A Crafter’s Resolution

Inspired by the cool list that The Psychotic Hobbyist put together, I am putting in writing my craft goals for 2007.  Am I actually going to make or work on all these things? Maybe not. But it may be fun to look back at this list in December and see how I really did!

Scrapbooking - I was lucky to be able to attend a scrapbooking weekend this past November and in doing so I caught up on a whole years worth of scrapbooking. Even so, I am still a year behind (currently working on pages from Christmas of 2005). My goal is not only to catch up with my chronological scrapbook, but to continue working on our home improvement scrapbook and put together this cute little cat scrapbook kit that I recently bought.

Knitting - I have been inspired by the beautiful book Knitting for Peace and would love to make at least two of the items showcased. Specifically the Project Linus blanket and one of the Eyelet hats for Chemo Caps. Speaking of hats, I really need to make one that actually looks good on my husband. I have this strange knack for picking out hat patterns, knitting them with “manly” colored yarn (think camouflage) and then have them still come out a little bit on the “girly” side. Which means I have a lot of very warm hats for myself, none of them in very feminine colors. Oh, and I did promise to knit up a hat for my exchange student (I really forgot about that one)!

Also, I need to get on the ball and finish my first ever sweater, being made for the child we are in the process of adopting from China. We still have a wait ahead of us, so to be honest I am not in a big rush. Made with the very soft Cashmerino Aran yarn, it should be a really sweet (and comfy) sweater when finished.

Having said that, Leah has been itching for me to make something (other than the usual hat) for her. In The Yarn Girl’s Guide to Older Kids Knits, which I got for Christmas, I found a cute pattern for a girls knitted spring dress. My daughter is a BIG dress type of girl and once she saw that she nearly flipped. This one is definitely high on my “to do” list.

I have been having fun making those felted Sophie Bags and have almost completed my third one. I probably will make a few more in 2007.

Lastly, for myself, I would like to try to make a pair of fingerless gloves. I have already printed out a copy of this pattern and am just waiting for my next trip to the yarn shop.

Cooking - This is a pretty easy one to keep, because I have to cook for my family anyway. I would like to entertain a little more. I show love through the food I cook and I would like to share more with family and friends this year. 

Reading - I read a lot of book blogs for two reasons. First, I am an avid reader and am just amazed at all the really well written and honest book reviews people put on their blogs. The second reason has to do with the fact that I am required to read at least one book a month for my on-line book club The Written Word. It wouldn’t be very fair for the moderator to not even read the book that we will all be discussing. I guess my resolution would be to make more time to read, like the woman at Bookmark My Heart, who read a whopping 105 books last year! OK, maybe not that many…

Sewing - I used a sewing machine briefly during my home economics class in seventh grade. We had to make a skirt (mine was black, grey and white vertical stripes). It came out so bad that I refused to wear it to school, which was a requirement to get a good grade. Needless to say, I didn’t really excel in that class. Recently, I decided to try my hand at sewing again. This past fall, my mother helped me make two small stuffed animals. I would like to continue to learn more about patterns, fabric and how to actually thread the sewing machine needle. I think it would be a blast to make some of the really funky stuffed toys in the book Plush-o-rama. Click here to see inside the book.

By the way, can you guys see the new header I put up? That’s my cat, Dumpling. She looks sweet, doesn’t she? Don’t be fooled, she is one nasty little bugger. She sure is lucky that my husband has a soft spot for her, the little pain-in-the-butt.