2007 Knitting Review

I love sitting down at the start of a fresh year and taking stock of the past year's accomplishments. Put together, it feels like something to be proud of! In 2006, I was pushing myself to develop new skills. In 2007, I think I just went ahead and knit a whole lot of fun things.

My hands-down favorite thing to knit is hats. Lots of 'em. I knit 3 Cambridge Watchcaps, 2 Rivendells, 2 berets (pink, red), 2 basic ribbed watchcaps, 1 Shedir, 1 beanie, and 1 Calorimetry.

And as there seems to be lot of fertility going around, I also ended up knitting a lot of baby items. 3 baby blankets (striped and sprouting), 2 baby sweaters (green cotton and blue wool), 1 baby bonnet and booties, 1 Woodins, and Hobs I, II, and III. I enjoy these little creations, but I never get the pleasure of seeing them used. I have mixed feelings, then, about how great they are to knit.

I had a great time experimenting with garments for myself -- maybe not as sweet to knit as those baby things, but at least I get to see them worn! I made a Forecast, a top-down tee, and a hemp camisole.

I also knit a couple of wraps: lace scarf, little leaf shawl, and a clapotis-style scarf.

Then there's the random stuff: camera case, wristlets and flower, and a pair of toe-up socks that I have yet to blog about.

The biggest discovery of the year, for me, was yarn dyeing. Aside from a little flirtation with Kool-aid, which I have yet to post about, it was really all about the deep seduction of natural dyes. I LOVE these colors. I love the process. And I love that the yarns carry with them a bit of sunshine and organic energy.

My new year's knitting resolution is to go even greener with my knitting this year. My hope is to do more natural dyeing, to focus on organic and alternative fibers, and to be better about knitting from my stash rather than letting myself get swept up into consumerism. Here's wishing you a creative 2008!