"Knit on in confidence and hope through all crises.β
β Elizabeth Zimmermann
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Hello there fellow knitter!
This is The Yarnist. The daily newsletter that makes you love knitting the same way Ali Abdaal loves annual planning.
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She had already established herself as an influential voice in American knitting with her first book, Knitting Without Tears. In it she encouraged knitters to get creative with their knitting.
Through her humorous writing she quickly became America's grandma; offering cheeky advice and helpful knitting tips.
The Almanac was her way of guiding enthusiastic knitters through a year of projects. Each pattern was chosen to be seasonally appropriate as the year progressed. The genius of her book was not only the entertaining anecdotes, but the timing of the projects.
Rather than have you knit a pair of mittens in January when they are needed most, you knit them in summer when there is plenty of time to finish.
Today we're looking at planning a year of knitting so you can have the most productive 2024 ever!
Jesse Itzler's Big A## Calendar
Planning a Year of Knitting
Last year I came across a video with Jesse Itzler. He's an entrepreneur who seems to have the whole work / life balance thing figured out.
He also does a lot of cool stuff, like biking across the US, running crazy ultra marathon races, and living with a NAVY SEAL for a month.
His secret is to do ONE life defining thing every year; write a book, run a big race, start a business, etc.
That got me thinking how can we apply some of his advice to knitting.
It's not practical to plan out everything we are going to make throughout the year. I'm sure there are some people who can do that, but I'm certain that plan will end up changing at some point.
Dr Who fans attempt to knit the longest Dr Who scarf
1 BIG project, 6 NEW patterns
Itzler uses his big calendar to plan 7 projects for the year.
One is the life defining event mentioned earlier. The other 6 are mini-adventures taken once every 8 weeks.
We can translate this to our knitting like this:
1 BIG project
This could be knitting your first sweater, knitting 100 hats for charity, making a temperature blanket, or knitting every sock pattern in the book below.
If you did this every year for the next 10 years that's 10 epic knitting projects and 60 new projects you've tried.
The key is to list out what those projects might be and then block out time on the calendar to work on them.
But if you need some inspiration for a big project check out the books below.
Our Favorite Year Round Knitting Books
Whether you attempt to knit a big project throughout the year, or you just want some inspiration for new projects to try, this list should help you on your journey.
There's options for knitters of all types and interests.
Each book here is geared toward helping you knit throughout the year, so let's dive in:
What is it?β A book full of seasonal knitting patterns written by one of the greatest knitters of all time.
Why we like itβ It's funny, it's inspiring, it encourages you to knit outside the box. Her book is full of thoughtful projects that don't rely on fully written patterns. There's a reason this is still a classic 50 years later.
What is it?β This follow-up to her first book, Slow Knitting, takes Hannah's mindful approach to knitting and applies it to the seasons.
Why we like itβ If your goal this year is to take more joy in the process of knitting, this book will you do that in a guided manner. There's curated projects to work on throughout the year, as well as practices to help you slow down and enjoy the yarn.
What is it?β This book is similar to the one which inspired New Stitch a Day. It's a perpetual calendar of different knitting stitch patterns.
Why we like itβ Knitting a stitch a day is a great challenge. Not only will it improve your skills and teach you new techniques, but you can seam everything into a blanket to remember your year of learning!
What is it? A collection of knitting patterns curated based on the season of the year.
Why you should own it? Taking inspiration from Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac, this book updates and expands the idea. These simple but beautiful patterns have weather appropriate projects for the whole year!
What is it?β A years worth of beautiful sock patterns curated by the folks at Laine Publishing.
Why we like itβ Laine has found a niche for itself with their 52 weeks series of knitting books. The sock one has been so popular they are releasing a follow-up in April!
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Conclusion
I hope these books have offered some inspiration.
But what do you think?
Are you going to try making a BIG project this year? If so what?
Or maybe you'll put some new pattern to explore on the calendar?
Hit reply and tell us your thoughts!
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Deal of the Day
Boye Blocking Boards (15% OFF)
Blocking is an essential step in making sure your knits look their best.
These interlocking foam board provide the perfect surface to block your knits on.
And right now you can save 15% off the normal price!
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