I Have a Plan!

The one bad thing about having so many finished objects last year is that it puts a little pressure on me to be just as productive this year. I have decided to resist the pressure, and have therefore created my 2009 knitting plan a little differently this year. Last year, I planned, and accomplished, knitting a pair of socks each month, so it made sense that I had a monthly plan of what I wanted to knit each month. I also knew when I’d be traveling for work, and it made it easy to plug some projects in for those trips in the appropriate month. What I struggled with, even though it was my plan and I knew I could change it, was that I still felt a little restricted by it. When my heart was looking ahead to use some great yarn I’d just bought on vacation, my head was telling me that I needed to finish that month’s socks. I have to admit, the 2008 Plan did make me more of a monogamous knitter, although at times I felt like I was missing out on a few things.
This year? This year is going to be different. I’ve made my Plan organized by categories, rather than monthly. So if I don’t feel like knitting a pair of socks, I’ll pick something else. Simple. It’s still only a guideline, so if I want to delete something from the list and add something else, I will. No pressure, just knitting fun. Ravelry is getting better with the queue organization now that we can add tabs to the queue, but it’s not at the level of organization and customization I like, so that’s why my Plan is necessary for me. I’ve got categories for Christmas, Socks, Sweaters, Home (e.g., Bath mat, dishcloths, hand towels, etc.), Hats/Scarves/Shawls, and Mittens/Gloves.
My goals this year are to focus on sweaters, so I’ve got 4 on my list that are must knits for me right now – the Slouchy Cardigan (I want this done before our trip to Italy), Summer’s End, another Hey, Teach!, and the Heroine Cardigan. I also want to learn to do some colorwork, so I’ve got the Baske and Bird in Hand Mittens patterns for that. A few pair of socks for me and Robert, some socks and towels for Christmas gifts, and that crazy Swallowtail Shawl that I’ve got to make myself do – I really think it’s lovely; I’ve just got to get over that mentality that it’s going to be hard. If I learned anything last year, it’s that I can be successful with any knitting pattern – I’ve just got to try.
What are your must knits for 2009? Do you have a plan?