My Year End Knitting Review

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
~T.S. Eliot

Hello Reader:

The Holidays are winding down and the New Year approaches. Time to reflect on the year that was and to look forward to the year that will be. I don’t generally set New Year’s resolutions, but I have been thinking about what my knitting goals for 2013 might be. First, let’s have a look back…

I started knitting in November 2011. The year before, I had returned to crocheting after a rather long hiatus. I discovered Ravelry and was enjoying the groups and forums, the free patterns, and the space to document my own projects, catalogue my needles and yarn stash. I think it is perspective, but when I was crocheting and looking for crochet patterns and inspiration, it seemed that there was a lot more knitting stuff available. The projects were gorgeous and I wanted to make them all!

So, I taught myself to knit. I jumped all in and never looked back. Sadly, my crocheting has been totally neglected, but I know the hooks will still be there if I need them. Luckily, I took to knitting in a big way. I have learned a lot in one year and I’m thinking it might be time to take things to the next level, whatever that may be.

When I first started knitting there was a lot of frustration, some crying and hair pulling, and a fair amount of bewilderment and confusion. It wasn’t always very relaxing. It seemed I was tinking more than I was knitting and visible progress was very slow. Now, I can follow a pattern without getting lost, I don’t have to look up every single thing, I’ve noticed a lot less tinking going on and my knitting is generally much more relaxed. I’m still a tight knitter, but I’m not the death-grip knitter I once was and hope that as I progress things will continue to improve. Also, I don’t completely freak out when a stitch pops off my needles, AND I sometimes drop one on purpose!

I knit 18 projects in 2012. I’m a slow knitter generally, but I’ve definitely noticed over the past week off from work that I can be very productive when I don’t have to work! Most workdays I’m lucky if I can fit 1-2 hours in, and this just generally translates into slow knitting. Most projects take me about a month, so I’m pleased to see that I actually finished more than twelve items, even if some of them were small and quick.

2012 Projects

2012 saw my first pair of knit socks – and then six more! A lovely hat, scarf and fingerless mitt set knit in gorgeous yak from Mongolia. My first lace shawl. Cable-work, some colour-work, seaming. Toe-up and cuff-down – I like them both, but I’ve knit more cuff-down so this is what I’m most familiar with. I enjoyed each and every project, and I wear most everything that I haven’t gifted away.

I joined two yarn and pattern clubs, both from Knitspot. The first was Bare Naked Knitspot 2012 – an exploration of natural fibre, and the second was Fall in Full Color 2012. While I have managed to knit the bulk of everything that was included in these clubs, there is still plenty for me to work on. What’s not to love about getting luxury yarn in the mail every month? And every month another pattern lands in my Ravelry library, often including more than one item to potentially knit. The clubs pushed me outside my comfort zone, compelled me to knit things I might have otherwise looked over because I didn’t think I was capable or my eye wasn’t immediately attracted to the project. It’s been a tremendously rewarding experience. I’ve signed up for Bare Naked Knitspot 2013 and look forward to further exploring natural fibres, but I suspect after that I’m going to give this style of club a break.

Because… there are so many things I want to do! As great as it is getting yarn and pattern delivered to me every month, I’m not really working on the things I want to work on, and sometimes I feel a sort of (self-imposed) pressure to knit the club projects. My stash is overflowing, and a lot of it is club yarn! So, this leads me to my knitting goals for 2013:

• While I’m not putting myself on a yarn “diet”, I vow that I will knit as much as I can from stash. The yarn that I don’t think I will ever knit with will be taken to a yarn swap so someone else can make use of it.
• Attend knit nights, consistently. As much as possible.
• Monogamy is good, great even, but I think having quick and easy, thoughtless knitting around would be beneficial. There are times when I cannot concentrate on more complicated knitting. There are occasions when I only have a small amount of time to knit, but I have a small amount of time to “waste”. There are times when I cast off and find myself unable to cast on, either because I cannot decide what to cast on (this one? or that one? no, maybe this one? ALL OF THEM!), or I’m just sort of brain dead from the last project. Not knitting drives me crazy. So, having something simple, a vanilla sock or dishcloths for example, will go a long way to saving my sanity. I’m hoping…
• Try some colourwork
• Get gauge!
• Blog more
• And finally, I hereby proclaim 2013 the year of the sweater. I may only knit one. It probably will take me forever. It might be a disaster, but darn it, I’m going to knit a sweater!

Thanks for reading my little blog. Let me know what your 2013 knitting goals are.

Wishing everyone a very happy 2013!

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