A Good Start

As 2011 begins, I've been thinking about all I'd like to see myself accomplish this year. That is, besides making a whole human being. As you can see whomever has made his or her home in there is growing happily right along! A little bit freakish for 14 1/2 weeks, but this may also have something to do with my unbridled appetite for holiday sweets like the box of Jeni's ice creams we received and the gigantic celebratory dinners I've been indulging in. Weight loss is not on the New Year's resolutions for me this year anyways, although I am promising this little one I'll be making a point of consuming lots of vegetables whether the craving strikes or not.

I was quite prolific in quilting during 2010, and although I still have a long list of quilts I would like to start and others I'd like to finish, I've resigned myself to the fact that with a baby on the way I may not be able to tick off every one on my list. Here are a few:

 A new quilt for the baby. I started pulling lots of boy fabrics for a flying geese pattern in blues, greens and greys. If it turns out to be a girl, this will be a gift for one of the many boy babies we have friends expecting soon.

It seems my Kerchief Girl quilt is ready to be born. Remember these blocks? I just finished my Sherbet Pips snowball quilt top for Lucy and the kerchief girls have taken their place on the design wall.

The Lotus quilt. I started this in 2009 and I think it's time to get going on it.

The Paint by Number quilt. The ladies from the Bee-autiful Bee made some creative and inspiring improv blocks for me, and I just need to sew up a few more to make what I think will be a gorgeous quilt.

This list could really go on and on until I bore us both to tears. I would love to say I'll start my Japanese fairy tale quilt soon and finish my Liberty of London hexagon quilt too, but those may well be goals for 2012. Besides, I'm finding it hard to find time to hand piece lately, as the knitting bug has really set in and all that hexagon time has been bumped for yarn. My Kererra sweater desperately needs to be finished, especially since it is wearable even as my belly eclipses my toes. Speaking of toes, I've also become obsessed with trying out all sorts of sock patterns. The Marlene socks are on the needles right now. I love how they're turning out but you have to actually think to knit them, so I found myself in need of a simple garter stitch project, so the Noro Rambling Rows blanket was begun. 

I've always have a thing for Noro yarns, picking up all the skeins in the shops and trying to figure out what they'll look like all knit up. Watching the yarn change colors and deciding on which colorway to add next will hopefully keep my attention for the duration of this longer term knit.

My other goals of 2011 are these:

To get a handle on crochet. It just doesn't come naturally to me. Luckily I have a fantastic LYS with all kinds of talented teachers on staff so I plan to take a little clinic soon. I'd love to start that Granny Square blanket after I finish the Noro one.

To learn to make macarons. I still dream regularly of the ones I had at Laduree in Paris.

Get back to yoga. I would love to commit to more, but one prenatal class a week with supplementation at home will have to do for now.

To learn to make Waldorf dolls. I've wanted to do this ever since Lucia was born, and I think she is old enough now to start appreciating more handmade dollies.

I'm still waffling on whether or not to commit to 365. I think it will help in so many ways to make me a better photographer and I love the idea of recording our daily lives.  I'm onto a good start now so we'll see how I keep up, although I'm sure some IPhone pictures will have to do from time to time, like the first one up top.

I hope this list isn't too lofty and unattainable. I really should be adding "keep the house cleaner" "spend less money on yarn and fabric" and "remember to wash face at night", but those don't really sound very fun. Maybe in 2012, hehe!

Happy New Year, all! What are your goals for this year?