2009 Summer Knitting Goals Contest

Totally random pic, simply because it made me laugh!

It's that time of year again. While warmer temperatures have already moved in, the official start of Summer 2009 is just around the corner, and that can only mean one thing, at least in the tiny world that revolves around me.

It's time to set some summer goals, more specifically, knitting goals.

You may remember some lofty goals from previous years. I'm a list maker. I'm lost without a list. I forget things like buns for the burgers without a list. I'm also a goal setter. I believe in putting a little pressure on myself, for without it I would end up spending most of every day with a good book, magazine, or movie, eating pizza- with paper plates.

New Year's resolutions aren't good enough for me. They're great for a week or two, but I need something more, like quarterly progress reports, so I set quarterly goals, even monthly and weekly at times, and I'm not just talking about knitting. Research has shown that people who make goals tend to be more productive and more successful, and those that actually write them down are even more so. I don't accomplish even half of what I set out to do, but with my slightly thought out goals I accomplish more than I ever would without them.

Here's where the fun comes in- incentives, it's like a Tupperware party, except you don't have to sell anything. You don't even have to achieve your goals, just set some, even one. This annual contest is specifically about summer knitting goals -what to you hope to knit by summer's end?- but don't let that limit you, feel free to add goals in any area of life that needs a little more intentional living.

I'm working on a few more goodies to add to the packages, but here's what we're starting off with-

Package #3-

• 1 skein of Suri Merino from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Cloud
• 1 copy of the Tie Sweater pattern
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• a lovingly handcrafted notecard

Package #1-

• 2 skeins of Skinny Dyed from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Pink
• 1 copy of the Simple Raglan pattern
• 1 copy of the Skinny Cardigan pattern
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• 2 lovingly handcrafted notecards

Package #1-

• 3 skeins of Dyed Cotton (my favorite!!) from Blue Sky Alpacas, in Expresso
• 1 copy of the Fitted Tank pattern
• 1 copy of the Eyelet Cardigan pattern
• 1 copy of the ever adorable Baby Bobbi Bear pattern
• 1 copy of the so cute I can hardly stand it Knit Chickens pattern (by the very fun and talented Susan B. Anderson!)
• 1 cute little bar of very special natural soap
• some form of chocolate
• 4 lovingly handcrafted notecards

One of my goals (hehe) is to make the packages bigger and better each year! I'm having fun thinking of things to add...

I'm working on my list (always!) and will post it early next week. Now it's your turn. Set a goal (or 2 or 3), post a list (with a link back here), leave a comment, then on to the knitting, and the living, one day at a time, one moment at a time. Enjoy it.

Happy knitting-
ali

***Extra details- leave a comment by midnight June 21st, the first day of summer. Each comment will get a number and I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners. If your number comes up, I'll head to your blog and check for your goals list, if I can't find one, I'll go to the next number (so don't forget to post!)... If you're blogless, what is wrong with you?! Totally kidding! I guess you'll just have to leave a list here in the comments, no biggee, that'll work.