The Plaid Pladd

I’m only setting five goals for myself in 2016, but one of them has many parts.

1. Cook Every Recipe in the Sally’s Baking Addiction cookbook

It’s definitely my favorite cookbook

I had already started this goal before I realized what I was doing, just because there are so many good looking recipes in this book. Before the year even started, I had completed 28 recipes, meaning I have 45 more to go.

2. Finish my 2014 Goals

It’s always bothered my that 2014 fucked me up so much (for a variety of reasons), and I regret that stupid health things kept me from completing my goals. So I’m going to finish them up two years late. Here’s what I have to do to complete them:

2.a) Read All T-Z of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable

I made it through S in 2014, so I only have seven letters to go.

2.b) Make a Pie Once a Month 7 pies

I managed to make five pies in 2014! So I just have to make 7 pies this year at some point, preferably kinds I’ve never done before. Which should help me tackle some recipes from Goal 1 too!

2. c) Make a new cocktail once a month

I didn’t make any cocktails in 2014 given that I couldn’t eat anything besides english muffins for most of it. I still don’t drink, so these are going to probably be non-alcoholic fancy drinks.

2. d) Get everything (then currently) on my to-read list off it

I’ve been kind of doing this anyway, since maintenance of my to-read list is basically a professional concern. At the end of 2014, I had 7 books to go, mostly ones my library doesn’t own. I’ve done pretty well on them since then:

Fair Coin by E.C. Myers: deleted from list because so-so reviews
Apron Anxiety by Alyssa Shelasky: ILLed, abandoned after the second chapter because of poor writing
Beyond: A Ghost Stary by Graham McNamee: deleted from list because of reviews
Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst: read in 2015 and LOVED
The Night Watch by Sergei Lukanenko: deleted from list because could it live up to the Terry Pratchett novel with the same title?
How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
The Fate of Mercy Alban by Wendy Webb

So this list now sits at a grand total of 2 books that I either have to ILL or buy.

2. e) Update my blog once a week seven times

I only missed 7 weeks in 2014 despite all the shittiness. Unless something even more dramatic happens to me in 2016, this one shouldn’t be hard to finish either.

3. Finish all my Craftsy classes

Craftsy sends me emails whenever classes are on sale, and I often cave. I currently own 5 classes, 4 of which I’ve never even opened. Here’s what I’ll be learning this year (hopefully):

40 Ways to Cast On and Bind Off

I know like two of each, so I definitely need more study in this area.

40 Techniques Every Sewer Should Know

Ditto.

Sewing Vintage: The Flirty Day Dress

I’m not even sure why I bought this one, because I could easily go to the store, buy a pattern, and make a dress myself. I guess I know I take a lot of shortcuts and half-ass things when I’m making stuff, and I’d like to stop. Or at least know how to stop.

Knit Faster with Continental Knitting

I bought this class while I was making that sweater in 2015 and was SO SICK of stockinette stitch for a million rows. Anything to make that go faster.

Tunisian Crochet

This one I am about 50% done with, although I’ll probably have to go back and redo some of the videos since I’ve forgotten so much.

4. Complete a temperature scarf

Temperature scarves are data visualization + fashion so I’m kind of surprised I’ve never done one before. There’s lots of ways to do them, but I plan to knit one row of a scarf every day, the color determined by the temperature. For example:

There are a million of these online

I’m going to try to use only yarn I already have, so mine won’t be these colors.

5. Read 1 book a month someone else has recommended to me

I want to talk to my friends more about books. You can recommend a book to me here. I already have some from posting on facebook, many of which I’ve already read.

Bonus Addendum: Steven’s goals!

No, one of them is not to act less stupid

For the first time ever, Steven agreed to let me record his goals for the year too! Maybe he’s hoping the pressure of competition or the shame of disappointing the Internet will motivate him.

Steven Goal 1: Cook one vegetarian meal every week.

Steven says he feels his skills in this area have been left relatively untested, and he wants to branch out from his meat-centric cooking. And I always want to eat more vegetables, so it’s basically a win-win.

Steven Goal 2: Learn a new violin piece every month.

Steven plays in the Really Terrible Orchestra of the Triangle, but he never practices outside their once a week practices, because it’s hella easy (for him, what a nerd). He says he feels like his skills have atrophied and he wants to counteract that by working on music at his actual level.

Steven Goal 3: Finish all Craftsy classes.

Steven is even worse than I am about buying things when they’re on sale that he might want someday. His list of classes is longer, but tastier than mine:

Homemade Italian Pasta
Artisan Cheese Making
Danish Pastries from Scratch
Miniature French Desserts (Macarons, Madeleines, and More)
Homemade Salty Snacks
Artisan Bread Making
The Art of Stir-Frying

Unlike me, Steven has actually successfully completed one Craftsy class, the one that taught him to make his amazing homemade croissants. He also has made the macarons and madeleines from Miniature French desserts, so really he just has to tackle “and More.” I’m pretty excited for the results.

Steven Goal 4: Make at least one case or bag out of leather.

Steven’s hobby of the moment is leatherworking, and since he has a lot to use up, he wants to tackle something harder than a belt.

I’ll give you updates on our progress throughout the year, whether you want to know or not!