2015 Wrap Up and 2016 Goals

I was intrigued the other day by a friend who counted up all her knitting projects for the year 2015.  I've read plenty of other people's blogs who write 'wrap up' posts and then talk about their goals for the following year but I've never done it myself.  I do write down goals and a general 'to do list' each January, but its a piece of scrap paper on my bulletin board and its a pretty fluid document.  I post 90% of the projects I finish on here but I have never counted them.  So, I was curious...

Mind blown.

In the words of Downton Abbey's Mrs. Hughes after
she receives a marriage proposal (to be read in her super cool accent),
''You could knock me over with a feather.''

I make a lot.

This should not be a revelation to me (or anyone that knows me!) but I've never actually counted finished objects before.

I started and finished somewhere between 65 and 70 individual objects this year.

Seriously?!  That averages out to finishing something roughly every 5 days all. year. long.  Absolutely crazy-pants!  What about all the evenings I sit and read and don't sew?  What about all the time I spend working, cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids, etc etc etc?  Its not like I sit and sew all day!  If I didn't have the photographic evidence I wouldn't believe it myself. 

It was interesting to see how the projects spread themselves out.  Some things were projects that I worked on for months, while others were one day whip-ups.  This is the rough breakdown... 

In 2015 I made:

... 15 pieces of clothing: 6 for myself and 9 for kiddos...

... plus these two projects I found that I never got around to blogging about, a bathrobe for Keith's birthday and a dress and muff for Grace for an October wedding, so I guess that makes 17 items of clothing...  

...  at least 4 softies ... 

... at least 19 bags/totes/carriers/etc of various types ...

I do like a good bag, thats for sure!  

... 2 queen-ish sized quilts and matching pillows...

... one hand quilted and the other hand appliqued hexagons .. 

... a handful of crochet projects...

... two larger shawls, but mostly little hats and earwarmers...

... and at least 11-12 things we'll call Miscellaneous Projects...

... embroideries, aprons, table linens, notebook organizers, etc...  

Certifiably crazy, folks!

Roughly 30 finished objects stayed in our house (for me, my family, or my house) and the remaining 35-40 things were gifts for others.  

This count does not include my part time seamstress job - just my hobby stuff.  And surprisingly there aren't many photos of stuff I made with the girls.  So add in a few doll clothes things or quickie pillows or dress up things 'cause we all know there was some of that going on in 2015.  And that blasted mending pile.    

Crazy, crazy, crazy!

My favorite projects are definitely the two quilts and the clothes I made for myself and I hope to continue that in 2016.  More properly fitting clothes for myself and more pretty quilted things.  I'd like to do some english paper piecing this year which will probably start out by embellishing things and possibly work up to a whole quilt at some point.  I would also like to keep learning crochet and maybe tackle a loose sweater type garment.  I foresee much sewing without deadlines for 2016 which will be nice.    

Here's to a fun and productive 2016, but I feel no need whatsoever to be quite so prolific.  I'll just keep sewing for fun and see where it takes me!