July Goals Update

I'm really not quite sure where July went.

• I celebrated the July long weekend by knitting and sewing as much as possible
• I also finally mowed my back lawn
• My neighbours are happy
• So am I, it made a huge difference in how I feel about the back garden!
• I enjoyed a fair amount of wine that weekend too, in the name of relaxing
• I couldn't figure out why everyone was posting Tour de Fleece photos until I suddenly came to the realization it was really the first week of July!!
• Must have been the wine
• In one week, I drove to downtown Toronto (day 1), Owen Sound, Milton (day 2), Picton and Kingston (day 3), returning home each night.  
• That was the week of one of the heatwaves and I had a rental car with cooled seats
• The cooled seats felt weird but were definitely not hot!!
• I didn't want to give the rental back, but I didn't want to drive anymore
• I've been busy with launch parties for my home based business.  Three in one weekend. Whew!!
• I spent a week at the Haliburton School of the Arts learning to do all things associated with spinning
• We washed fleece, carded fleece, dyed fleece and spun yarn, and even played with the spinning wheels.
• Summer Camp for Adults.  It was Fabulous!!
• They have a Master Spinner program.  
• I might have to take it.
• Because I have nothing else to do
• I got a henna tattoo. 
• I like it so much I may have to get it for real.

Since it's already the end of July, I guess I should really take a look at what my goals were for this month, and how I did.

July Goals Wrap Up

Knitting

1. Finish Gravel Socks.  Done!  not in time for the KAL deadline, but whatevs.
2. Finish Coffee Run Socks Finished the first sock, but I'm pretty sure that was already before July.
3. Finish The Stunning Poncho.  Haven't even touched it.
4. Finish Agatha Sweater for Melissa  Again, haven't even touched it.
5. Start baby sweaters for shower gifts.  Sorta done.  Finished one sweater, haven't decided on the second one yet.
6. Start a sweater for Sara.  Nope.  Not started 
7. Start my annual summer Featherweight Sweater knit.  Yup, I cast on a sweater similar to the Featherweight for myself, and I'm working on the second sleeve.

Sewing

1. Finish the black and white print wrap dress, currently in progress   Done!  And I LOVE this dress!  I'll have to do a post on it.
2. Finish red cocktail dress (needs a zipper before final fitting and a hem).  Nope - I keep looking at it on the dress form and should just finish it.  It's starting to haunt me.
3. Finish the coral silky top for Sara.    Well...she's announced she's expecting (YAY!!! I'm gonna be a Gramma!!!), so this top no longer fits for the time being.  It's been put on the backburner.
4. Sew black trousers (already cut out)   Done!
5. Sew beige flowy wool crepe trousers (already cut out)   Done!
6. Sew beige slim tropical wool trousers (already cut out)   Done!
7. Draft, cut and sew a tunic top with gathers at the neckline.  I keep dreaming about this one, I should just get drafting!
8. Trace, cut and sew on Burda outfit (?jumpsuit or dress?)  Again...dreaming.
9. Sew short sleeve summer top Does this count if I made one and then donated it?  It was just horrible!  Serves me right for not making a mockup.

Reading

1. Finish People over Profit by Dale Partridge - over halfway through, but didn't want to read this on vacation :)
2. Read You are a Badass by Jen Sincero  Does the audiobook count?  I actually lent out my paper copy to a friend who is recovering from surgery but managed to get a copy of the audiobook through Hoopla.  After listening to it, I really want to read the paper copy again - it was THAT good!!  I've started listening to it again as well.
3. Finish the novel on my bedside table (!)  Done!  Spoiler Alert! The world was saved from terrorists by Jake Grafton.  Again.  Who would have thunk it?!
4. Choose and start the next novel Done - currently reading The Three Sisters Bar & Hotel by Katherine Govier. Its a bit tough to get into at first, but I'm really starting to enjoy the character development.  It takes place in Banff, where I visited this past spring, and where my brother lives.  I'm planning on passing the book along to him when I'm done with it.

Goals for August

Knitting

1. Finish Coffee Run socks
2. Finish Agatha sweater for Melissa (her birthday is August 18, so I need to get on this!)
3. Finish my lightweight cardigan 
4. Start a baby sweater for Sara's baby 
5. Make my list for Christmas gift knitting and pick one project to get started on

Sewing 

1. Finish the red cocktail dress.  I'm just going to keep putting it here until it's done.  Maybe I'll be ready for the Christmas party season with it?!
2. Draft, cut and sew a tunic top with gathers at the neckline. I have amazing fabric for this that should really get me inspired to do this!
3. Sew a summer style jumpsuit (Closet Case Files Sallie maybe?!)
4. Sew a summer dress, wrap style from the same pattern as my black and white print dress?

Reading

1. Finish reading People over Profit
2. Finish reading The Three Sisters Bar & Hotel (this won't be a problem, I'm using this as a reason to go to bed early and read!)
3. Start reading Book Yourself Solid (for work and my own business)
4. Pick the next fiction book to read