Happy New Year!

 

Happy 2013 everyone! I spent the first day of the year doing a general review of the past 12 months of The Silver Hook and I have been setting my goals. I’m not very strict about meeting my goals, but I like to have a bit of a road map. I expect there will be many planned and unplanned detours.  September through December is a crazy, hectic time for me and I have trouble finding motivation in the dark, cold post-holidays months. It feels really good to have a road map for the next little while.

Blogging

My first goal is to post 52 blog posts, roughly one each week. Last year I managed to write 25 posts, so this is a lofty idea. I am definitely looking for post ideas. What do you want to hear about?

Upcoming blog posts this month will include the final post about Hal-Con (lots of pictures!) and an update about a change in my life.

Crochet

As a designer, it is important to expand my overall crocheting skills. I’m never quite sure which new techniques will be incorporated into new designs. There are the obvious shaping techniques, but new stitches and yarns may also come in handy. From my husband for Christmas I received The Crochet Stitch Bible (Betty Barnden, Quarto Inc) along with a complete set of bamboo handle hooks. My goal is to work on one special project each month that has no obvious connection to toys. With the currently chilly weather in Ottawa, shawls are at the top of my list.

Amigurumi – Toys

Two goals here: I have quite a few designs that I have never committed to written patterns nor have they become regulars at craft shows or in my Etsy Shop. I also have a growing list of design suggestions. In 2013, my goal will be to complete one new design each month. So far my ideas include: lions, owls, gnomes, elephants. You can leave your suggestions in the comments below.

My second goal is to combine some of my patterns and sell them as sets online – especially some of my older designs. I haven’t given too much thought to this, but I have a full 12 months to figure it all out.

Time Management

I love what I do, but I’m not sure how many hours I spend each week working on my business. I keep track of the average length of time it takes to make each of my toys. My goal will be to track the time I spend crocheting, researching, and working on The Silver Hook. I’ll keep track of my normal routine and with that data, I’ll tweak my schedule to be more efficient. I expect there will be lots of variation as to how I divide my day. Since I work from home, some days I am busier with personal stuff, but other days I am completely focused on filling orders. I would like to average about 30 hours/week on The Silver Hook.