Taking my sweet time wrapping up 2009

Posted on | January 24, 2010 | 12 Comments

Though there don’t seem to be many finished projects to show for it, 2009 was a pretty wonderful knitting year for me.

Some of these became finished objects, some of them are still on the needles. But I enjoyed the process of each one and so I’m including some of those shots too – a knitting year is more than the sum of it’s FOs, no? I think even if pigs fly and I ever have a plethora of finished items at years end, I would still be as inclined to dwell on the time spent making. The final product to me is the moment of completion – the satisfaction or disappointment, and after that of course the use of the item in wearing – or the giving/sending to someone else, whatever destination it should have… But the building or creation is action, and takes up real space of it’s own. Favorite handknits become such a part of my everyday life that I generally don’t associate the wearing with particular days. I do sometimes remember that I was wearing *that* sweater for a specific event, but more so when I’m wearing it I always remember the time and space and events of the making of the thing, and I’m very attached to that. The finished fabric itself is just a piece of the whole life of a project. Does this make me one of those “process” knitters I read about? (I’ll go ahead and apply that to my life too, thanks!) I envy the productivity of the knitters who knit a slew of beautiful things every year (and can fill a gorgeous mosaic with their creations, such beautiful stuff!) and I always love a finished project reveal. But I have a feeling that I’ll always be a rather slow knitter, and that I’ll always have this attachment to the act of the knitting itself… I suppose if you were here for the FO’s, well… you just wouldn’t be!

I learned so much last year, saw my first design in print media, knit my favorite project so far and sweated through the process of writing a pattern to go with it. I knit to keep my hands busy, I knit on the way to New Orleans and to California. I knit for a challenge and creative exercise, to finish what I started. I knit to show I cared, I knit when I needed distraction, and when I needed warmth. And in between and during the knitting, there was a whole lot of life going on:

Life, and music, new places and hiking, and friends new and old… chance encounters with creative folks that turned into pretty cool things… working hard and eating well and trying to keep some balance… downsizing, cutting expenses, saying goodbye. Spending time with family. It was the year we finally took control of our situation and it was both a hard and a great year.

As for the year to come, there are a couple specific goals we’re working toward, but other than that I’m just keeping my focus on our general direction – Simplify, Health [Food, Exercise, Vigilance] and Happiness, The Future. I’ve been thinking a lot about the things that I value and plan to pursue now and down the road, and how to find ways to combine or include them over time. Living lightly. Travel. Fiber Culture. Service. Hiking/Being outdoors. Health (personal and planet). Promoting understanding, and developing it myself – I really have been exposed to very little outside the realm of my everyday and I’m actively seeking to change that.

I did somewhat tempestuously begin a year in pictures project, so I guess that could be considered a resolution of sorts. I’ve been toying with the idea for a couple years now inspired by Flickr and blog friends, and encouraged by some truly awesome Flickr peeps and my frustration over the lack of documentation of such a momentous last year, I decided to give it a whirl. You can find it here if you are so inclined.

I make no promises as to how far I’ll get – I seem to keep publicly declaring this on Flickr and otherwise – and I truly don’t mean to be self-defeating, I just don’t want to give myself a big ‘ol hard time about it if I should happen to find that I can’t follow through for any reason. That said, I’m trying very hard. And I haven’t missed a day yet. Only 343 more to go (I started on Jan 2 – not intentional, but I do kind of like the thought of ending the project on January 1 of NEXT year. If I make it. How many more times can I say that? Ugh!)

And back to the knitting, yes! I would like to begin to incorporate more of the “useful” in my knitting by making some things that we need – dishcloths and mittens, socks, etc. It seems I’m usually too wrapped up in a”big” project to take some time out to knit something quick and useful and satisfying – like I did with my Thorpe just before our trip north for the holidays – I really needed a warm hat, and I was so glad I did that! We’ll see – I don’t expect my knitting productivity to explode anytime soon, but I will make an effort in this area. Other than that, I have not made any knitting goals – I have plenty of very satisfying projects already in progress or on deck, and I’m quite happy with that.

And with that… It’s nearly February – I’m ready to get on with 2010 already! Happy new year – again!

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Now playing: Dawn Landes – Who Are You
via FoxyTunes

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