Goals

A new year is coming up and I did very, very little knitting in 2010. Looking at my Flickr folder for Finished Knits 2010 is just sad.

The Yarn Harlot is doing a self-imposed sock club, where she put twelve patterns in twelve zip-lock bags with twelve skeins of sock yarn and she picks one each month. I think it's an awesome idea, but I'm not as interesting in knitting different sock patterns.

I'll have to think about how to do something similar with sweaters.

I saw a knitter on Ravelry who made twenty sweaters in a year and she says there are others who have done more. I'd like to set a goal for myself to knit more sweaters in 2011 than I ever have in one year before.

I hope to fill up the Finished Knits 2011 folder on my Flickr page!

Organizing my Plans

First, finish the five projects listed in my UFO Warriors challenge. Nothing else until those are done!

Dad's Vest


Emily's Shrug


Green twin set
Argyle Top

Owls sweater

Next, I recently bought yarn for two projects I'm very excited about:

Issara jacket
smock turtle neck sweater

Home Decor projects:

Rug
Map Afghan
Throw pillows

swiffer covers for cleaning

Other projects I have yarn for:

Mentionable tank top
rip out Cleopatra wrap and use the yarn for clapotis

Other UFOs that should get finished:

White cardigan
adrift cardigan with butter yarn
Boat sweater

Things to buy yarn for next:
Intolerable Cruelty (skirt)
Yoga wrap
Beauty and the Beads
Crocheted jewelry


Thought I would add pictures for the things I finished:






Aren't those little owls precious?

What do I wear?

I have been seriously and intensely knitting for ten years now and my favorite projects are sweaters. I am also a product knitter, meaning my motivation for knitting is completely wrapped up in having a finished item and I also don't do much gift knitting.

So you would naturally assume that my closet is packed full of knitted objects.

Which projects were actually a success, though? Which things do I actually wear?


Twin Set by Connie Chang Chinchio

This gets the most wear by far. I love it. So, I'm almost finished making it in green and if I can stand it, I will make it in a few other colors too. I'm not much for reknitting patterns I've already done. Once I've conquered a pattern I'm usually finished with it, but this is so wearable that I made an exception.

Coachella by Fathom Harvill

This is a sexy top that I've just worn a few times, since I don't go out to bars or clubs much. But when I do, this is the top that I reach for.

Slinky Dress based on Hush-hush by Libby Baker

I modified this nightie pattern slightly to make it more flattering to my figure and it turned out great. I wore it on a cruise when this pic was taken and I wore it out for a fancy dinner once. So far that's it. UPDATE: I just wore it to my ten year high school reunion.

Isabella by Jordana Paige

I haven't worn this one in a while. It doesn't fit me as well anymore since I've gained weight, but also it is knit out of alpaca and that turned out to not be a great choice. Alpaca is very warm and this is a sleeveless top, so it's a bit impractical.

Nautical Top by Galina Carroll

I love this one and I've used the basic bones of the pattern to create another t-shirt. I was thrilled to get to wear it on an actual boat.

Vest based on Leftovers by Alison Hansel

This pattern was designed to use leftover bits of scrap yarn, but I bought new yarn. I used it to recreate a vest I saw in a style book. It's not exactly like that one, but it's close enough to use it in the same way. I wore this one yesterday!

That's it. My queue is packed full of clothes that I want in my wardrobe. How many of those projects will successfully make it in I wonder!

Knitting Challenges

I can be a pretty competitive person. With knitting, a little competition always helps me to keep things moving.

A few years ago there was a "Summer of Socks" contest through an Australian knitter's blog and I joined that contest. I knit twenty pairs of socks in three months. I didn't mean to, but I left everyone else in the dust! I get so excited to prove my skill and my speed and I don't realize that not everyone is with me. One of the knitting podcasts I listen to, Stash and Burn, does a "Single Skein September" each year, where knitters are challenged to create as many small objects using just one skein of yarn as they can in the month of September. The idea is to use up some of those little balls of yarn that are sitting around not being used. I participated the first year. The same thing happened. I knit, I think it was 17 objects that month. Far, far more than anyone else!

I don't want people to hate me, so I don't sign up for too many contests now, but a fun new one just got started. I'm a member of the South Asian Crafters on Ravelry and they are doing a finishing challenge. You list all your Unfinished Objects and commit to not starting anything new until the contest is over. It goes from Nov. 7 to February. Each time you finish an object, you put up a post about it and the next person to finish an object sends you a little knitting related gift.

I've listed five UFOs to work on. It would be nice to get a bunch of things finished and clear out my workspace for new stuff. I reorganized my entire Ravelry queue yesterday and I'm anxious to start on the new things!

Home Decor

Though I see myself as a sweater knitter, I occasionally dip into home decor items.

I love to decorate. I'm not great at it, but I'm learning. I read books and blogs about it and I used to watch a lot of HGTV and TLC shows on homes (when I had cable).

Knitting is a great opportunity for decorators because you can create something to your exact texture and color desires.

Things at my apartment are getting shaken up and I'm going to need to get some new furniture. I am also making myself a rug.

Rugs are so expensive. I went to Michael's and bought $50 of on-sale yarn in several shades of brown and tan and I am crocheting a thick area rug that would probably cost over $100 in a store. In fact, I'm going to have leftover yarn, so all in all this rug will cost around $18!


I am also looking forward to making some throw pillows and possibly hanging an afghan up on the wall (done in the same browns, but adding in a deep red color, which is probably my favorite color. I found a pattern that is a knit map of the world. I think that would look amazing.

While looking at home patterns on Ravelery, I started getting ideas about making bath mats too.

Adding more UFOs

When I went through my on-the-needles projects it didn't seem like too many, so of course yesterday when I was trying to relax I did not pick up any of those to work on, but cast on two new projects from my Ravelry queue (there are 163 items on my queue currently).

I will add pictures once i dig out my camera, but I started a new cardigan for myself and the sweater vest for my Dad using the pattern Tempest from Knitty for my cardigan (although plain, without stripes) and the new Humphrey pattern from Knitty for my Dad's.

Colors and Creativity

I've noticed something odd.

One of the great things about knitting things for yourself is that you are in control of everything about the project. You can lengthen the sleeves of a sweater, or add short rows to make it fit a bust better, and you can decide what color you want.

So why is it that I keep on knitting things in the same color as in the picture that goes with the pattern?

Lace Panel Cardigan
by Connie Chang Chinchio in Sensual Knits



Beauty and the Beads
by Joan McGowan-Michael at www.whiteliesdesigns.com



owls by Kate Davies


(This one is just so perfect in gray and I love gray, so I'm not surprised I kept this color)

Ariane by Jean Moss

Again, for this design the color is a part of the overall aesthetic. It had to be navy.

But why the two pink projects? I don't look good in pink, I don't particularly like pink!

I noticed this tendency when I went looking for a project to make with my two skeins of lace weight Malibrigo in a color called "Butter."

After pouring over patterns, I concluded with one that is a lace cardigan in yellow!

I'm starting to think that I'm not as creative as I always assumed. I guess the color that you see something in goes deep into your brain and it can be hard to picture it another way. Thank goodness for Ravelry where I can see all the different versions and colors of a pattern that people have done.