(A Yarn-Lover’s Guide to Good Intentions and Even Better Excuses)
It’s that magical time of year again when we promise ourselves we’ll become better versions of who we are. Non-knitters vow to hit the gym and eat more kale. But us? We have far more important goals to set. Here are the classic New Year’s resolutions every knitter makes with complete sincerity on January 1st, and what actually happens by February.
One, I Will Finish All My WIPs Before Starting New Projects
This is the Big One. The mother of all knitting resolutions. You stare at that basket (okay, those three baskets, or seven knitting bags and four baskets) of half-finished projects and declare with conviction: “This year, I will show restraint! I will be monogamous with my knitting!”
And you mean it. You really do. (Uh huh.)
Until you see that stunning new pattern on Instagram. Or that indie dyer releases a colorway that looks like a sunset had a baby with a unicorn. Or you realize you have the perfect yarn in your stash that’s been waiting for its soulmate pattern. Or your LYS has an AMAZING sale on Malabrigo yarn with a knock-your-socks-off KAL to go along with it. (See that pun? Knock your socks off? Yeah, I got it from my husband, who is the king of bad grandpa jokes.) Suddenly, that abandoned sweater missing one sleeve doesn’t seem so urgent anymore. Time for time-out!
The truth? WIPs are like sourdough starters. They’re meant to be ongoing projects that we nurture… eventually. Or pass down to our posterity for some future generations to finish. Some knitters have WIPs old enough to vote. It’s called legacy knitting, and we’re embracing it.
(Hint: February sees many knitters crash off the rails. Take an idea from my friend Gillian: make February your “finish the WIPs” month. I’m going to! Or at least, I’m planning to…or going to try to…hmmm. We’ll see!)
Two, I Will Actually Knit From My Stash
Ah yes, the great Stash Diet of [insert year here]. This resolution appears annually, right alongside “I’ll organize my needles” and “I’ll weave in ends as I go” (spoiler: you won’t).
You take inventory with a spreadsheet. You photograph every skein. You create a Ravelry stash that’s more detailed than the Library of Congress catalog system. You’re READY. You’re COMMITTED. You’re going to be a responsible, stash-busting knitter!
Then your local yarn shop has a sale. Or you’re supporting small businesses. Or that yarn is discontinued and you’ll never find it again. Or you’re investing in your future projects. Really, buying yarn is just advanced planning, which is technically the opposite of impulsive. It’s fiscally responsible, when you think about it.
And heaven knows, knitters are some of the most fiscally responsible people out there! After all, when the EMP hits and nobody can drive their cars or shop on the internet for ugly premade sweaters, WE will be the ones knitting for ourselves, our family, our friends, our neighbors…okay. Time to hide the stash!
Three, I Will Read the Entire Pattern Before Starting
Oh, sweet autumn child. We all know how this goes. You cast on with enthusiasm, knit merrily for three inches, and then discover there’s a special technique required that you’ve never heard of. Or worse, you finish an entire sweater before realizing the sleeves were supposed to be knit into the body, not seamed on afterward.
Reading the full pattern is like reading the terms and conditions before clicking “agree.” Theoretically important, rarely practiced.
But here’s the thing: “figuring it out as you go” builds character. And problem-solving skills. And gives you entertaining stories for knit night. That backwards sleeve? That’s called design improvisation, thank you very much.
The Real Resolution We’ll Actually Keep
Here’s one resolution every knitter can stick to: Keep knitting. Keep creating. Keep wrapping ourselves (literally) in the comfort of working with our hands. Keep joining knitting communities, sharing patterns, and celebrating each other’s finished objects. Make a decision to knit every day for 15 minutes. Anyone can find 15 minutes!
Because whether we finish those WIPs, resist new yarn, or read patterns thoroughly doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we’re making something beautiful, one stitch at a time. And if we happen to cast on a few extra projects along the way? Well, that just means we’re optimistic about the year ahead.
Happy New Year, knitters. May your gauge be accurate and your tension even. But mostly, may your yarn stash grow mysteriously while you sleep. It’s what we all secretly wish for anyway.
Tags: #NewYearKnitting #KnittingHumor #WIPWednesday #YarnStash #KnitterProblems #KnittingResolutions #UFOs #StashBusting #KnittersOfInstagram #KnittingCommunity