2006: A Knitty Review

I know we are well into the new year now, but I haven't had time till right about this moment to step back and take a little stock of the year that just passed. So. A review. This meme is from A Mingled Yarn

Year's End Knit-analysis

1. What is your absolute favorite project you've ever knit (one that fulfilled both process and product)?
Probably Cozy. I loved knitting it - the pattern was just enough of a challenge to keep me engaged. I just never got tired of it, even though it was the same eight rows, over and over again. Also, I loved the feel (and the smell!) of the yarn, so it was always a joy to pick up. And I was perfectly thrilled with how it came out.

2. Which of your handknits do you wear the most often?
It's a tie, actually, between three things. The first is Cozy, which I put on almost every morning as soon as I get up. The other two are the two pairs of socks I've made for myself - Simply Lovely Lace Socks, and my Toe-Up Tuscaknit Socks, both of which I wear to bed rather frequently. The funny thing is, with all three of these, even though I wear them quite often, I almost never wear them out in public. I prefer plain black socks or black-and-grey tights for work, and I don't typically have a reason to wear a shawl out (I wore it once to church and once to a wedding rehearsal).

3. Which of your handknits are you most proud of?
I suppose it would be repetitive for me to say Cozy again. So I'll mix things up and say this baby layette, which I knit for My Old Man's new grandson, born this past July. I love squishy cotton baby knits, and I felt such a sense of accomplishment at completing this sweet little set.

4. What was your favorite gift to knit?
Hmmm, maybe these felted clogs, because they were so fun and quick. I also really enjoyed making My Old Man a sweater, and I get all warm inside every time I see him wearing it.

5. Which of your handknits are gathering dust your closet?
To Dye For
single brown child's sock
single ugly orange child's sock
London Beanie
the too-big, too-little hat
the boys' felted clogs
and the never-before-seen Anthropologie-Inspired Disaster
I put it down halfway into the project, and when I picked it back up, I forgot how I was doing the selvage. More than once. So there are multiple mistakes in the edging, and it turns out the way I chose to do the selvage originally (a chain selvage) ended up making the edge roll.

6. Which of your handknits have you gotten rid of?
None. Though I do intend to frog the capelet (above) and my first scarf in order to re-use the yarn (the lovely but discontinued Rowan Polar, in both cases)

7. If you've knit socks, what is your favorite pattern?
I LOVE Simply Lovely Lace Socks from IK Spring 2006

8. What would you like to make in 2007?
My list already is ridiculously long:
CJ's voodoo wristwarmers
Men's Zippered Raglan for My Old Man
several more pairs of felted clogs (for recipients who will actually wear them!)
glampyre's easy v-neck raglan for me
Tubey for me
socks, socks, and socks
a couple of Tomtens for the boys
Bea Ellis hat for me
a ribbed watchcap for me
knit-and-tonic's dreamswatch headband in bamboo
a couple of log cabin blankets for the boys
another lace shawl for me (you know, because I have so many places to wear a shawl)
and so on, and so on, and so on
[yeah, I know there's a lot of stuff on there just for me. I'm like that.]

9. What have you learned about your craft in 2006?
A whole lot. This year I did my first sweater, my first socks, my first lace, my first baby layette, and there were a whole lot of other firsts in there, I'm sure.

10. What events/sites have you particularly enjoyed in the blogosphere in 2006?
I really enjoyed The Amazing Lace, the event that got me knitting Cozy, which as you can see from this meme, was a pretty major knit in my life this year.

Wow. I can't believe how long it took me to compile this list. It was fun, though, to go back and look at old posts and see things I've knit over the last year. I feel like I've accomplished a lot. Here's to more in 2007!