2012 Knitting In Review

Brian and I have a tradition each year of sitting down together around New Year's and taking the time to think back through the previous year and look ahead to the next. This has been a really important event each year, as it helps us to be more intentional in our work lives, parenting and in our marriage. 


This year we decided it was time to invite the boys into our tradition and invite them to make some goals for themselves. We sat down as a family this week to talk about what we'd like this year to look like, things we'd like to do and changes we'd like to make. We ended up writing down several ideas for each person and now we're taking some time to think about them before committing to them for the year. I'll be sure to share when we settle on a plan!


I've also been working through my knitting goals from last year and ticking items off the list. Below is the original writing in black, and in blue I've added my comments for how progress actually went this year.


1. Complete 12 knitting projects by the end of the year. I'm admittedly aiming small, but we will be moving again in the first half of the year AND having a baby. There's canning season (and I just don't knit much then) plus I'd like to make friends with my sewing machine again at some point...

I completed 19 knits this year. Some have no photos yet. (I'm *awful* about keeping up with this on Ravelry!) 

Green Vanilla Socks 1/14
Striped Vanilla Socks 2/15
Ellie's February Sweater 3/14
Nephew's Puerperium 3/18
Lacy Julian Hat #1 3/19 
Ellie's Puerperium 3/23
Baby's Hemlock Blanket 4/12
Ellie's Vertebrae 4/24
Lacy Julian Hat #2 4/30
Wingspan 5/22
Little Fair Isle Hat 10/22
Helena 11/2
Lacy Julian Hat #3 11/27
Stripes Mittens for Ezra 12/15
Citron 12/16
Zsa Mask for Ezra 12/21
Zsa Mask for Ender 12/22
Stripes Mittens for Ender 12/24
Subtle Twist Hat 12/26


2. Knit from stash for most projects this year. As I said the other day, my stash has hit an uncomfortable level for me and I really want the finished projects that are intended to come out of that pile of yarn. This isn't restrictive- I can still buy for other projects if I want, but most of this year's knitting will be from stash. Kelly is running a fun linky for this sort of thing- join up if you want to play along too!

I knit pretty well from stash, but I bought enough to more than replace what I used. It's all for planned projects, as I very rarely buy on impulse, but now I'm on a yarn diet until I finish several of those planned projects.


3. Complete 1 pair of socks. I love the idea of knitting socks and last year set out to knit at least 6 pair before getting derailed. Apparently I just don't have sock-knitting mojo. I planned for just 1 little sock per month last year, and I got about 2 socks in (and not even two socks of the same pair!) and called it quits. There are fit problems that I need to solve before I seriously move forward on sock knitting, but I'm determined to get 1 good pair for myself this year.

I knit 2 pair last year! By February 15 I had completed the Green Vanilla Socks and Striped Vanilla Socks. LOVE both pair, though the green is a touch too big. I learned a lot about fit between those two pair.


4. Learn to knit lace with bobbles. I see lots of lace shawls I really love that include bobbles, so I want to learn. I've made 1 half-hearted attempt at learning but really didn't have the time to sit down with it and gave up quickly. I will have the time this year at a couple of points- I just have to sit down and do it!

Not this year. My brain was just not up for complicating lace between late pregnancy, newborn and infant stage through 2012.


5. Learn to knit colorwork using both hands. I have done a small amount of colorwork, but I know I need to learn to do it holding one color in each hand. It will go faster and I'll ultimately be happier because of it. I just can't seem to get even tension with it yet, but I want to practice "the right way" this year so that I will do more color work. 

See above- with the new baby learning new things just didn't happen.


6. Learn the uses of other cast-ons and use them in the right situations. I rely heavily on the long-tail cast-on for pretty much everything because it's the cast-on I'm comfortable with. I've used other cast-ons when called for, but I want to really know why and when to use other cast-ons.


7. Improve my finishing techniques. I'm decent at kitchener stitch and mattress stitch, but I'd like to learn the three needle bind-off and sewn bind-offs. 

#6 and 7 saw a little bit of progress. I learned cast-ons and bind offs as called on in patterns, but didn't really get to explore this area like I wanted to last year. I have plans to work on this in 2013. I'll share more of my 2013 plans tomorrow!