It's been quite a year. The list of well-known people who have shuffled off this mortal coil in 2016 is extensive, and doesn't even recognize those 'regular' folks who have passed away outside the media spotlight. Nor does it touch on the struggles and challenges of those still with us. While I'm sure it could be said other years are similar, for some reason this year seemed more rife with conflict, tragedy and violence -- Syria. Trump. Berlin. Aleppo. Putin. Fort McMurray.
I'm glad to wave a weary good-bye to 2016, but do recognize it for its positives. A dear friend was given a life-altering gift of a kidney, donated by her heroic son. My Mom celebrated her 88th birthday in good health, good spirits and with her continued quick wit. And I continue to be blessed by very dear friends who I welcome in all aspects of my life.
I'm optimistic about 2017. Not only is it a fresh start -- out with the old, and in with the new -- but it is also Canada's 150th birthday. With everything going on south of our border, I'm truly hoping this will be a significant year for our country, and for much more than celebrating its sesquicentennial. This is our year to step out of the shadows, particularly those that will continue to be cast from the south for the next four years, and shine. It's our opportunity to showcase, share and role-model what we are known for -- inclusion, diversity, innovation, peaceful, respectful -- and so much more!
Let's stand up proudly; step forward and be independently recognized for being a country who is full of incredible people with incredible stories. We are folks who are willing to support one another -- just look at Fort McMurray, or the Syrian refugees who now call Canada home. We are, for the most part, politically aware and engaged in our country's direction. We are home to natural resources -- the physical/geological kind as well as the intellectual/human kind -- and should be protective and proud of both. We are Canadian, and if ever there was a year to stand up and be proud, this is it.
Happy New Year, and Happy 150th, Canada!
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Monday, October 24, 2016
Feeling productive...
You've read about my participation in the "Will Work for Yarn" group on Ravelry, netting some wonderful knit items now in my wardrobe vs. my stash. In the interest of paying it forward, I've offered to knit some items for others as well, and this has been a wonderful experience.
A cowl and a scarf have gone to a lovely knitter in the US mid-west, and another cowl is on its way to Germany. Both have been fun knits and using yarn that I hadn't been exposed to prior to this experience. That's what's been great about this exchange -- the new patterns, yarn and people! You certainly discover quite a bit about all three....
Not all patterns are created equally. I understand the need for brevity, and an expectation (based on the level of complexity of a pattern) that not everything has to appear in print, but I found it interesting what different people view as "necessary". Viewed through a positive lens, this has made me appreciate the skill set I have, and inspired me to learn some new things. And discovering knitters are a group of compassionate and enthusiastic people is no surprise, but it is a delight every time that comes to light!! Yarns. Well, that's been interesting. These are some upscale names that lead you to believe the quality is synonymous with the brand you've heard about....so imagine my surprise when one of the yarns bled -- during blocking.
That was an eye opener for me... no issue with running when soaking pre-blocking, but the cowl (which was to be opened up to a single layer while blocking), had the burgundy yarn run/bleed into the cream coloured yarn while waiting to be blocked. Hmmmpffff! Inconvenient? Yes. Unexpected? Yes. And I refer back to my earlier comment about knitters being understanding and compassionate. I soaked as much as I could from the 'bleed', and it is faint but still there... and frustrating because this is not how I like to present my work. Sigh.
The next project was using an alpaca blend and it was delightful! This is the first opportunity I've had to use a "chained" yarn... like a little tube of knit stitches creating a yarn that is sproingy.... (there is no other word that describes it as aptly!). The pattern... fun! But there were some stitches that could have been described a little more clearly. For instance, one of the architectural features has what appears to be a slipped stitch running up through the cowl. It's created by moving the yarn in front and then slipping purl-wise the next stitch. Clear enough. But what wasn't made clear was how to handle these two loops when you are on the return row... an important piece of the puzzle if you're a beginning knitter. I figured it out, and here's the result....
So in addition to feeling rather chuffed about paying it forward, I'm also rather happy to have had a productive few weeks with these things flying off my needles in pretty quick order. I have a few more small projects coming my way, and one larger shawl (DK weight yarn). The shawl is about a quarter of the way done, so it's next on my to do list. I'll share that experience too...
A cowl and a scarf have gone to a lovely knitter in the US mid-west, and another cowl is on its way to Germany. Both have been fun knits and using yarn that I hadn't been exposed to prior to this experience. That's what's been great about this exchange -- the new patterns, yarn and people! You certainly discover quite a bit about all three....
Not all patterns are created equally. I understand the need for brevity, and an expectation (based on the level of complexity of a pattern) that not everything has to appear in print, but I found it interesting what different people view as "necessary". Viewed through a positive lens, this has made me appreciate the skill set I have, and inspired me to learn some new things. And discovering knitters are a group of compassionate and enthusiastic people is no surprise, but it is a delight every time that comes to light!! Yarns. Well, that's been interesting. These are some upscale names that lead you to believe the quality is synonymous with the brand you've heard about....so imagine my surprise when one of the yarns bled -- during blocking.
That was an eye opener for me... no issue with running when soaking pre-blocking, but the cowl (which was to be opened up to a single layer while blocking), had the burgundy yarn run/bleed into the cream coloured yarn while waiting to be blocked. Hmmmpffff! Inconvenient? Yes. Unexpected? Yes. And I refer back to my earlier comment about knitters being understanding and compassionate. I soaked as much as I could from the 'bleed', and it is faint but still there... and frustrating because this is not how I like to present my work. Sigh.
The next project was using an alpaca blend and it was delightful! This is the first opportunity I've had to use a "chained" yarn... like a little tube of knit stitches creating a yarn that is sproingy.... (there is no other word that describes it as aptly!). The pattern... fun! But there were some stitches that could have been described a little more clearly. For instance, one of the architectural features has what appears to be a slipped stitch running up through the cowl. It's created by moving the yarn in front and then slipping purl-wise the next stitch. Clear enough. But what wasn't made clear was how to handle these two loops when you are on the return row... an important piece of the puzzle if you're a beginning knitter. I figured it out, and here's the result....So in addition to feeling rather chuffed about paying it forward, I'm also rather happy to have had a productive few weeks with these things flying off my needles in pretty quick order. I have a few more small projects coming my way, and one larger shawl (DK weight yarn). The shawl is about a quarter of the way done, so it's next on my to do list. I'll share that experience too...
Tuesday, September 06, 2016
Another thing that made me go "Hmmmmm?!"
It's taken me a while to write this. The actual event that prompted my thought process happened about a month ago -- the Olympics. But even before that, there were some things that made me think about perspective. Now that those thoughts have perculated a while, here's my post...
Scene 1: Chicago
I had the good fortune to attend a conference this summer in Chicago. There were representatives from across the US and Canada in attendance who deal with public relations, and have a broad segment of the population they represent. They represent this group to a wide target audience, so there's a lot that has to be considered in their messaging. Within this group, I found the perspectives about diversity very interesting.... more specificially the Canadian/US differences in the perspctives about what is "diversity".
In my home area of southern Ontario, we experience diversity as recognizing, respecting and appreciating differences in race, culture, abilities, religion -- really, all differences. In the US, I was surprised to find a much narrower focus -- not on all aspects of diversity, but primarily on race. This came up for discussion at several workshops -- making sure there was visible representation in videos, facilitation groups specifically targetting the different racial groups, and the socio-economic differences within these racial groups.
I understand how hundreds of years of history -- more noteably the past several decades -- has shaped this perspective, but isn't diversity more than that? Should diversity be measured in more than just black and white?
Scene 2: Rio Olympics
I watched a lot of the Olympic coverage from Rio. It was wonderful to see the comraderie between athletes, the joy of the medalists, and the enthusiasm from the fans. I took great delight in the side-stories -- how the medals were made from a percentage of recycled metals, and the ribbons from recycled materials; how the water in the diving pool created a sensation -- and the back-stories of the athletes.
But what made me think of the diversity issue again was when Canada's Penny Oleksiak won her fourth Olympic medal in a tie for gold with the American swimmer Simone Manuel in the 100m freestyle. The commentators with CBC (Canada's Olympic broadcaster) had been totally focused on a different diversity angle in their coverage to that point -- specifically how Canada's medal haul had been entirely at the success of its women athletes. That didn't mean they weren't sharing the background stories of the male athletes, but it was their 'hook' on Canada's Olympic story to-date.
That was until the shared gold medal win by Simone Manuel. In an interesting side story, CBC followed up on the major storyline being pursued by the US media -- that Simone was the first black/African-American woman to win a gold medal in an individual event. Now I'm not saying the gold medal wasn't a huge accomplishment -- it was. And I'm not saying the efforts of any athlete achieving gold in an individual competition isn't worthy of recognition. What I am asking is why is it important to centre out Simone's race and/or culture to make it newsworthy?
One of the interviewees spoke to the CBC reporters and commented that socio-economic conditions of black/African-American children often don't provide opportunities to advance in competition sports, and this was a huge boon to children who would now have a role model as they pursued their dreams.
Okay. An interesting perspective. But I'm not convinced.
There are kids of all races and cultures who haven't had the financial support, or coaching -- or even family encouragement -- to pursue whatever athletic dreams they may have had. I wonder what the US media coverage would have looked like if they'd talked to the gymnasts from Ukraine and asked what their gym looks like, and what equipment they access for practice or training. I doubt there's huge financial support for them to participate in competitions leading up to the Olympics. Yet they were competing despite socio-economic advantage (or disadvantage), political turmoil and any number of other factors. Were they lauded for their accomplishments based on race? Nope.
Was there any US media headline about a potential disadvantage for the Egyptian beach volleyball women who, because of their cultural norms, had to deal with the Rio temperatures in their team uniforms that were more significant than the skimpy bathing suit attire of other countries? Nope.
Other than the pre-Olympic coverage about the Refugee Team (a brilliant move by the IOC, by the way), was there any follow-up about their successes, even if they didn't garner a podium finish? Nope.
Of course, the US media coverage of the Olympics is well known for its narrow scope. If you're not a US athlete, you don't exist. If it's a sport without a US athlete, it's not important. (note: the fiasco with Ryan Lochte's "exageration" did hijack much of the last few days of the US coverage. And by the way, I'm still wondering how you can 'exagerate' a lie?!). But even with those parameters, the headlines still were focused on Simone's race when she won gold.
So why does diversity in the US have to be so black and white?
I wonder if the CBC coverage would have been different if a gold medal had been won by one of our First People. Would the headlines have mirrored what we saw in the US? "First Nations Athlete wins medal" vs. "Canadian athlete wins". Would we have shifted our focus from the "women athletes", to single out one athlete's race or culture? Or are we more diversity-saavy than that?
There is one area where the lines will no doubt become blurred in future Olympic games. It'll be interesting to watch the Olympics in future years as the lines between gender become more blurred. I wonder what the headlines will be when a transgender athlete wins a medal. Or if that athlete is black/African-American, or First Nations, Inuit or Metis? I wonder if there will be a difference in how countries report it. Will the US continue to focus on race?
I really do hope the lines will become more blurred in future Olympics, so it won't matter what colour you are, what your religion is, or what your socio-economic status is. What matters is that sport should be accessible for all, and this opportunity exists for people from all countries to join together in competition. It should reflect the comraderie and conduct we saw in Rio, where fellow sprinters stopped to help those who had fallen, where hugs given as often as medals on the podium. It should be more than black and white ...it should be the colours in the flags of every country!
Scene 1: Chicago
I had the good fortune to attend a conference this summer in Chicago. There were representatives from across the US and Canada in attendance who deal with public relations, and have a broad segment of the population they represent. They represent this group to a wide target audience, so there's a lot that has to be considered in their messaging. Within this group, I found the perspectives about diversity very interesting.... more specificially the Canadian/US differences in the perspctives about what is "diversity".
In my home area of southern Ontario, we experience diversity as recognizing, respecting and appreciating differences in race, culture, abilities, religion -- really, all differences. In the US, I was surprised to find a much narrower focus -- not on all aspects of diversity, but primarily on race. This came up for discussion at several workshops -- making sure there was visible representation in videos, facilitation groups specifically targetting the different racial groups, and the socio-economic differences within these racial groups.
I understand how hundreds of years of history -- more noteably the past several decades -- has shaped this perspective, but isn't diversity more than that? Should diversity be measured in more than just black and white?
Scene 2: Rio Olympics
I watched a lot of the Olympic coverage from Rio. It was wonderful to see the comraderie between athletes, the joy of the medalists, and the enthusiasm from the fans. I took great delight in the side-stories -- how the medals were made from a percentage of recycled metals, and the ribbons from recycled materials; how the water in the diving pool created a sensation -- and the back-stories of the athletes.
But what made me think of the diversity issue again was when Canada's Penny Oleksiak won her fourth Olympic medal in a tie for gold with the American swimmer Simone Manuel in the 100m freestyle. The commentators with CBC (Canada's Olympic broadcaster) had been totally focused on a different diversity angle in their coverage to that point -- specifically how Canada's medal haul had been entirely at the success of its women athletes. That didn't mean they weren't sharing the background stories of the male athletes, but it was their 'hook' on Canada's Olympic story to-date.
That was until the shared gold medal win by Simone Manuel. In an interesting side story, CBC followed up on the major storyline being pursued by the US media -- that Simone was the first black/African-American woman to win a gold medal in an individual event. Now I'm not saying the gold medal wasn't a huge accomplishment -- it was. And I'm not saying the efforts of any athlete achieving gold in an individual competition isn't worthy of recognition. What I am asking is why is it important to centre out Simone's race and/or culture to make it newsworthy?
One of the interviewees spoke to the CBC reporters and commented that socio-economic conditions of black/African-American children often don't provide opportunities to advance in competition sports, and this was a huge boon to children who would now have a role model as they pursued their dreams.
Okay. An interesting perspective. But I'm not convinced.
There are kids of all races and cultures who haven't had the financial support, or coaching -- or even family encouragement -- to pursue whatever athletic dreams they may have had. I wonder what the US media coverage would have looked like if they'd talked to the gymnasts from Ukraine and asked what their gym looks like, and what equipment they access for practice or training. I doubt there's huge financial support for them to participate in competitions leading up to the Olympics. Yet they were competing despite socio-economic advantage (or disadvantage), political turmoil and any number of other factors. Were they lauded for their accomplishments based on race? Nope.
Was there any US media headline about a potential disadvantage for the Egyptian beach volleyball women who, because of their cultural norms, had to deal with the Rio temperatures in their team uniforms that were more significant than the skimpy bathing suit attire of other countries? Nope.
Other than the pre-Olympic coverage about the Refugee Team (a brilliant move by the IOC, by the way), was there any follow-up about their successes, even if they didn't garner a podium finish? Nope.
Of course, the US media coverage of the Olympics is well known for its narrow scope. If you're not a US athlete, you don't exist. If it's a sport without a US athlete, it's not important. (note: the fiasco with Ryan Lochte's "exageration" did hijack much of the last few days of the US coverage. And by the way, I'm still wondering how you can 'exagerate' a lie?!). But even with those parameters, the headlines still were focused on Simone's race when she won gold.
So why does diversity in the US have to be so black and white?
I wonder if the CBC coverage would have been different if a gold medal had been won by one of our First People. Would the headlines have mirrored what we saw in the US? "First Nations Athlete wins medal" vs. "Canadian athlete wins". Would we have shifted our focus from the "women athletes", to single out one athlete's race or culture? Or are we more diversity-saavy than that?
There is one area where the lines will no doubt become blurred in future Olympic games. It'll be interesting to watch the Olympics in future years as the lines between gender become more blurred. I wonder what the headlines will be when a transgender athlete wins a medal. Or if that athlete is black/African-American, or First Nations, Inuit or Metis? I wonder if there will be a difference in how countries report it. Will the US continue to focus on race?
I really do hope the lines will become more blurred in future Olympics, so it won't matter what colour you are, what your religion is, or what your socio-economic status is. What matters is that sport should be accessible for all, and this opportunity exists for people from all countries to join together in competition. It should reflect the comraderie and conduct we saw in Rio, where fellow sprinters stopped to help those who had fallen, where hugs given as often as medals on the podium. It should be more than black and white ...it should be the colours in the flags of every country!
It's been a while....
...but I've been busy. I've been working through my yarn stash. I've been travelling. And I've been reconnecting with friends, and meeting new ones. All of these things are connected in a nice way. Let me explain...
Several months back, I dipped my toe in the "Will Work for Yarn" pool on Ravelry. It's an amazing group of knitters, who for a myriad of reasons will knit projects that are not their own. There are rules of course -- check-in timelines, how many projects you're allowed to take on, etc. -- but this helps it run as a highly functioning group. Try and explain this to someone who is not a knitter, and it's a bit challenging!
So, let's say you have a yarn stash that has outgrown your anticipated life expectancy (not that any knitter wants to admit that!). You really would like to wear/use those projects you had designated for the yarn, but there's just not enough time to knit it all! Enter the WWFY group... and knitters who, for payment yarn (in this group, payment yarn is of an equivalent value to the yarn you've designated for the project), will knit your project for you, and return it to you as a completed project! Many of these knitters like the challenge of learning a new technique, taking on a challenging pattern, or knitting something they wouldn't knit for themselves. As an example, one knitter loves to knit lace, but doesn't wear it... and I love to wear my lace shawls/scarves but don't have time to knit everything in my stash or queue.
I've met some fantastic people through this group -- both in person and in the Ravelry virtual world. And I have some amazing projects that I am now able to wear, and not have to wait until I'm 140 years old to finally knit them! But no matter how wonderful the projects (and believe me, they're wonderful... more on that in a moment), it's the people who make this such an enriching experience.
I'm so fortunate to have an incredible virtual friendship with Jackie and Loresa on opposite ends of our country, but it feels like we're next door! And even though Nicole is several provinces to my west, she and I have had the luxury of bonding over cupcakes!! Rebekah, Rose and Kelly are almost "next door" geographically, and I've enjoyed our chats, laughs and meetings in person. It's like we've known each other for years, and all because of a common bond over fibre and sticks! There are so many others -- Marilyn, Pam, Gunta, Fay, Lynn, Bhama, Helen, Mugdha, Vivian, Alex, and another Alex, as well as Robyn, Jasmine, Erica, Minja, Kaiya and Jen.... Each of these wonderful knitters have taken on skeins that have been languishing in my stash and turned them into works of art! I'm so thankful!!!
Let me share some eye candy...
Wonderful, eh?! And that's just a small sampling....
Another benefit of this group is that it has taken some of the pressure off me knitting my own projects. I now have time to focus on the knitting experience and enjoy the projects I'm finishing, without the Damocles Sword dangling overhead. I've also 'paid it forward' too, and have knit two projects for others.... actually in the process of finishing the second one this week. It's a great experience to knit with different yarn, try different techniques, and I can say it has helped me develop a second-sense in reading charts and intuitively understanding the relationship of stitches in a pattern. Benefits all around!!
Several months back, I dipped my toe in the "Will Work for Yarn" pool on Ravelry. It's an amazing group of knitters, who for a myriad of reasons will knit projects that are not their own. There are rules of course -- check-in timelines, how many projects you're allowed to take on, etc. -- but this helps it run as a highly functioning group. Try and explain this to someone who is not a knitter, and it's a bit challenging!
So, let's say you have a yarn stash that has outgrown your anticipated life expectancy (not that any knitter wants to admit that!). You really would like to wear/use those projects you had designated for the yarn, but there's just not enough time to knit it all! Enter the WWFY group... and knitters who, for payment yarn (in this group, payment yarn is of an equivalent value to the yarn you've designated for the project), will knit your project for you, and return it to you as a completed project! Many of these knitters like the challenge of learning a new technique, taking on a challenging pattern, or knitting something they wouldn't knit for themselves. As an example, one knitter loves to knit lace, but doesn't wear it... and I love to wear my lace shawls/scarves but don't have time to knit everything in my stash or queue.
I've met some fantastic people through this group -- both in person and in the Ravelry virtual world. And I have some amazing projects that I am now able to wear, and not have to wait until I'm 140 years old to finally knit them! But no matter how wonderful the projects (and believe me, they're wonderful... more on that in a moment), it's the people who make this such an enriching experience.
I'm so fortunate to have an incredible virtual friendship with Jackie and Loresa on opposite ends of our country, but it feels like we're next door! And even though Nicole is several provinces to my west, she and I have had the luxury of bonding over cupcakes!! Rebekah, Rose and Kelly are almost "next door" geographically, and I've enjoyed our chats, laughs and meetings in person. It's like we've known each other for years, and all because of a common bond over fibre and sticks! There are so many others -- Marilyn, Pam, Gunta, Fay, Lynn, Bhama, Helen, Mugdha, Vivian, Alex, and another Alex, as well as Robyn, Jasmine, Erica, Minja, Kaiya and Jen.... Each of these wonderful knitters have taken on skeins that have been languishing in my stash and turned them into works of art! I'm so thankful!!!
Let me share some eye candy...
Wonderful, eh?! And that's just a small sampling....
Another benefit of this group is that it has taken some of the pressure off me knitting my own projects. I now have time to focus on the knitting experience and enjoy the projects I'm finishing, without the Damocles Sword dangling overhead. I've also 'paid it forward' too, and have knit two projects for others.... actually in the process of finishing the second one this week. It's a great experience to knit with different yarn, try different techniques, and I can say it has helped me develop a second-sense in reading charts and intuitively understanding the relationship of stitches in a pattern. Benefits all around!!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Expectations
Communication + Understanding = Expectations
A simple equation. For some.
Some don't get it. And likely won't.
Those are the ones who are quick to place blame for expectations not being met. It doesn't matter if there was no communication. It's easier that way. No responsibility. No accountability. Just blame someone else based on your assumptions. And if you're really mired in this passive agressive approach, you'll grab anything else that you can add to the blame game. It doesn't have to be warranted, logical, or even within your scope of ownership. Just keep spewing blame and let it splatter onto whoever is nearby -- someone else, anyone else -- that diverts the attention away from your own communication inadequacies.
Conversely, there are those who understand the equation. They realize that to reach a goal or to build a cohesive team, it takes work. It means making sure everyone understands what is expected of them. It takes communication. Meaningful conversations. Conversations that ensure understanding. Not just a few sentences. Not inane babble. Deep, meaningful conversations that build a team that supports a common goal.
I've had experiences with both recently. Suffice it to say, I'm very thankful for those I work with who form a dynamic, cohesive team. Leaders. Communicators. Our team has clear expectations of what we are to accomplish, who is responsible for what, and how we're going to get there. There are no assumptions. We support each other -- both in our learning and the achievements we reach.
Upon reflection, maybe I'm missing one part of that equation:
(Communication + Understanding = Expectations) = Success
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Things that make you go "Hmmmmm?!"
That will be the name of my book. When I retire. When I write it. There have been a lot of those moments -- things that make you go "Hmmmmm"...and that could be followed by an !! or a ??....or even a !?! It will be my "soapbox" because so many of these "Hmmmmm" moments are unnecessary.
I believe most of those moments or things can boil down to one common denominator: communication. I recall a professional development session years ago where the speaker was talking about responsibiilty and accountability. While you are responsible for what you say, you cannot be accountable for how it is received. That is up to the other person/people. We have to be clear on our intentions and in our meaning with the words we use. That is the limit of our responsibility.
Why then, do people fail to take accountability for how they receive/hear things, and immediately repell blame as if they were wearing teflon? Would it not be simplier to ask if you understood? To seek clarification? Are folks so "rich" in friends and acquaintances that they can dispose of people based on a few words and without regard?
I value my friends. I enjoy meeting new people. I thrive on the energy from others. I enjoy the learning, the sharing, the laughter. I don't make decisions for others without consultation. I don't "assume" (we all know how that word breaks down!), or judge on assumptions. I will seek out facts. I will ask, question and restate.
Maybe this is why it amazes me when people make incorrect assumptions, take drastic or definitive (and often petty) actions, and expect that puts them firmly on the high road to righteousness.
Not on my map.
I believe most of those moments or things can boil down to one common denominator: communication. I recall a professional development session years ago where the speaker was talking about responsibiilty and accountability. While you are responsible for what you say, you cannot be accountable for how it is received. That is up to the other person/people. We have to be clear on our intentions and in our meaning with the words we use. That is the limit of our responsibility.
Why then, do people fail to take accountability for how they receive/hear things, and immediately repell blame as if they were wearing teflon? Would it not be simplier to ask if you understood? To seek clarification? Are folks so "rich" in friends and acquaintances that they can dispose of people based on a few words and without regard?
I value my friends. I enjoy meeting new people. I thrive on the energy from others. I enjoy the learning, the sharing, the laughter. I don't make decisions for others without consultation. I don't "assume" (we all know how that word breaks down!), or judge on assumptions. I will seek out facts. I will ask, question and restate.
Maybe this is why it amazes me when people make incorrect assumptions, take drastic or definitive (and often petty) actions, and expect that puts them firmly on the high road to righteousness.
Not on my map.
Friday, January 08, 2016
A challenge....
Last year I managed to complete just-shy of 30 knitting projects. Yes, they ranged in complexity, size and skill -- from sweaters to baby booties, and from shawls and scarves to mitts -- but all are finished. That didn't exactly translate into a reduction to my yarn stash, but that's this year's challenge -- or at least half of it.
There are two terms that imply not adding (purchasing) additional yarn: 1. Cold Sheep; and 2. Lukewarm Llama. Last year I attempted Cold Sheep. Note the word "attempted". To the half-way point in the year I managed to keep my destashing/sale of unused/unloved yarn in balance with those that I felt compelled to add to my stash. I believe August was my downfall... too many lovelies and too many tempting patterns. The cold sheep defrosted in a hurry.
So a new year, a new beginning. I've never been a big fan of cold -- albeit it is a good chance to wear handknit woolies! -- so this year I'm attempting something a tad more moderated. Lukewarm Llama. I borrowed that term from a fellow knitter on Ravelry and felt it adequately desribed a manageable goal. For me it translates to "shopping" from stash first; if nothing is suitable, then and only then can an addition be made to the stash, and only for said specific project.
To date I've avoided a severe case of startitis -- the urge to cast on a number of different projects where yarn is paired with a pattern and anxiously awaiting progress. I have a few WIPs (works in progress) to finish from last year -- no, I'm not counting -- and I'll work those in to this year's accomplishments.
And that leads me to the second goal or challenge for this year.... to match or better my total of finished knitting projects. I'm already one project toward the goal, and if these WIPs enjoy some focussed time, a few more may be added in short order.
Here's to 2016....
There are two terms that imply not adding (purchasing) additional yarn: 1. Cold Sheep; and 2. Lukewarm Llama. Last year I attempted Cold Sheep. Note the word "attempted". To the half-way point in the year I managed to keep my destashing/sale of unused/unloved yarn in balance with those that I felt compelled to add to my stash. I believe August was my downfall... too many lovelies and too many tempting patterns. The cold sheep defrosted in a hurry.
So a new year, a new beginning. I've never been a big fan of cold -- albeit it is a good chance to wear handknit woolies! -- so this year I'm attempting something a tad more moderated. Lukewarm Llama. I borrowed that term from a fellow knitter on Ravelry and felt it adequately desribed a manageable goal. For me it translates to "shopping" from stash first; if nothing is suitable, then and only then can an addition be made to the stash, and only for said specific project.
To date I've avoided a severe case of startitis -- the urge to cast on a number of different projects where yarn is paired with a pattern and anxiously awaiting progress. I have a few WIPs (works in progress) to finish from last year -- no, I'm not counting -- and I'll work those in to this year's accomplishments.
And that leads me to the second goal or challenge for this year.... to match or better my total of finished knitting projects. I'm already one project toward the goal, and if these WIPs enjoy some focussed time, a few more may be added in short order.
Here's to 2016....
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