Wanting What You've Got, Finding Joy in My Stash!

Episode 3: Wanting What You've Got, Finding Joy in my Stash

Hello and welcome back to Episode 3 of The Stitch Goddess podcast.

You can find me on Ravelry and Instagram as elissapack.

I wanted to spend some time talking about my 2018 Challenge, which I've mentioned a few times now. Settle in with a cup of your favorite tea!

It all started about a year ago with a Winter UFO Challenge at my local yarn shop, Atomic Fibers. I never knew what a UFO was - unfinished object...I just figured that my old works in progress were simply in their geriatric years... But, the UFO challenge really inspired me to make a list of current works in progress, or projects where I had everything I needed to finish. I think the most important lesson I learned was that, when I'm tempted to procrastinate on a project...(ahem... I'm looking at you, second sock!), that the project went much faster than I had feared.

The challenge also really motivated me to focus more closely on one project at a time. And, I enjoyed seeing how other knitters and quilters were finishing their projects!

After a very successful follow-up Summer 2018 UFO Challenge where I completed 9 out of my 10 projects, I realized that the concept of making a list of projects really helped me be a more productive knitter. Around October 2017, I started seriously looking at my favorites on Ravelry and pairing up interesting projects with yarn that I had in my stash. It was quite an eye-opener that I could easily make 20 knitted things without needing to buy a single skein! Thus, my 2018 Knitting Challenge was born.

Below is my current list, This list is by no means written in stone, and projects are flowing back and forth from my favorites to my queue and back again!

1. Artifice Shawl by Hunter Hammersen 
2. Tacit Handwarmers by Hunter Hammersen
3. Kingston Tunic by Andrea Mowry
4. Dohne Shawl by Gretha Mensen 
5. Evenstar Shawl by Susan Pandorf 
6. Knotty Gloves by Julia Mueller
7. Hugo sweater by Veronik Avery
8. Rock Island Shawl by Jared Flood
9. Lace Body/Dress by Pernille Larsen
10. Siren Song by Louise Zass-Bangham 
11. Emerald Deep Shawl by Rosemary (Romi) Hill 
12. Birds of Happiness by Sarah Elizabeth Kellner
13. Flying North Socks by Maria Montzka
14. If a Mermaid Had Feet Socks by Abbey Morris
15. Ashby Shawl by Leila Raabe 
16. Canopy Shawl by Melody Hoffman 
17. YinYang Kitty socks by Geena Garcia
18. No Mind to Worry Socks by Jane Burns
19. Dragonfly Sweater by Joji Locatelli

To my surprise, there were a large number of shawls, including an Evenstar shawl, which requires 3,000 beads. (Three. Thousand. Beads.) As I've never really worked with lace or beading, I'll be pushing that farther down on my list, with the hopes that some other projects, like the Emerald Deep Shawl, will give me a little experience on lace before I tackle the Evenstar!

The ultimate goal of my 2018 Knitting Challenge is NOT to finish all 18 projects, mindlessly knitting furiously from one project to the next, but to become a more mindful knitter, to appreciate and luxuriate in the yarn I have, and to settle into the joy and contentedness of having exactly what I need. There is something very powerful about believing that you have everything you need - not necessarily want - to keep you happy!

"It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got." ~ Sheryl Crow

Finished Objects

• Ronan Cardigan : pattern by Andrea Mowry | knit in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Homemade Jam
• Dunalastair MKAL : pattern by Michelle Stead at Crafty Flutterby Creations | knit in Unplanned Peacock Studios alpaca/merino iris/natural colors
• Lilacs for Lila Bonnet : pattern by Knitted Bliss | knit in Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK, color 50

Finished Object Archive

• Bodega Dunes Shawl : pattern by Meghan Macko | knit in A Girl and Her Dog, custom colorway from the 2017 East Tennessee Yarn Crawl 

Works in Progress

Knitting

• Artifice Shawl : pattern by Hunter Hammersen | knit in Dream in Color Jilly in Tidal colorway
• Tacit Handwarmers : pattern by Hunter Hammersen | knit in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Snake
• Lace Body/Dress : pattern by Knitting for Olive | knit in Madelinetosh Feather in Sandstorm

Enjoy and happy knitting!