2011: A Year in Review (AKA very wordy post)

I learned the basics of knitting in 2004, knit a sweater or two and cranked out a hat every few months. I didn't really get hardcore about it until late 2010, when I was pregnant with my son. That means I learned quite a few techniques and had a very busy year.

I started thinking about this today because I recently acquired The Knitter's Life List. It's a wonderful book, and I've gone through the whole thing and marked off the things I've done, places I've knitted, or techniques I've learned. I've been writing down the ideas that really speak to me, and I'm going to sort through them in the next few days to make some new goals for 2012.

For now, let's look back at 2011.

On Jan 25, I wrote down the following goals:
1) Knit a sweater that actually fits
2) Knit the Central Park Hoodie
3) Go to 3 Knit Nights
4) Keep track of yarn purchases so as not to go Hog Wild again.
5) Knit 3 wearable sweaters

Then in February, I added:
6) 12 pairs of socks

And, shockingly, I met all of those goals but one. The one I didn't meet? Number 3: Go to 3 Knit Nights. I blame this on the fact that I don't actually have a car and my SnB meets on the opposite side of town, but it could just as easily be blamed on my reclusive-ness. Or my baby. Whatever you want. I'll roll that goal over for this year.

Next we'll look at techniques learned. (I am sort of shocked at this list.)

• Provisional cast on
• Tubular cast on
• Cable cast on
• Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off
• Picot bind off
• "Hexipuff" cast on (I'm sure that is actually a thing with a name.)
• Cabling without a cable needle
• Mattress stitch (PROPERLY)
• Knitting in the round on 3 DPNs
• Magic Loop
• Intarsia
• Modifying for waist shaping at sides (Thank you, Stephanie Japel)
• Modifying for waist shaping at back (Thank you, Amy Herzog)
• How to crochet: sc, dc, hdc, rudimentary increasing and decreasing
• How to dye yarn: natural dye stuffs, kool-aid, food coloring
• Adding elastic to keep legwarmers up/hats on/socks up
• Adding length by cutting into your knitting
• Afterthought heel
• Short row heel
• Knitting a sweater in the round (Raglan and Yoke)
• Use EPS to design a sweater

And this list is NOT including all the stitch patterns I learned from the Super Stitches project! My mind reels when I think of all the things there are to learn in knitting. Steeking, entrelac, brioche- and all the yarns I've yet to try!!

Some notable yarns I used in 2011 are:
1) Malabrigo Rios
2) Koigu Premium Merino
3) Rowan Kidsilk Haze
4) Knit One Crochet Too's Crock-o-Dye (still my favorite)
5) Berrocco Vintage Chunky
6) Curious Creek Fibers Tsavo

Keep in mind that before 2010 I hadn't really knit with much else than acrylic and acrylic blends. Most of my projects were made with yarn I bought at big box craft stores, though I did make a few online orders and occasionally I dished out for something good at an LYS. Looking back through my project journal from 2004-2007(Awww it's actually a paper notebook. How cute! It's like Ravelry didn't exist yet! ....Oh wait. It didn't)I can only find 3 projects using wool! My stash now is enviable indeed.

Which brings me back to goal number 4: Keep track of yarn purchases so as not to go hog wild again.
Did I do that? Yes. I have every receipt from every online order and LYS transaction. Both for yarn and for knitting paraphernalia. This goal will not roll over because the second half does not apply. I'll have to find a way to re-word that one. Maybe when I do a "Flash your Stash" post, my embarrassment will cause me to think about knitting some yarn up before I go buying some more.
.....
Maybe.