Knitting challenges and knit alongs are kinda like goals . . in my opinion. I love the planning and finding/buying yarn. Who knew I loved buying yarn? 🙂 Some people will say they don’t goals because they feel like a failure when they don’t meet the goals but I never feel that way. I feel like . . if I don’t set goals, I never get anything done . . I just wander aimlessly from project to project. I know what you’re thinking . . I must not set very many goals.
I’m not sure I’ve ever finished a KAL (knit along) on time. I do pretty good with The Loopy Ewe‘s Camp Loopy projects but it helps that there’s a prize involved.
Eat, Sleep, Knit is another favorite yarn shop and they’re getting ready for their third quarter challenge. Talk about a challenge . . figuring out how we’re talking about the third quarter already when it seems just yesterday was New Year’s Day. For their third quarter challenge, we are to knit something that was added to our Ravelry. queue or favorites the first year we joined Ravelry.
I love Ravelry so much but . . for the first few years I was a member, I didn’t even know I could add things to the queue or favorites! I joined Ravelry in 2007 and looks like it was 4 years before I added anything to the queue and the oldest thing in my favorites is about 3 years old. As part of the challenge, you can win prizes, and you get a discount if you order yarn for the project from ESK.
In my queue, Hooray Cardigan was added January, 2011. I already have yarn for that one. Yes, I’ve probably had the yarn since 2011 because I don’t add things to my queue until I get the yarn for them. There were several others added to the queue in 2011 – Paper Boy Cardigan, Cassis, and Belvedere Cardigan. But, all those already have yarn. Not that I wouldn’t buy more yarn if I decided I wanted to make one . . I could make one for Nicole or assign the first yarn to a new project.
Then I went to my favorites and I keep that area pretty cleaned out. Once I buy a pattern, I take it out of the favorites and if I decide I don’t want to make it, I take it out. There are a lot of shawls in there but I’m on a sweater knitting frenzy these days so I think I’ve narrowed it down to one of these:
Honeylicious because not only do I like it but it looks like the type sweater I would wear a lot.
Honeylicious
This one has only been in there a year but I think I could do it because I kinda want to make something for Addie and it’s one of the oldest children’s patterns in my favorites.
Oscar
Just not sure!
Since Camp Loopy runs through August, and the ESK 3rd quarter challenge would have to be done by the end of September, that only leaves one month for getting it knitted. Hmmm . . what to do???
Karen says
I love the way your mind works – sorta like mine I think. I didn’t finish TLE June camp. I frogged so many times I lost count. I’m knitting Cloud Illusions – it’s the first big lace project I’ve done. Since I missed the deadline I thought about putting it aside and moving on – I’ve got a long list of Christmas knitting I’d like to accomplish this year. (That’ll be a first -the accomplishing part. I won’t have any trouble starting projects!) I decided to keep going. I’m too close to the end to quit now. But, WEBS was having a sale and I ended up with some yarn for Seabrook. I’d like to make it for my daughter (for Christmas). Of course the yarn I chose was not on sale. All that being said I’m going to pass on July & August Camp Loopy, finish Cloud Illusions and concentrate on Christmas. Now I’m off to check out Eat, Sleep, Knit.
Teri Jordan says
Love your new blog format…..
I’m thinking I need to start to set some goals for myself…..because your right all I do is move around from one project to another and not finishing many…….so starting today I’m going to start setting goals and get things done……I’m going to write the things down I want finished this month and only work on those things….I’ll let you know how it works for me…..
Tinkerfeet says
I love looking for new projects to do. And of course buying the yarn. This is my first year doing camp loopy and I am having a blast. It keeps me going and now I am wondering what the last project will be. It’s fun to post on Instagram and see what everyone else is doing.
Denise ~ justquiltin says
Which ESK group are you in? I had sort of forgot about their challenges – at some point I must have removed myself from the Ravelry group (I think I went on a bit of a cleaning frenzy earlier in the year and deleted queued/favorite things I knew I wouldn’t make and must have gotten rid of a couple groups too) so had to go join back in to see what I’ve missed. I didn’t do the first two challenges but I’ve been thinking bout doing this one. So my queue only goes back to 2013 and it just so happens I still really like the oldest thing and I actually have ESK yarn in the stash that will be perfect for it I think. How many challenges are too many??
JudyL says
I’m in Stitchosaurs. Which group are you in?
Rebecca in SoCal says
I had to dig a bit to find it, but a couple weeks ago, you were wanting to start a new project (Wanderling). I haven’t seen mention of that since. Perhaps you decided you have plenty to do?
It’s funny that these challenges are in the summer. I guess that’s to keep you knitting when the weather doesn’t inspire it! It’s good, though…gives one a chance to finish warm things in time for the cold weather!
Viki says
I finished the first Loopy challenge in just a couple of weeks, Zilver shawl, and managed to fit in a short sleeved sweater, Miley Tee, before the end of June. I started the July challenge yesterday and got about 6 inches knitted on the front of Avens. Needless to say, I missed getting my Mystery quilt blocks done before the deadline, and I’m way behind on my customer quilts, but I am loving this knitting thing.
Judy S says
Interesting post, Judy, and you’ve convinced me I need to use Ravelry more!
JudyL says
And I need to use it way less!
Amy (Waunaknit) says
Originally I ignored the ESK challenge because of Camp Loopy and the office move, but our office move has been pushed back to next spring now. Depending on how much yardage needs to be knit for Project Three, I may do the ESK challenge.
Love Honeylicious!!!