Posted in Completed Projects, Knit Ramblings, Life

Two FO’s and 2010 Year End Wrap Up

This New Year’s Eve definitely hasn’t gone as expected, but I think that it’s turning out to be a good one anyhow! We originally had plans to go hang out with Matt’s friend just outside of Louisville, KY. He had been having some issues with the network at his work which ultimately lead to a part being shipped early this afternoon, arriving this evening, and currently being installed so that everything is up and running by Monday. I’m bummed that we aren’t able to make it, but Matt is a rock star at his job and has to play Super IT Guy instead. Just life how life goes sometimes!

Much to my surprise, I was able to get two more projects done just before the end of the year.

The first thing I finished was the Picot Edge Hat. I saw this on Grmperina’s blog earlier this week and knew immediately I needed to make it. I’ve been trying to figure out just the right project for this yarn and I finally found it!

Picot Edge Hat (Front)
Picot Edge Hat

Pattern: Picot Edge Hat (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: December 28, 2010
Completed: December 31, 2010
Yarn: Squoosh Fiber Arts Merinio Cashmere Sport, colorway Seaside, approx 3/4 of a skein
Needles: US 4 bamboo circular and DPNs
Notes: No modifications. Followed the pattern for the medium size, though I think my gauge was a bit off. Love the way it fits and it comes over my ears and is just what I need for winter.

Picot Edge Hat (Side)
Picot Edge Hat – Side

Craig, who runs Great Northern Yarns, was kind enough to offer to send me a skein of the mink/cashmere DK yarn that I need. I thanked him repeatedly, but I am just so blown away by his kind offer! The fiber community is such a great one and I’m so happy that I get to be a part of it. 🙂

The yarn arrived today and in a short amount of time I had my Juneberry Triangle finished! I didn’t think I’d get this one done before the end of the year. I’m glad I was able to, though. It’s officially off the needles and currently blocking. I’m waiting to do the full FO post once it’s dry and I have more pictures of it, but here’s a little peek!

Juneberry
Juneberry Triangle

It’s that time of year again! Time to recap the projects I’ve completed this year. I have less projects then I did last year, but last year I had a month off work after having surgery to do all the knitting I wanted and I did smaller projects last year compared to this year.

Project breakdown for 2010:

– Eight pairs of socks
– Seven sweaters (which includes the baby sweater I knit)
– Six hats
– Five shawls
– Three scarves
– Two pairs of fingerless gloves
– One iPhone cober
– One chicken bag
– One toy alien
– One pair of baby booties
– One tree

Completed Projects in 2010
Projects Completed in 2010

Overall, I’m happy with the projects I’ve completed this year. Less then last year, but last year I had a whole month of recovery after having surgery that I spent knitting. I knit more sweaters and more shawls, but less socks. The things I like to work on are always changing and I notice it most when I do this review each year!

I had a few goals for this year. I have to make a confession… I kinda forgot about those completely! I met my goal of knitting five shawls this year, just barely. I decided I didn’t want to knit Little Birds, so I didn’t meet that goal. I didn’t get around to the exercising goal until late in the year (around September), so there’s another miss. Eat Clean diet was a miss as well (life, it gets in the way!). I think my goal of “knitting with more luxury fibers” was a bit lofty, but I think I did alright there with my sea silk shawl, my mink cashmere shawl, and my Bugga sweater. I’m sure I could have met some of these better had I not forgot about them. I guess I just wasn’t as committed as I thought I was!

For the new year I have some knitting specific goals and some other ones, but I’ll share that in the new year. 🙂

2010 has been pretty good overall. There were a few down spots, like my dear beta fish, Fred, passing away (who I had for 5 years and was a surprisingly attentive, playful and a fish with his own personality), but life is pretty good. I know that some of my friends have had a rough year and I hope that 2011 brings better things for everyone.

Happy New Year!! May the new year be great for all! 🙂

Posted in Completed Projects, Life

End of Year Wrap Up and a Final FO

In preparation for this year end post, I took a look at my Ravelry notebook and realized that I’d done a lot more knitting then I thought this year. I completed 42 knit or crochet projects this year!

Project breakdown for 2009:

– Thirteen pairs of socks
– Five sweaters
– Five hats
– Four doll clothing items
– Three amigurumi toys
– Three shawls
– Three pairs of fingerless gloves
– Two scarves
– Two cowls
– One pair of gloves
– One par of mittens

Projects Completed in 2009
Projects Completed in 2009

You’ll notice one project is missing from this picture. That’s because the recipient of that item hasn’t received it yet and I don’t want to spoil the surprise by posting a picture too soon. I knit more everything then I thought I had this year! Last year I knit a total of 19 projects, so in comparison, I knit over double the amount I did in 2008 and felt like I knit less in 2009 then I did in 2008. Funny how that works out, isn’t it?

As for the one goal I set myself last year about reading 12 books… I didn’t come close. I read 4: Fun Home, Enchantment, The 19th Wife, and Fordlandia. All of them were good, though. I had a hard time getting into a number of books and I don’t think it helped that I didn’t really have a set time for reading aside from lunchtime during the work week. I’m going to try and read more this year by giving myself a set time to read before bed. I won’t set a goal for it, just going to do it and see how it goes.

I did, however, do quite well with 365 this year! Today is the last day of it, so it’s not complete yet as I haven’t posted a picture for today, but I’m really pleased that I was able to keep up with it. I learned a lot about taking pictures throughout 2009 and even have a DLSR now, thanks to Matt. Here’s my Flickr set for 2009’s 365.

I think I did so-so with knitting goals. I wanted to do more fair isle, but aside from the Rainy Day fingerless gloves, I didn’t do much. I wanted to knit more sweaters and I finished a total of 5, so I’m happy with that. I wanted to try steeking, but didn’t get to it because I ended up not being too thrilled with the colors I picked for the Little Birds cardigan and didn’t get around to ordering new colors until pretty late in the year. I wanted to wear more of my handknit socks and I have. Not too bad overall.

I don’t think I mentioned this much on my blog, but paying off my credit cards was a big goal and I did manage that this year. I’m really pleased that I got it done and I don’t think I could have done it without Matt’s help and encouragement! Thank you, sweetie. 🙂

I’ve been thinking of this upcoming year and things I want to set goals for. I already know two big ones that are non-knitting related and a few knitting related things that I’m still working on figuring out. I’ll post about those tomorrow.

One last FO before the new year! My long sleeved Liesl.

Long Sleeve Liesl
Long Sleeve Liesl

Long Sleeve Leisl
Long Sleeve Liesl, folded

Pattern: Liesl (My Ravelry project page.)
Started: November 12, 2009
Completed: December 20, 2009
Yarn: Dream in Color Classy, 2.5 skeins in Spring Tickle
Needles: US 10.5 bamboo circular and DPNs
Notes: Making the same modifications as the first one. Cast on for the wide neckline. Knit 4 rows of garter stitch then started row 1 of the wide neckline, working the first buttonhole on this row as knit to 4 stitches from the end, k2tog, yo, k2. Tried to go for 3/4 length sleeves, which ended up more like long sleeves, but I’m still happy with how it turned out. I haven’t decided on buttons or a clasp yet. It does have button holes, though. I’m still calling it done since I don’t usually button up sweaters when I wear them anyhow.

Last blog post of 2009! Hope everyone had a good year and has a safe New Years Eve celebration. See you all next year!