Mr Snail’s Wellie socks #2
This time last year I was just getting going with 17 for 2017 – a list of goals for the year. This year I’m having a goal-free year, but if I was ticking off last years list I’d be doing well – I’ve knitted a pair of socks, baked a couple of batches of biscuits, darned three pairs of socks and repaired the pocket of a pair of jeans. I’ve even managed to play a game of Scrabble – something that proved impossible to do when it was a ‘goal’ but easy when it’s just what we fancied doing!
A friend of mine mentioned today that her word for the year 2018 is ‘creativity’ and I think I’d like my year to be especially creative too. Since completing Sophie I haven’t done much crochet, but my knitting needles have been busy… not only the socks but good progress on the jumper with lacy side panels:
I’ve also started reviewing my WIPs. There are five main ones: the sofa cover, two lap blankets, a cardigan and the Beekeeper’s quilt. So far, I’ve looked at two of these. The sofa cover piece is currently 74 cm x the width of the sofa (the white measure in the photograph is 100cm long). This piece is destined to be draped over the back of the sofa… I just need to bite the bullet and finish it and then I can start on the two seat cushion covers, which will be much more interesting (NB the main cushion covers were finished two or three years ago).
oh, those long rows!
And then there’s this lovely lap blanket, which I ran out of steam with.
Once I pick it up again I know I’ll enjoy making it and I have someone in mind to give it to. The centre is made from yarn that was given to me, but the edging is all scraps.
So, no goals for 2018, but plenty to get on with!
The Snail of Happiness 
Laurie Graves
/ January 27, 2018Lovely, lovely! Let’s hear it for creativity, in all its various aspects. Creativity is one of the best things about us.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I’m writing (here and elsewhere), editing, planting, cooking, sewing, designing… and loving every minute of it!
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coppicelearner
/ January 27, 2018I’m glad you put your needles down long enough for that game of scrabble! I would hate to be the only one doing things that have no useful purpose!😉
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I do lots of useless stuff… I just don’t ‘fess up to it in the blog!!
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Helen
/ January 28, 2018Scrabble is no doubt good for the brain, so not useless 😊
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thecontentedcrafter
/ January 27, 2018I applaud your decision to live more in the moment than with a ‘must do’ list. And look what you have achieved already – including a game of scrabble! I love scrabble!! You didn’t include letter writing in your list and guess who received the most gorgeous looking letter 🙂 That lap blanket and the pink cardy are going to be delights – both made of wonderful colours and of course the sofa cover ……… I was looking at the flowers you sent me for my dangler of international happiness the other day – they are fading in this strong NZ sunlight, but when I look at them I always think of your sofa cover and wonder how it’s coming along… ❤
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018So glad your letter arrived – actually I’ve sent three so far this year, and my goal last year was only twelve!
Now I’ve looked again at the sofa cover I’m feeling a bit more enthused to get on with it again… especially now I’ve decided how to progress. In May we are going to the mill where the wool is spun, so I will be able to buy more supplies as I’ve not got enough to finish it. In fact, I think I’m going to do the seat cushions in aran yarn rather than dk (which is what the rest has been done in) and then progress will be even quicker..
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thecontentedcrafter
/ January 27, 2018Now upping the ply sounds like a most sensible idea! I’m loving this letter writing thing – it was such a joy to receive yours!
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nanacathy2
/ January 27, 2018Here’s to no goals! I love the look of the lacy sided jumper, very glamourous, and isn’t it good to turn a UFO into a WIP. I’ve got rather a lot of those. UFOs that is and the NYSs ( not yet started).
It’s amazing though what what can do when there is no pressure, I’ve even been swimming twice this month!
Have a super weekend.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I’m calling all of them WIPs not UFOs – it just makes me feel better!
I’m quite amused about the fact that we played Scrabble just over 3 weeks after the goal disappeared. And at this rate, you’ll be swimming every week.
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Ann Pole
/ January 27, 2018I don’t do so good with goals either. I think Hannah has given up on me in that department and just accepted I’ll finish things in my own time. takes the pressure off and turns the enjoyment on. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018Very true!
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Mrs P
/ January 27, 2018The sofa throw is gorgeous, I’m so in agreement with no goals, just enjoy what you do 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018It does seem to be work well so far this year.
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tialys
/ January 27, 2018That looks as if it’s going to become a very pretty jumper – love the colour.
Goals are for footballers.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I think you may be right there… although they did encourage me to do a few things last year that I may have otherwise put off
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Murtagh's Meadow
/ January 27, 2018You are indeed very busy. Could i ask what is a beekeepers quilt?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I meant to put a link to it and completely forgot… https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-beekeepers-quilt
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Murtagh's Meadow
/ January 27, 2018Thank you:-)
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 27, 2018I’ve now also edited the post so there’s a link to a post I wrote about it ages ago
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juliascreativeyear
/ January 27, 2018Wow… That must take a while to crochet the sofa cover rows. How much more do you need to do on it? The colours on the lap blanket are fab… Really vibrant😊
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Donnalee
/ January 27, 2018I love haviung no goals, and yet doing what we want, which is productive and fun. Enjoy!
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katechiconi
/ January 28, 2018I’d love to see you finish that sofa cover. It’s an ambitious project, but you’ll have such a sense of achievement when it’s done, not to mention a sense of liberation to ‘play’ with smaller and less demanding projects. On the other hand, if you really, really don’t feel like it, it would be a disaster to force yourself; that way lies madness and project hatred!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018I put it aside for ages because I had really stopped being inspired by it and I didn’t want to get to the stage where I hated it. With time, however, I have come back around to liking the idea and so now is a good time to return to it, I think.
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katechiconi
/ January 28, 2018Bravo! To all things there is a season, and I suspect this is the season for warm knitted sofa covers!
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wybrow1966
/ January 28, 2018Goals can make things seem more like a chore – hence the reason I never bother with resolutions either. Enjoy your creativity – socks look great!
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Nice Piece of Work
/ January 28, 2018Ah yes, unfinished projects. I am blessed to have so many myself! When you do find the time to pick up on something from which there’s been a three or four year hiatus, it’s enormously satisfying. Or so they say. It doesn’t happen too often around here, but occasionally there’s a miracle – like the Mexican cross-stitch project. I think the idea is not to let the WIPs hang around your neck like albatrossses, but to think about them in creative ways and remind yourself how excited you were when you started them… 🙂
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Helen
/ January 28, 2018I love the lap blanket!
Finally, this last Friday I bucked up the courage to go to a knitting/crochet group in the next village to me and have learned that I’ve been holding the yarn all wrong when I’m doing crochet. So, I’m now going to have to unlearn the bad habit before next week 😉. Talk about goals lol
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018no no no… there’s no such thing as ‘holding the yarn wrong’. This attitude stopped me from crocheting for years and years.Once I realised that I could hold the yarn whatever way worked for me, it all suddenly fell into place. Please don’t be bullied by anyone telling you are doing it wrong.
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Helen
/ January 28, 2018I think I am though, as my arms ache terribly, even with an ergonomic hook. Anyway, thanks for your reaction! I’m going to see if I can find a YouTube video which shows me how to transfer the yarn to my left hand and see if it makes a difference but I will remember your words.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018Find a way that is comfortable and which works for you…. there are lots of options, so look at various suggestions and give them a go.
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Helen
/ January 28, 2018Thanks for your suggestions 😊
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TammieLP
/ January 28, 2018My goals are definitely pushing me to stay on track, but I know having a set Things I Must Do doesn’t work for everyone. Great to see you’re chugging along with some lovely projects! That lap blanket is really nice even if it’s still a WIP. And that jumper is gorgeous!
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Dartmoor Yarns
/ January 28, 2018I wonder if you’ll be more productive with or without goals? A friend and I always used to pick a theme for the year at the start of each year then review it at the end of the year. Without fail every year, our theme was clearly something different. Hope you have more luck with picking creativity as your word for the year.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018I think I’m likely to finish some of those WIPs/UFOs – I didn’t work on any of the long-term ones last year and that may have been because of the focus on a set of goals. I got a bit obsessed towards the end of last year with getting to the target number of socks and I didn’t really enjoy making them – that is certainly not going to be happening this year!
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Dartmoor Yarns
/ January 28, 2018Letting goals blinker us is definitely a fatal mistake – but hopefully you’ve learned your lesson from the socks if you set goals in future years.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 28, 2018Normally, I never set goals like that or make new year’s resolutions, but I’m glad I did it, because it did get me into the habit of doing quite a few things: letter writing, baking, mending and so on. However, I don’t think I need to do it again!
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sparkscrochet
/ January 29, 2018They are all very pretty and can only get better with time! 😊
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sewchet
/ January 30, 2018I agree – ‘goals’ feel like ‘must do’ which, inevitably, will then be procrastinated about! Have no goals and suddenly everything you make is a bonus!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ January 30, 2018What a great way to look at things… I’m going to regard 2018 as a year of creative bonuses 🙂
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thecraftersapprentice
/ February 2, 2018ooooh… lovely projects. I’m loving the look of that jumper with lacy panels and the blanket is gorgeous
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 2, 2018The yarn for the jumper was from my stash – it’s lovely making use of some of the wonderful wool I have collected over the past three years. I’m on to the sleeves now, but I’m knitting both at the same time, so it’s a bit slow-going.
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tinaor
/ February 9, 2018I wish you a whole year full of creativity – I have ‘Enthusiasms’ in my 2018 list rather than ‘Resolutions’ – I can be enthusiastic about lots, including my creations and so far so good. Looking forward to seeing more of your makes here.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ February 9, 2018Oh, I like that ‘enthusiasms’ sound good to me
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