It's inevitable to spent a bit of time at the New Year reflecting on the old year, and looking forward to the New. This year, more than ever, I think that the New Year marks a turning point in my life. 2012 has been a good year. There have been inevitable ups and downs (that's what life is all about, isn't it?), but overall, it has been positive.
I have done a LOT of crafting in the last year. A flick back through the blog tells me that I've completed 8 quilts this year. That's more than I had thought! If you want to look back over them, the Sewing Projects category will take you back through everything I've sewn since I started the blog.
I've done plenty of knitting too - you can see all of my 2012 projects on my Ravelry set for 2012 here: JenACKnitwear's 2012 projects. I was quite surprised when I looked back over the knitting, that there was only one completed adult garment last year. I completed six adult garments in both 2010 and 2011, so to only have managed one seems a bit paltry in comparison. That said, the one and only garment was the Still Light tunic in what was essentially a 3ply weight yarn, so I shouldn't count that as anything other than a big achievement. I might not be apparent, but I've actually also done quite a bit of work on my Golden Wheat Shawl, which is also a massive project.
It's been a great year for my business, as I've been lucky enough to work on some fantastic projects with many of my favourite designers. I couldn't ask for more on that front really!
And at home, 2012 feels like it has been the end of the beginning. Jim and I expressed our first interest in adoption at the end of January 2012, and at the end of December we have signed off on our Prospective Adopter's Report. In terms of the journeys of life, this is the start of a massive one for both of us.
So, what about 2013? Well, it's going to be a year of change. Jim and I are at the Adoption Approval Panel at the end of January, and then we'll be waiting to hear about potential matches. We've done so much preparation to reach this point (the report ended up being 28,000 words in total - who knew that there was so much to say about us!), but really no amount of preparation will make the transition any less enormous.
I've been thinking about what sort of crafting goals I want to aim for in 2013. I was very taken with Mooncalf's Knit the Queue plan, as I have so many lovely projects in my queue and gorgeous yarns all ready and waiting in my stash. But having thought more about it, I wonder whether that's actually putting too much pressure on myself. I think that aiming to complete one of the two projects that were on my needles at the start of 2012 might actually be a more realistic target. Those projects are my Golden Wheat Shawl, and the Shetland sampler that I started in May 2008. I would also like to finish up the other WIPs that I have on the go too. But thinking seriously about the changes ahead, I wonder whether even that might be too much.
For now at least, I would like 2013 to be the year that I learn to "go with the flow" just a little bit more than normal. If I feel like knitting on a massive lace shawl with no apparent purpose, then that's what I'll do; but likewise, if I want to crank out a wardrobe of clothes for the new additions to our family, then the stash and queue will just have to wait. Who knows what's around the corner, but I'm excited to find out...
