’s a start. Today I cleaned out my closet and got rid of about three quareters of my clothes, enough to fill five trash bags. I still have to go though my CDs, DVDs and books but that can all wait until later.
It feels so good to get rid of this stuff. Going through my closet today was like getting rid of some else’s clothes, it had been so long since I had worn most of it that it didn’t even feel like my clothes anymore. I kept a few shirts and some pants that I should get rid of so I’m going to go through my closet again in about six months and get rid of more stuff. I had to be brutal, even if I liked something, if I hadn’t worn it in a year or if it didn’t fit- it was gone.
I can’t wait to take on everything else, it feels like a weight has been taken off my shoulders.
Here it is, everything I knit (at least what I finished) in 2008, excluding my work projects since I can’t show all of them. Total in this image is 23, I also knit five projects for KnitPicks and a few of those had multiple items. After looking back at my projects from last year I don’t really think I need any more hats or scarves but I would like some sweaters. And I’m very happy that almost half of my knitting last year was with my handspun, I’d like more of that this year.
My little New Year’s Eve treat, some Tortuga Mango rum with a little orange juice, it’s yummy. I’m home alone tonight which is depressing but I’ll live. I’ll have my one mixed drink and then some cheese cake and that will be good enough.
This is also my last picture for Project365. I didn’t quite make my goal of a photo a day, I missed around ten, but that’s pretty good, better than I expected. I don’t think I’ll do it again, even though I’ll miss it, but I do think I’ll do some once a week project, maybe a self portrait a week or something. I’ll think about it this weekend.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about the coming year and some things I want to accomplish. I never make resolutions because I get bored with them and give up but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making a few realistic goals. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about:
I need to declutter on so many (not just physical) levels. I have to work through some of my personality self-esteemy issues and I really need to clean out my (physical, bedroom) closet. I have a ton of clothes that will be going to Goodwill and a bunch of crap that I need to just pitch. I’m a terrible packrat and I have to stop it, this stuff is weighing me down (in a spiritual and physical way).
I need to get back in the habit of working out again and not in the obsessive beat myself up way that I did in 2007. I’ve been feeling really tired and sluggish and I know that getting back in to either walking or running (I’d love to try out the couch to 5k thing but I don’t know if my injured foot can handle that right now) and doing yoga again. I haven’t had any time for exercising regularly since mid-October and I miss it. My weight has been creeping back up but that really doesn’t bother me, I don’t care, I’ll always be fat but I’m starting to feel out of shape and my muscles are tight and that I can work on.
Get better at the ukulele. This is just something to give me a break from all the knitting that I’ve been doing for work. I’ll be ordering my new uke in a few weeks and I’d really like to be able to play good enough that I feel comfortable playing in front of people.
Get a loom and weave. I’ve had plans to get a rigid heddle loom for years and I’m doing it this year. I need to branch out some, explore some other avenues with my crafting, especially since I’ve started knitting as a job. I love knitting for KnitPicks but sometimes after knitting on a project for them all day I want to do something else for myself. Weaving seems like a good break and it will give me something else to do with my handspun.
Spin more. Make another quilt. Knit a fair isle sweater, something I’ve wanted to do for a long time but haven’t. Block Irtfa’a. Do more comissioned knitting. Look in to going back to school.
That seems like a managable set of goals. I’m working on most of it already, so I guess I just need to keep at it a little more. I really want this to be a good year, a year where things actually start looking up instead of more of the same.
Would you look at that, I’ve actually been knitting. The body of my sweater is finally done! I can’t say how excited I am to have hit this little milestone, mainly because it’s taken so long to get here. I’m mostly a process knitter, I knit because I like to knit, I don’t really care what the end product is (for the most part), which is why I love knitting for KnitPicks. But I’m also an impatient knitter and I like it when things are done fast and this sweater has been on the needles since October which is entirely too long. The yoke was fun to knit, I liked all the irregularities in the yarn and knitting with your own handspun is always a treat and to move to that boring stockinette in the round body was kind of a letdown and very monotonous. But all sixteen inches (at 46-ish inches around, I can’t remember how big I made it) are done and I just need to work up the motivation and find the time for the sleeves. I had originally planned on knitting the sleeves straight with no shaping but I’ve decided to do a little shaping instead, I don’t think I’d like the bigger cuffs.
I’ve had my work knitting (which is just about done) to keep my busy but I did take some time Monday to weave up a couple squares and make a little pouch for my camera filters (a circular polarizer and a UV filter). I used my four inch Weave-It loom and some KnitPicks Comfy, a cotton/acrylic blend that is very smooth, soft and drapey. I just wove two squares and sewed them together and I think I’ll use a button and loop closure or some velcro to keep it closed. This was a quick little project, it took just a couple hours from start to finish (with a lot of distractions) and used barely any yarn.
Here’s the start of my big project, spinning for my mom’s scarf. This is still the Rambouillet/Llama blend, natural colored, and the first of three bobbins. I have about half of my second bobbin full now and I’m getting ready to do some more spinning now. I think the yarn is going to turn out a little thicker than I wanted, which is fine, and I’m happy with how consistent and even my spinning is considering how long it’s been since I’ve done any spinning.
As soon as I get paid for my last KnitPicks project I’m going to buy my new ukulele. I’ve decided to go with a cheaper model to save a little money, that way if I don’t owe any taxes I’ll be able to order a loom with my saved up tax money (or I can be sensible and save that money towards next year’s taxes).
That’s it for the year! Have a happy and safe new year everyone!
Here’s my favorite non-traditional Christmas song, Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.
This song reminds me of the winter of 2000, right around Christmas. I was snowed in, we got 18 or 19 inches but it drifted up to around three feet in my road and a friend got stuck at my house. We spent a week or so snowed in, playing the original Sims, drinking cheap bourbon and listening to the Pogues all day. I miss those days. 2001 was a terrible year for me but that little bit, right at the end of 2000, was as close to a perfect time as I think I’ll ever have.
Marlana is bagging up over half my clothes to give away. Going to do this again in 6 mo. and get rid of the stuff I couldn't stand to part with. January 5, 2009
Marlana is having a busy day. Need to eat some lunch and then tackle the Closet of Doom. January 5, 2009
Marlana is choosing my paint colors. Narrowed down to a pinky copper or an orange gold. Leaning toward the copper. January 4, 2009
Marlana is done cleaning for the day. My room is empty. Next thing I tackle is the closet. January 4, 2009
Marlana is cleaning out my bedroom. I've cleared every flat surface and now starting the closet. Need to decide what color I'm painting the walls. January 4, 2009
