New Years Resolutions

I'm not normally one for setting New Years resolutions, just because I know hardly anyone follows through with them.

I do always make the cliche lose weight get healthy one though, and this year is no exception, but that's not what this post is about.

I started knitting in July of this year and I have already learnt a few techniques such as the basics, casting on, the knit and purl stitch, increasing, decreasing, binding off, basic cabling and knitting in the round.

I'm very proud of what I have achieved but have so much more to learn, and here are a few of the skills/goals I have set myself for next year:

• Socks - I have a really weird obsession with socks. They are one of my ultimate knitting goals, and as much as I look at patterns they still baffle me slightly. I will conquer the sock though, there are just too many gorgeous sock yarns out there that want me to use them. This also fits in well with loosing weight because nothing looks cuter then dainty socks with girly shoes, although I will be starting with very basic vanilla socks!
• Colour work - I want to learn both stranded and intarsia, I'm fairly confident I would be able to do intarsia, but stranded seems a little bit more complex, but I love Fair Isle. Fightin' Words by Annie Watts looks absolutely amazing and I am going to make it my first stranded pattern, after finding myself a nice easy intarsia pattern beforehand!
• A jumper - I already have it picked out, I am going to (or rather I want to) knit the Oh My Bear by Tiny Owl Knits it seems like a good first jumper because it is chunky and baggy so I don't have to worry too much about fit, and it also includes some intarsia, 2 birds with one stone!
• Lace - I would love to learn to knit lace because it looks so gorgeous. I don't have a pattern picked out yet because lace garments aren't really my style, I just want to add this technique to my repertoire. 
• A shawl - I never thought I would want to knit a shawl, but it seems everyone in the knitting world knits shawls, and with good reason. I always get cold in work, so it would be nice to have a extra layer to snuggle up in. My boyfriend also got me some gorgeous yarn from Gynx Yarn which is 100% merino and I think it would look lovely in a shawl. I'm going for the Zilver shawl for my first attempt as it looks achievable.

So those are my 2013 aims. 

Now I have written them down I'm a bit worried that I won't have time to achieve them all, but we shall see!

I've had a great 2012 and hope 2013 is just as good. Hope you all have a lovely NYE and let me know of your resolutions too!