2008 Knitting Review

I relish the process of sifting through my last year's accomplishments. Time for introspection and a pat on the back :)

I've been thinking of a theme that captures this year's knitting. In 2006, I challenged myself to learn new skills like lace, socks, and seamless sweaters. In 2007, I focused on volume -- a dozen hats and a dozen baby gifts, along with a sweater and a handful of scarves -- and began experimenting with my own designs. The past year, 2008, was largely about developing my own patterns and then trying them again and again. That, and playing around with all kinds of small-scale projects.

My readers will know all about my obsession with my Storm Cloud Shawlettes. I knit six: (1) gray handspun mohair, (2) olive wool/mohair, (3) chocolate alpaca, (4) blue wool, (5)silver kidsilk, and (6) purple mohair/wool. Of all of these, I am most in love with the alpaca, with its super soft hand, and my mother's lustrous purple mohair/wool one.


I knit four Woodland Collars in (1) camel, (2) blue Seacolors wool, (3) hollyhock Malabrigo, and (4) Noro Kureyon, along with an earlier prototype in Colinette Shimmer


Just for fun, I knit up two Quacks...


I whipped up three basic tops in Purelife organic cotton, rosemary-dyed Avril silk, and green Shine cotton


And labored my way through three pair of socks, all toe-up with short row heels: Vinnlands, garter-rib Jitterbug, and slip stitch SeaWool


I knit only three hats: one in Noro Kureyon to match the collar and a pair in Green Mountain Spinnery wool/mohair. Hats used to be my great love, but they have limited utility now that I live in Arizona.


To round out this repitition, I tried all kinds of smaller one-offs: (1) cochineal-dyed baby bonnet & booties, (2) lavender heart, (3) camera case, (4) felted, naturally-dyed bangles, (5) February baby sweater, (6) felted dumpling bag, (7) lace shrug, (8) legwarmers, (9) gloves, (10) kerchief, (11) cell phone pouch, (12) another kerchief, (13) crocheted Christmas stars, and (14) an organic cotton ipod cozy


Now for the confession. I actually knit numerous other projects that couldn't make an appearance on this blog. There were a few hats, several scarves and shawls, a baby blanket, another pair of socks, another kooky stuffed toy. All of these were nature-inspired projects in eco-friendly yarns. I do hope it won't be too long before I figure out what to do with them -- hopefully, publish them in some way -- so that I can share them with you.

And to close, I offer my 2009 Knitting aspirations ...

I want to finish lingering projects, which means publishing my backlog of green patterns and completing unfinished projects (some of which date as far back as 1994!!)

I want to try my hand at fair isle and steeking

I want to finish something more substantial than what I made in the last year, perhaps an afghan or at least a sweater or two.

Happy New Year!