My 2025 Crafting Goals
I am a goals-not-resolutions kind of person. The way I see it, a goal gives you something to move toward but also has the flexibility to be changed, delayed, or set aside as circumstances change, while a resolution feels too binary pass/fail to me. (This could be my background in nonprofit work, where goals often needed to be adaptable to changing circumstances, talking.)
When it comes to crafting, my project queue is an ever shifting, living object as I get new ideas, get burned out on certain types of projects, or just suddenly have to make a particular project or pattern. But I do like periodically writing down what I currently want to make as a reminder if I ever find myself not sure what I want to work on next.
Below are my 2025 Crafting Goals: some are already in process, some I’ve started gathering the supplies for, and some I just keep telling myself I intend to do. My blog goal is, as I (hopefully) complete some of these, I’ll write them up for the blog and link those posts below.
1. Try sashiko mending/embroidery. I have two clothing items with holes in them – my favorite jersey knit shift dress, and a store-bought cashmere sweater -- that I’m not quite ready to give up on despite both developing several small holes. (For the dress this makes sense as it’s been my favorite summer outfit for almost eight years now; for the sweater, let’s just say it’s one of the reasons I don’t buy fast fashion sweaters anymore.)
2. Try fabric dyeing. Specifically, dyeing some of the nice but boring cream cotton curtains that were left to us by the previous owners of our house. I’ve picked the color for the first set already and bought a big enough plastic bucket for the dye bath, I just have to work up the courage.
3. Crochet my first non-arumigumi project. This is going to be the second afghan from the Vintage Afghan Project; and I’ve already started testing it (I’m having a lot of trouble with yarn tension), but look for a post on it probably in the first quarter of this year.
4. Replace my Weekender. While not a super exciting goal, I have been mourning the loss of my first Weekender sweater to a tragic felting accident for the last two winters and purchased yarn in a Purl Soho clearance sale to replace it. This will likely be my deep winter knitting project.
5. Finish off some of my WIPs. When we moved in the winter of 2023, it really messed with my knitting mojo. Some projects I had going in New York I have not picked up again since; I also started some new projects in my first few months in Chicago that I lost steam on and set aside. I’d really like to get at least 2 or 3 of them finished up this year and/or frog the ones I’m never going to finish.
6. Sew at least one item of clothing. I’m not sure what this is going to be yet; I have a few ideas. This goal may also be dependent on getting a proper sewing area set up in my craft room, as having to sew on the same table I use as a computer desk is definitely keeping me from getting the sewing machine out very often — and part of the reason I picked a larger bedroom for my office is to finally have enough room for that second table.
Are you a goals or a resolutions (or neither) type of person? What projects are in your queue for this year?