Year in Review
Wow. This has been a big year in many ways (ahem, I got MARRIED), and particularly a big knitting year. I'd say that I went from an advanced beginner to high intermediate over the course of 2005.
NOTE: this post is going to replace the 2005 items in my Finished Objects sidebar. Click on the pictures to link to the approproate posts, which often have more pics.
THINGS I'VE MADE:
1- Cowl:
2- Red drop-stitch scarf:
3- Big red fuzzy blanket:
Okay, I haven't actually snipped the loose ends yet, but it has been in use by us and by Una, so I'd say that counts as an FO. :)
4- Sitcom Chic, my very first completed (and not then ripped out) sweater:
This was the first thing I ever made in the yarn the pattern called for
5-Asana:
This was the first pattern I recalculated for a different gauge yarn. I made it out of cotton-ease left over from sitcom chic, to wear as a twinset. Shown here on my wedding day.
6- Clapotis Capelet:
I intended this to be a full Clapotis, but was short on yarn, so I made what I could and then sewed it up.
7- Soleil:
8- Tivoli:
My first sweater in the round
9- Momvoli
A Tivoli for my mom, and the first sweater I ever knit for someone else. I still don't have a finished picture.
10- Clapotis #2
This was an exercise in pure knitting luxury, made with Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb.
11- Blackberry
A gift for my sister. This may actually need some frogging. Becky wanted a buttonhole, rather than a brooch closure, and I didn't put it in quite the right place. It's wearable, but I may frog the last 1.5" of the border and move the buttonhole next time I'm down there. However, I am extremely proud of the fact that I was able to lengthen the sleeves over an inch just by blocking.
12- My So-Called Scarf
An xmas gift for my sister's boyfriend
13- Chicken Viking Hat, baby version:
14-A pair of felted cala lillies:
15- A pair of felted irises:
I didn't get any finished pics, but here they are hanging upside down to dry. Here also is the pair hanging to dry:
16- Feline Dim Sum
Including the spring roll and wonton published by Julie Falatko in Knitty, as well as the steamed bun I designed myself.
17- Chicken Viking Hat, adult version:
THINGS I'M STILL WORKING ON:
1- Wavy scarf
No pics available.
2- Hush-Hush chemise
3- Wrap with Sleeves from Rebecca #12
Looking ahead
4- Hopeful
5- Blissful Jacket
I just cast on for this on the night of the 26th, and don't have any pictures yet.
6- Lelah Top
This was going to be a Christmas present for my sister, but there was no time. It's nearly done. I made half of it on the way to Buffalo for Christmas, and the rest of it on the way back. I'm still waiting for her to send me a measurement before I add the elastic, straps and sash, but if the fit is right, the knitting is actually done:
THINGS I NEED TO START OVER OR GIVE UP ON:
1- Soul
My first cables project. Knitted while my husband read me Harry Potter (is he great or what?). WAY to big & saggy.
2- Paris Loop
For a while, I thought the FUG was due to the poor fit, but now I realize that it is just hideous in this yarn. Pity.
NEW TECHNIQUES I'VE TRIED:
- um, blocking
- magic loop technique
- short rows
- cables
- lace (granted, it was easy lace done in sportweight yarn)
- resizing a pattern for a different gauge yarn
- resizing a pattern for fit
- cut-and-sew method for adjusting fit (not traditional steeking, but the same method)
- felting
OTHER FIRSTS:
- Ahem, BLOGGING!!!
- knit-alongs
- understanding the importance of blocking
- understanding the importance of presentation when gift-giving
- having a stash!
- better understanding how to substitute yarns of different fibers (alpaca vs. wool, etc.)
- realized that, while alpaca is softer to the touch, I get fewer "pricklies" from good-quality wool
GOALS FOR 2006:
ITEMS I WANT TO MAKE:
Tubey
I think I'm going to need a couple of these. Striped, solid, cabled...
Whisper
This has incredibly interesting detail.
- Zig-zag
I'll probably use Knitpicks Merino Style for this one
- Sweet Mary Jane from Knitpicks (shop there; they're great).
Have yarn, will knit. This will be my first laceweight project.
- Bulky turtleneck
I still have some redheart light & lofty (the only 100% acrylic yarn I ever loved) left, and I still think it would make an incredibly snuggly sweater.
THINGS I WANT TO LEARN/TRY/ACCOMPLISH:
- design my own sweater. I've actually done this once, and it fit really well, but a fitted raglan sweater in bulky boucle is just not flattering, so I frogged it, bought more, and made a blanket instead.
- try more complicated cablework
- publish a design (even if it's just on my blog). I actually took excellent notes on my steamed bun pattern, and hope to have those posted soon. I may also publish my adult resizing of the chicken viking hat (the designer published it with a creative commons license, which allows derivative works with credit).
- make some wardrobe-enhancing items. I mean stuff that I'll wear all the time, like I did with the Sitcom Chic and Asana twinset. The Blissful Jacket falls into that category, and I hope Tubey will be too.
- hand-dye some yarn
NOTE: this post is going to replace the 2005 items in my Finished Objects sidebar. Click on the pictures to link to the approproate posts, which often have more pics.
THINGS I'VE MADE:
1- Cowl:
2- Red drop-stitch scarf:
3- Big red fuzzy blanket:
Okay, I haven't actually snipped the loose ends yet, but it has been in use by us and by Una, so I'd say that counts as an FO. :)
4- Sitcom Chic, my very first completed (and not then ripped out) sweater:
This was the first thing I ever made in the yarn the pattern called for
5-Asana:
This was the first pattern I recalculated for a different gauge yarn. I made it out of cotton-ease left over from sitcom chic, to wear as a twinset. Shown here on my wedding day.
6- Clapotis Capelet:
I intended this to be a full Clapotis, but was short on yarn, so I made what I could and then sewed it up.
7- Soleil:
8- Tivoli:
My first sweater in the round
9- Momvoli
A Tivoli for my mom, and the first sweater I ever knit for someone else. I still don't have a finished picture.
10- Clapotis #2
This was an exercise in pure knitting luxury, made with Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb.
11- Blackberry
A gift for my sister. This may actually need some frogging. Becky wanted a buttonhole, rather than a brooch closure, and I didn't put it in quite the right place. It's wearable, but I may frog the last 1.5" of the border and move the buttonhole next time I'm down there. However, I am extremely proud of the fact that I was able to lengthen the sleeves over an inch just by blocking.
12- My So-Called Scarf
An xmas gift for my sister's boyfriend
13- Chicken Viking Hat, baby version:
14-A pair of felted cala lillies:
15- A pair of felted irises:
I didn't get any finished pics, but here they are hanging upside down to dry. Here also is the pair hanging to dry:
16- Feline Dim Sum
Including the spring roll and wonton published by Julie Falatko in Knitty, as well as the steamed bun I designed myself.
17- Chicken Viking Hat, adult version:
THINGS I'M STILL WORKING ON:
1- Wavy scarf
No pics available.
2- Hush-Hush chemise
3- Wrap with Sleeves from Rebecca #12
Looking ahead
4- Hopeful
5- Blissful Jacket
I just cast on for this on the night of the 26th, and don't have any pictures yet.
6- Lelah Top
This was going to be a Christmas present for my sister, but there was no time. It's nearly done. I made half of it on the way to Buffalo for Christmas, and the rest of it on the way back. I'm still waiting for her to send me a measurement before I add the elastic, straps and sash, but if the fit is right, the knitting is actually done:
THINGS I NEED TO START OVER OR GIVE UP ON:
1- Soul
My first cables project. Knitted while my husband read me Harry Potter (is he great or what?). WAY to big & saggy.
2- Paris Loop
For a while, I thought the FUG was due to the poor fit, but now I realize that it is just hideous in this yarn. Pity.
NEW TECHNIQUES I'VE TRIED:
- um, blocking
- magic loop technique
- short rows
- cables
- lace (granted, it was easy lace done in sportweight yarn)
- resizing a pattern for a different gauge yarn
- resizing a pattern for fit
- cut-and-sew method for adjusting fit (not traditional steeking, but the same method)
- felting
OTHER FIRSTS:
- Ahem, BLOGGING!!!
- knit-alongs
- understanding the importance of blocking
- understanding the importance of presentation when gift-giving
- having a stash!
- better understanding how to substitute yarns of different fibers (alpaca vs. wool, etc.)
- realized that, while alpaca is softer to the touch, I get fewer "pricklies" from good-quality wool
GOALS FOR 2006:
ITEMS I WANT TO MAKE:
Tubey
I think I'm going to need a couple of these. Striped, solid, cabled...
Whisper
This has incredibly interesting detail.
- Zig-zag
I'll probably use Knitpicks Merino Style for this one
- Sweet Mary Jane from Knitpicks (shop there; they're great).
Have yarn, will knit. This will be my first laceweight project.
- Bulky turtleneck
I still have some redheart light & lofty (the only 100% acrylic yarn I ever loved) left, and I still think it would make an incredibly snuggly sweater.
THINGS I WANT TO LEARN/TRY/ACCOMPLISH:
- design my own sweater. I've actually done this once, and it fit really well, but a fitted raglan sweater in bulky boucle is just not flattering, so I frogged it, bought more, and made a blanket instead.
- try more complicated cablework
- publish a design (even if it's just on my blog). I actually took excellent notes on my steamed bun pattern, and hope to have those posted soon. I may also publish my adult resizing of the chicken viking hat (the designer published it with a creative commons license, which allows derivative works with credit).
- make some wardrobe-enhancing items. I mean stuff that I'll wear all the time, like I did with the Sitcom Chic and Asana twinset. The Blissful Jacket falls into that category, and I hope Tubey will be too.
- hand-dye some yarn
posted by Nadira at Sunday, January 01, 2006
1 Comments:
wow -- that is a great year roundup! seems like you were very productive this past year, and even more so in the year to come. best wishes with your first KAL, and your next exciting forays in your knitting and living experiences.
one day you will have to show me your clapotis(es) and coach me through my first one. can you imagine that? a knitter who hasn't done a clapotis? crazytalk, that's what. :)
i personally like your dimsum cat toys. i did the eggroll and dumpling in tahki capri last year for niknak's roommate's two cats, but your red bean bun is so clever and adorable. + one of my favorite snacks!
Post a Comment
<< Home