Go Fish

Fresh from their bath, here's a pair of sprightly child-sized Goldfish Mittens, knit in Frog Tree Alpaca Sport. They're so adorable (if I do say so myself) that I think I must knit more, yea, a small school of them, in many sizes and colors.



Meanwhile, the people's choice among the Socks of Shame currently is Piscean, shown here with some strangely orange snacks. It's still early in the new year, but I can't help noticing a theme of colors and motif seems to be emerging. Hm....



Last year's fibery resolutions pretty much crashed and burned: there was backwards progress on the Socks of Shame as previously noted; the tally for NaKniSweMoDo was 2 FOs, not 7; the blankies never got started, much less made; a Sheep 2 Shoe kit was forfeit; and most of my stash is still stored in plastic. I joined a number of knitalongs, then didn't knit much. I'm not unhappy about how I spent my time and the consequences thereof, but it was hardly my most successful year in fiber.

Undeterred, I'm setting three fibery goals for the new year – or rather, reprising three goals:

Reduce the official number of singleton socks aka the Socks of Shame. The count currently stands at 12. But it occurs to me the real task is dynamic rather than static. No doubt at this time next year there will be new singletons on the clothesline – that doesn't trouble me. Success hangs on removing socks from the line faster than they are added.

Spindle sufficient yarn for a pair of socks before my birthday. Despite abject failure last year, I'm feeling strangely confident of achieving this goal. I can't say what's different this year. Some writers develop creative blocks; perhaps some spinners do also. Or perhaps I just needed to let that STR roving go.

Reduce use of plastics, particularly plastic bags and stash storage. It may well be that this should be a life goal rather than an annual fibery one, but it bears repeating. One of my favorite gifts this Christmas was a fancy insulated market bag that will be perfect at the farmer's market, not to mention it's a thematic fit.



Coincidence? What say you? With all these synchronicities, surely 2010 will be a good year.