Happy New Year!

Boy, Christmas just flew by this year, huh? Oh well. It was not the focus of our family's celebration this year anyway. It was overshadowed by my sister's wedding, which was on the 28th. Here are a couple of shots from the ceremony, which was beautiful, and fit my sister perfectly:




It is worth it to click on them to make them bigger. It was beautiful. In the last picture, my niece is on the end with the crazy hair.

Anyway, it is New Year's eve, and it's time to take stock of everything before I have to rush off again Jan 2 to my first conference of the new year (Washington D.C.--I'm taking the train. Flying sucks, and this way, I have more knitting time. Because guess what? Shocker--I'm not done with Matthew's scarf. Almost, but not quite. And yes, I'm freaking out about it.)

I went back and looked at my first post for Jan 2007, and I can honestly say that I didn't really make a great dent in my stash, which was the primary goal I set for myself. I have slowed down with the yarn buying, but I think that's just because I've hit critical mass. I can't store any more yarn! Also, though, I think I'm starting to feel guilty about it all. All those projects I wanted to do bad enough to buy the yarn for are still hypothetical at this point, and I want to be able to wear them. Anyway, I'm looking forward to repeating that goal this year.

Here were my goals for 2007:

1. Knit from my stash. (I did do this, but not to the extent that I expected...)
2. Start the Master Knitter's Program. (I did start, but then got sidetracked. This will be on the list again this year...)
3. Knit more lace patterns--either shawls or fancy socks. I also want to do some better intarsia and perhaps a fair isle pattern. (well, I did one shawl, and one pair of fancy socks, and am in the middle of my second pair of fancy socks. I have started (barely) a big intarsia project, but haven't tackled fair isle. I have a lot of other stuff to finish before I get to that, I think...)
4. Get better at documenting my FOs on my blog, so that I have a better idea of the totals at the end of next year and more info about my methods and materials, etc. (Hm. I think the fact that I'm still writing the blog is a plus, but I could definitely be a more regular poster...I think that Ravelry will help with the documenting.)
5. Finally, I want to be a bigger contributor to the internet knitting community. I read a lot of blogs, but I don't have most of them on my blog roll, and I don't comment as much as I want to. I'm going to try to make the time to actually be a part of the community rather than just reading passively. (I think I'm doing just about as much of this as I can expect of myself now though. I have a full time job that takes up a lot of time, and I have done more participating this past year than the year before, but there is definitely room for improvement. I could comment more, I guess, although I don't think I'll ever be a big group participant.)

Last year, I filled out a meme that I think I'll just repeat, for consistency:

List your FOs from 2007:

I did more in discrete units last year, but this year, my projects have been bigger and more complicated, so I'm satisfied. Also, I'm not sure this is everything, but it's pretty close (in no particular order):

*3 full sized washcloths for Donna's b-day: 2 ball band and one Mason-Dixon stash!

*babies/kids
baby kimono from Mason-Dixon and saartje's booties for Jessica's baby stash!
bib o'love from Mason-Dixon for Harper stash!
dolly for Madeline (from Jess Hutchinson's book) stash!
2 of same baby blanket and one hat from Louisa Harding's Natural Knits for Babies and Moms for Vicky's baby and Catherine's baby
hat/mittens from Louisa Harding's book for Jason's baby partly stash yarn!
booties, arm warmers and hat for Chris's baby stash!
baseball tee baby sweater for Nicole from Knit 2 Together
sweet baby cap and saartje's booties for Lori's baby
baby tart hat and saartje's booties for Zoe's baby
trellis for Debbie's baby
Monica tank sweater from Knitty for Isabella

*socks
Lombard Street socks from Magknits (?) for me
one toe-up sock from Wendy Knits' generic toe-up pattern for me (the other still needs to be knit stash!
regia silk ribbed socks from Spun Mag, for Amy

*animal knits
sweet potato chain and cube dog toys for dad from Knitting for Dogs stash!

*hats
lacy hair tamer from IK for me but given to Melissa stash!
alpaca hat for Amy from pattern I winged and will have to rip and redo at some point
Edward's hat--my own pattern also; much more successful

*scarfs
red scarf project scarf stash!
misti alpaca ruffled-ribs scarf for Kate
2 drop stitch scarfs for me stash!

*lace
forest canopy shoulder shawl for Lynn from a pattern by Susan Lawrence

*sweaters
leaf lace sweater by Teva Durham for me stash!

That's about 34 units. I did 36 last year, so not too far off my mark, eh?

List your WIPs:

1. Matthew's interlocking balloons scarf
2. Spanky's sweater
3. Rainy Day socks
4. second toe-up sock
5. Isabella's intarsia sweater
6. dog blanket that I need to JUST FINISH ALREADY.

I can probably get most of this done in January, except maybe the intarsia sweater. I guess we'll see. I am looking forward to working on all of them except the toe-up sock. I did a lot of that one once already and had to rip out because my needles got hopelessly messed up.

What was your favorite project of 2007?

I did a lot of baby knitting this year. I enjoy baby projects because they're small. I liked doing the baseball tee a lot because it went fast and looked so good when I was done. I also liked working on the leaf lace sweater because I loved the yarn a lot (Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky).

What projects will you never knit again?
A lot of that baby stuff I only want to make once. I get the urge to see it made up, and once it is, I don't really feel the need to repeat it. The Louisa Harding baby blanket, and those saartje booties are really the only things I've knit more than once. I have to say though, that I will probably not be making a lot of plain stockinette socks. They are SO BORING.

What was your major knitting accomplishment for 2007?
I would have to say definitely kitchenering that damn leaf lace sweater together over and over and having it be at least wearable in the end. God that was heinous!

What are your knitting goals for 2008?
1. Finish level 1 of the Master Knitter Program.
2. Knit from the stash baby! I have a list of projects to start with--all from stash; all things I'd planned on making anyway:
a. flower-backed cardigan from knitpicks
b. clementine shawlette
c. turtleneck sleeveless top from Fitted Knits
d. Marilyn's Not So Shrunken Cardigan
e. Devil Pants from S&B Nation for Harper
f. felted canteen purse from IK
g. shawl for office from knitpicks pattern
h. koigu handwarmers
i. all my sock yarn
3. I do want to get better at documenting what I learn from each project and what I think of the yarn, etc.
4. I want to get better at and do more crochet! It's so fun. Seriously fun. And I think I need some amigarumi in my life!

So that's it... Pretty modest goals. I'm not buying any yarn until I finish those projects up there in number 2. Well, except if I have to for gifts or something. And my assistant did give me that $25 gift certificate to the yarn store down the street from our office... ha HA!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone! May it be prosperous and fulfilling for you. xoxoxo