Reflections of a year of knitting

2006 was the year I became a knitter. Though I began knitting a couple of years ago, I really don't believe I could say in good conscience that I was a "knitter" until now. Sure I could cast on, knit, purl, yarn over, yada yada yada, but I was just going through the motions of what I had memorized from books and the occasional kind correction from random knitters I would come in contact with. But this year, everything changed.

I finally began to notice patterns in clothes I saw in stores or on people I spoke to through out the day. I also began to "see" what a pattern was doing while I was knitting. I finally could see how the loops were facing and what was happening to the stitches as I would go along. I began to understand how a particular stitch effected the pattern. It was an exciting thing to realize and it gave me the confidence to try things that I was always afraid of trying like knitting on the round and cabling.

Since I took on cabling about a month ago, I have turned into a cabling fool! I want nothing more than to cable on every new project I knit. I even got so bold as to make a cabled scarf as my first knitting 4 money project, and even though that turned south and the "client" didn't end up paying me, I was still able to turn out a scarf that I was proud of and gift it to someone that really loved it.

I have come to realize that knitting has gone well beyond a hobby for me. It is relaxing (when I am not having to frog constantly), it is creative (even when following someone else's pattern), and there is something tangible to show for it when I am done. Not like watching movies or bowling or something. I get to actually wear what I made or give it to someone else to wear. It is a cool, cool thing.

So for 2007 I have decided to be bold with me knittin' and try all sorts of things I was too much of a pussy to do before.

Sharmane's 2007 New Year's Knit-o-lutions

1. Tristan's girlie colored blanket (started July 2005 - I have a few choices on this one, they are as follows...

a) Finish the damn thing.

b) Frog the damn thing and make a bunch of other things with it.

c) Finish the damn thing and give it away to some blanket charity like Warm Up America.

2. Finish that hooded sweatshirt from the first Stitch n' Bitch. I started it back in April of 2005 but I never got to the sleeves. If I can get the sleeves done I can sew it together and finish the hood. But its been so long since I've worked on it, I'm pretty sure I am going to frog it and start all over. (I've gained a lot of weight since last May anyway.)

3.Get started on my niece Jacinda and nephew Jordan's blankets that I talked about making back in 2005. I already made one for the youngest nephew Kobe, so it is only fair that the older kids get one too.

Kobe's 1st year birthday blankey

Jordan and Jacinda (from like 5 years ago)

Don't I have the cutest niece and nephews in the whole wide world?

The correct answer is YES!!!!!

4. Learn to make a brimmed cap.

5. Learn to change colors via the Intarsia method or Fair Isle method, either or both would suit me fine.

6. Complete a project a month. I would say a week but that may be too much of an undertaking right now. I'll pace myself and then next year if I'm bold I'll try out the weekly thing.

I think that is pretty much it for now. I am sure that I will think of a few more things and I will add accordingly, so as to be held accountable for my knit-o-lutions. What are some of yours?