• The CraftSessions Story
  • Our Past Retreats
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Menu

The Craft Sessions

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number

The Craft Sessions

  • About
    • The CraftSessions Story
    • Our Past Retreats
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

My Making List 2015

January 9, 2015 thecraftsessions
My final finished object of 2015 - The cabled cardy in Lullaby Knits.

My final finished object of 2015 - The cabled cardy in Lullaby Knits.

I saw a little piece in a magazine called New Philospher the other day called "The freedom of limited choice". The jist of the article was that there can be freedom in having restricted options. The example they give is of a vegan in a supermarket. 

“These light eaters aren’t unwittingly led down the wrong aisle towards mayonnaise and salad dressing because they’ve established personal limitations that protect their health and wellbeing. No longer slaves to their whims or under the spell of clever packaging they stride through supermarkets with an air of confidence that few of us enjoy. ”
— New Philosopher - The End of Growth.

Makes sense, and is an useful idea….but then they got the really helpful stuff. That we have a preference for immediate rewards. 

“Oxford economics historian Avner Offer believes that we’re hopelessly myopic. When left to our own devices we’ll choose what’s nice for us today over what’s best for us tomorrow.””
— New Philosopher - The End of Growth

At this time, when many of us are thinking about our intentions for the year, I found this a really useful reminder. I often make based on a whim. Something I see, something I pick up, a pattern that has been released. And this often means that I don't get to make the things that I really want to create. Like the quilt for our bed - that has been sitting untouched since before Xmas. Instead I do what comes easy. What is accessible. The reminder contained in this article, that we often aren't playing the long game, or keeping our eyes on the prize, was very timely. 

The 15yo inside me wants to shout something like “oooohhhhh - too many ruuuulzzz!” but the grownup inside me wants to grow up, take responsibility, and live the life I really want to live. Which includes making the things I really want to make. Come onnnn!!

In the spirit of this idea, I wanted to outline my making goals for 2015 so I had a plan; setting down my “have to” and “really should” projects in a concrete way so I know where I am headed. 

A small clarification: it's not that I believe I will get every single one of them done - nor that I will stick to the list in a precise way.There will be the projects that get created randomly and I will make other things along the way following the inspiration of the day. But I know that most of the things on the list, like birthday presents, clothes for the kids, and quilts, need to be done this year, and I know when they need to be done by. By writing them all out (rather than holding them all in my head) I have some clarity about what I need to get done, and how much time I have to get it done it.

I really think this simple list will lead to me making better decisions and help me to make sure that when I am at a loose-end I know what to start. I could-even-maybe-like prioritise stuff, y'know? Like I could get some of the winter knitting done in March/April if I don't get distracted by my whims. 

Now that I've written it, I'm a little floored that I’ve never done this before!! 

My Making List for 2015

I have put the projects in the month that they are due. Realistically that is a lot of knitting to be done by June. But it is so so good to have a plan. 

This month
Sewing - Shorts x 2 for the boy child for school.
Knitting - Colourwork for gauge swatch for hat.

Knitting – Top-down v-neck cardy for middle girl child.

February/March
Knitting – Keel for me.
Sewing – A frock for me - maybe get to Anna finally or Lisa?
Sewing – A going out kinda top for me.

April
Knitting - New colourwork cardy for a pattern?

May
Knitting - Birthday jumper for boy – non stash!
Knitting - Winter jumper for middle girl – Cabled aline.
Knitting - Shawl/cowl for me.

June
Knitting - Winter jumper for the fella – Hugo by Brooklyn Tweed.
Knitting – Birthday cardy for my niece (and a hat ;))
Sewing - Winter elephant solstice pillowcases.

July
Knitting - Worsted weight jumper for me.

August
Sewing – Dress for me.
Sewing – Top for me. 
Knitting - 40th birthday Slade for my little brother
– non stash!

September
Knitting - Clara for my other niece. 

October
Sewing – Dress for me.
Sewing – Top for me.
Sewing - Birthday dress for small girl.
Sewing – Summer shorts x 2 big girl. 

Quilting - My small boy's single bed quilt.

November/December
Sewing - Birthday dress for big girl.
Sewing/knitting – Christmas outfits for three kids.
Quilting - King sized quilt for our bed.

The sweater I need to replicate.

The sweater I need to replicate.

One of the most exciting things that I have got from writing this list out is that I can clearly see that practically all of it comes from stash. There are only two exceptions at this stage. The first is my boy kid's birthday jumper. He wants me to create an exact replica of the sweater from the post Freestyle Knitting. He may have accidentally lost it a few months after I finished it. Lucky for him he is pretty sweet, and keeps going on about how it was the perfect jumper. The downside is that I did freestyle it and didn't write anything down, so will have to figure out my numbers all over again. It was made of gorgeous Madeline Tosh Worsted. Sadly the budget doesn't stretch to that this year, but a great substitute will be some lovely Peacock coloured Lark by Quince And Co (similar to the Tosh and his favourite colour). The second exception is the 40th birthday sweater for my brother, which I want to make in the yarn it was designed for. Those two things combined gobble nearly my whole budget for the rest of my Stash Less year. Good to know.

I’m going to put my list up on instagram tomorrow after I've printed it out tagged #mymakinglist2015 so I can find it again easily next year. Do you want to join me in setting some intention? Yours might not be so project specific, or it might be more sensibly sized (I suspect mine is a little overambitious ;)). Or yours may be learning new skills? You might be a low volume crafter who has plans to make one or two things….. I’d love to see what you are up to!

Tag yours on instagram with #mymakinglist2015, or leave a comment with a link if you are putting them up on your blog. 

Felicia x

In Thoughts On Craft
← Craft as a manifestation of love and loss.Stash Less - A habitual practice. →

Welcome! I'm Felicia - creator of The Craft Sessions and Soul Craft Festival.

This blog aims to celebrate the connection between hand-making and our well-being.
These posts aim to foster a love of hand-making and discuss the ways domestic handcrafts elevate our everyday.

I love the contributions you make to this space via your comments and learn so much from each and every one. x

Thoughts On Craft

Simple Sewing 101

Stash Less

The RetreaT

Featured
Making Fast Fashion: Some More Of The Grey
Apr 19, 2022
Making Fast Fashion: Some More Of The Grey
Apr 19, 2022
Apr 19, 2022
Is My Making Fast Fashion?
Apr 12, 2022
Is My Making Fast Fashion?
Apr 12, 2022
Apr 12, 2022
Why Gauge Matters
Apr 5, 2022
Why Gauge Matters
Apr 5, 2022
Apr 5, 2022
Craft As Simple Mundane Forward Movement
Mar 29, 2022
Craft As Simple Mundane Forward Movement
Mar 29, 2022
Mar 29, 2022
Craft As A Virtuous Cycle*
Mar 22, 2022
Craft As A Virtuous Cycle*
Mar 22, 2022
Mar 22, 2022
Craft & The Slow Nostalgic Finish
Mar 15, 2022
Craft & The Slow Nostalgic Finish
Mar 15, 2022
Mar 15, 2022

popular posts

Craft As A Project V’s Craft As A Practice

Our Fear Of Going Back

Making Is Not Inherently Creative

Why All Crafters Need A Visual Diary

Craft As A Manifestation Of Love And Loss

Moving On From Perfectionism

The Secret To Becoming A Great Knitter!

Simple Sewing 101 - Part 1

Craft In The Middle Of Motherhood

Another #theyearofthescrap #ellenscardigan using some #oldmaidenaunt alpaca silk from many years ago. What I love about this little cardy is it’s simplicity and how little yarn it uses. Perfect for scrap knitting. I now have a little pile of ba
New blog post: Craft as elevating the mundane! I think this idea is so important. 🌿 'Making is about enriching the moments of our lives; it’s about making the mundane (and not the extraordinary) more abundant and that bit more lush…. el
Block 8/12 - I’m so excited to be back making this for my smallest for her 10th birthday. It’s a #stash_less #theyearofthescrap quilt that is based on an incredible #geesbend quilt. And it’s all scraps and precious bits and pieces.
Another #theyearofthescrap #ellenscardigan using some #oldmaidenaunt alpaca silk from many years ago. What I love about this little cardy is it’s simplicity and how little yarn it uses. Perfect for scrap knitting. I now have a little pile of ba New blog post: Craft as elevating the mundane! I think this idea is so important. 🌿 'Making is about enriching the moments of our lives; it’s about making the mundane (and not the extraordinary) more abundant and that bit more lush…. el Block 8/12 - I’m so excited to be back making this for my smallest for her 10th birthday. It’s a #stash_less #theyearofthescrap quilt that is based on an incredible #geesbend quilt. And it’s all scraps and precious bits and pieces.
The Blog Archives!
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • November 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
Featured
Making Fast Fashion: Some More Of The Grey
Apr 19, 2022
Making Fast Fashion: Some More Of The Grey
Apr 19, 2022
Apr 19, 2022
Is My Making Fast Fashion?
Apr 12, 2022
Is My Making Fast Fashion?
Apr 12, 2022
Apr 12, 2022

We Live and work on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation.
We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded and pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging.

Copyright the Craft Sessions 2020

Logo designed by the lovely Mara of Printspace and Girling Design