Welcome to my 2026 year of the continuing decluttering efforts. I have started going through my old knitting magazines. Still seeing if I want to make the projects contained in the magazines. One sweater that I dearly loved only comes in one size. For a 34 inch bust line. Could I adjust the pattern to fit me, yes. Will I take the time and effort? Absolutely not. I figured it would take me about a month to make a workable pattern to fit the not size extra small size me. By the time I had finished doing the math and making sure my numbers matched the yarn, I would be so over it with nothing to show. So it is leaving the house.
Other magazines had stitch tutorials that were very helpful to a new knitter in her 40’s. Now not so much so they are leaving for a new knitter to find.
Projects that I absolutely had to make. If I do not love them they are going too. The aspirational lace patterns, I know me as a knitter much better now. Can anyone truly see me knitting an Orenburg lace shawl. If you said yes, first let me stop laughing so hard I just fell on the floor. Yes, technically I have the ability to knit Orenburg lace. Do I want to follow a tedious pattern to complete a very fragile shawl? Absolutely not.
Now it’s time for everyone to join me in clearing out those old aspirational projects in magazines and books. Pass them on to new knitters, put them in the free Little Libraries around town. Just be kind and only put in one or two at a time. Let’s finish January with a cleaning spree so we can spend the rest of the year knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving or whatever craft you are currently delving into at the moment.
