Looking back, looking forward

Happy New Year!

2008 was a good year for me, knitting-wise and otherwise. I started the Family Trunk Project, figured out how to write patterns, learned a ton about garment sizing, connected with a fantastic bunch of knitters, designers and teachers, and generally had a blast. David and I set up e-commerce on a site of ours for the first time. I got a fancy new camera and started teaching myself about photography. I tried several knitterly techniques that were new to me (steeking, modified intarsia, cable design), and incorporated them into patterns. I knitted up others' designs, as well as my own, and learned a lot from them. Folks sent me their own stories in exchange for patterns, and I learned about a rich diversity of people and places. I grew so much as an artist and project-organizer in 2008; it's exciting to think what 2009 might bring.

During the first three-quarters of 2008 year, the Family Trunk Project completely took over my life, even to the exclusion of other Very Important Things. Which was necessary and understandable, since we were getting everything ready and figuring out how to do so many things that we had never done before. But now that things are sailing on a slightly more even keel, my knitting resolution for the new year is to find a balance between Family Trunk projects and other, non-knitting pursuits. I hope to find more time for reading and writing in 2009, two activities that have always kept me sane and formed the backbone of my spiritual life. (I'll be writing about books over here for anyone who's interested.) The weather is profoundly disgusting right now, but a little way down the road I hope to get out onto the hiking trails and campgrounds of Oregon/Washington more than we have for the past year, and go for longer walks and jogs with David and Mr. Bingley on a regular basis. I'm so proud that we have managed to put the Family Trunk Project together; now the challenge is to continue running and improving it as an integrated part of our lives.

So, enough introspective blathering! Updates on Vivian in a few days; in the meantime, I hope everyone has the New Year they want.