2009 knit-o-lutions!

...and a look back at 2008. I like to do these lists once a year ---mostly just to keep my sidebar at right nice n' tidy (have I recently mentionned my passion for organization?) so just wing through to the bottom if yer not interested, it's a surprisingly long list.

Moss Stitch scarf
Grey Classic Mitts
Brown Classic Mitts
Angora Floppy toque
Interwoven Cable hat
Wallis sweater
Knit bangles
double-breasted coat
Gretel beret #2
Lace rib cowl
Star crossed slouchy beret
Elisa‘s Nest tote
Just like a peasant cap
Cocoon cowl
Iceland sweater
Foxy angora beret
Emerald string bag
Calyx handtote
Phiaro scarf
Quant
Purl beret #2
Grrr washcloth
Swiss Cheese scarf
Tulip Doll
Jenny Cloche #3
Twinkle biker vest
Counterpane carpet bag
Cashmere cowl #3
Jenny Cloche
Jenny Cloche #2
Vintage shoulderette
Giant cowl #2
Herringbone neckwarmer
One day beret
Spiral scarf
Mercy beret #2
Borealis sweater
Sunrise Circle jacket
Twinkle Urchin beret
Fake-a-gamo purse
XO UO cowl
Mercy beret
Pilot hat
Aspen hat #2
Calorimetry

In the end the little Owl mittens (sorry for not posting the pattern link last week!) didn't make the cut, though technically I *did* finish knitting them in 2008. I was knitting the button eyes onto them on January 1st though so I figured I shouldn't cheat and will move them to my list of 2009 F.O's. At the very least that way I will start the year "psychologically" having already completed something. But more on those to come. They were such a fast knit that I've already completed a second pair for a friend of mine.

As far as last year's knit-o-lutions went....erm. How does 50% completed sound?

I suppose it might sound ok if I hadn't chosen some embarrassingly easy resolutions in the first place. As it is I could have likely learned ALL of these things in one afternoon but STILL did not. So here you go:

-Learn to crochet. Yeah, that didn't happen. I mean, if forced I can muddle through the odd chain stitch, but that's about it. Still planning to take a beginners crochet course with my mother, so maybe i'll move this onto my 2009 knitting resolutions list again. I'm starting to get all weird and anti-crochet for no reason other than my own apathy. I'm starting to physically resent those patterns that call for both knitting and crochet work.

-Some form of colour work. Also, not done. Though given that I don't really like anything "multi-coloured" for the most part, I guess it's no surprise. Still I plan to start working on something within the realm of this soon, so onto the 2009 list it also goes.

-Magic loop. Big check mark here. I took a course on magic-loop and "knitting two socks at once on circs" earlier in the year. I have not practiced this method even once since then. But it's still freakin' done, so there. Again, I don't knit a lot of socks (try none) so I suppose it's no surprise this fell into dis-use for me. Though I guess the sheer number of mittens I've cranked out lately should have justified my picking it up again. Oopsy.

-De-stash. Well, this is ongoing though I must say I have been really, really good about it. Anything I've bought in the last year was pretty much bought for immediate use and used-so accordingly, so the stash hasn't grown at all, and if anything it's actually shrunk. I've been going out of my way to use up even yarn that I can no longer stand the sight of. The last sweater I knit was even yarn torn from another sweater. Really I could keep making more and more sweaters out of the five I've knit in my closet that I don't wear. Hell, I'm already thinking about frogging Iceland from mere months ago simply because the yarn is too nice and I never want to have to spend $300 on sweater supplies again!

Now, as far as NEW knit-o-lutions go?

Ugh. How 'bout I just leave it at that for now? Don't want to get toooooo ambitious now, do I? (baby steps, baby steps). Plus it seems like when a deadline looms I have a tendancy to dig in my heels and practice all my best avoidance skills.

It wasn't much of a knitterly Christmas for me this year either. (I mean what do I really need?) though the hubby did surprise me with some gorgeous yarn that he picked out all.on.his.lonesome. Shocking.



He did not in fact even know what he was looking for. I've made a hat in this gorgeous yarn once before and commented that I would "like to pick up some more". He went into my LYS and simply spotted it. Not knowing the name, just remembering the hat. That, my friends is some serious knitter's osmosis right there. Why can't I learn to play the guitar that way?

And my sister also gifted me Laura Irwin's Boutique Knits. Not since LMKG have I been able to see myself casting on for so many things from ONE book.

And I'm starting with the Side Slip Cloche,



In some gorgeous yarn that I am so paranoid I will run out of. Still I press on.

Other things I'm mosdef putting into the queue from this book:













Yowzers. Though fortunately most of those are relatively small projects and should kill a couple of those resolutions for me at the same time.

And now this post is officially crazy long, but that's Xmas and New Year's in a nutshell for you. This year I plan to not wax on so much about how much I love all your blogs and about how much the online knitting community has meant to me these last couple of years, so just KNOW IT. You guys are the best --have a Happy 2009!