Saturday, January 19, 2013

(Belated) 2012 in Review

A couple days before NYE 2012, I started writing a post about my knitting year in review, as is traditional in knitblog land. Then I failed to get the post up on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, or even the first week of 2013. As is typical of my self-imposed deadlines, once I fail to meet them and no longer have the pressure of a looming due date, all bets are off. So here we are, more than 2/3 of the way through January, and I am just now year-in-reviewing. 

Which is especially nuts when you consider that I don't have that much knitting to review.


1) A while before Easter this year, Allison sent me a link to Cassia, and I fell in love. A cute little girls' dress! And here I was with two cute little girls who needed Easter dresses! I started making crazy plans involving matching dresses. So like a really good friend, Allison talked me off the ledge. She volunteered to knit the larger dress for Iris, while letting me tackle Hannah's somewhat more petite dress. A very speedy knitter, Allison soared right through Iris's dress. I plodded along on Hannah's, but didn't make it in time for Easter. Or the month after that. Or the rest of the summer. Actually, it still needs to have the pockets sewn on. And some buttons. Iris won't even be with us this Easter, so even if I manage to finish up, they won't get to match this year. Alas!




2) I'm not really a variegated yarn person. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) A couple skeins of Gnome Acres grabbed me at a knitting camp this summer though, and it didn't take me long to cast on for the Age of Brass and Steam, a very simple shawlette that I hoped would let the beautiful dye job shine through. It's still not finished, but it went a lot of places with this year and I'm sure the long (LONG) rows will eventually pay off. 




3) Pumpkin hats are mandatory knitting for babies born in fall. So I ended up knitting two this year, one for a co-worker and one for a friend. This is just a simple variation on the classic Umbilical Cord Baby Hat from the first Stitch and Bitch book, a pattern I have made approximately 50 babillion times.




4) This year, my most satisfying project was this Snappy Hat for Allison. It was the only Christmas knitting project I managed to complete, probably owing to the bulky nature of the yarn and fun nature of the cables. Allison is picky selective about her knits, so I went with the only safe bet and bought a skein of yarn I knew she already had and knit an accessory to match a cowl she already made herself and wears regularly. Actually, I bought it last Christmas, started two other accessories which didn't work out, and then frogged those projects to make this year's present. It's practically recycling. Doesn't my good friend look rosy in this picture? It's the glow of being gifted with quality knitwear.




My biggest project last year was my wedding, buying a house, and the subsequent formation of our new family unit. (Need I say that last one is ongoing?) It wasn't my biggest year for knitting, but it was without a doubt the best year I've ever had in so many ways. I hope to spend this year enjoying my wife and kids, good friends, and good yarn. And dispensing advice about the last thing via this blog. 

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