Pattern: Simple Fitted Cowl
For: Nichole
Yarn: ~117 yds Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky in Woodlawn
Needles: US 9 KP Options
Timeline: started 12.31.2008; finished 01.04.2009

Not much to say. I used a bulky yarn instead of a worsted weight one, so I just cast on 68 stitches instead of 100. I also skipped the shaping and didn't switch to smaller needles.

I LOVED working with this yarn, and can definitely see myself using this for a cowl for myself. However, I'd probably pick a solid color, since I had to switch between both ends of the ball every two rows to keep it from pooling too much.

Well, I've never been quite so happy to see a year end as this past year. Good-bye 2008! I hate you. Lots.

The craptasticness of 2008 did cut into my knitting a bit, but I still managed to knit up about 12,336 yards. I knit up about 16,700 yards last year, though. However, I completed 48 projects this year (16 for me) and only 39 (15 for me) last year. Anyway, here we go...

For me...16 projects.

First Row: Ridged Lace Cowl, Bright Orange Socks, Panta, Phiaro Scarf
Second Row: Rusted Root, Tilted Duster, Handspun Bunny, Foliage
Third Row: Liesl, Paris Night Cowl, Rose Red, Monkey Socks
Fourth Row: Francie Socks, Dishcloths, Last Hurrah Scarf, My Cable Footies

For Others...32 projects.

First Row: Mom's Birthday Footies, Ashton-licious Hat, Moss Rib Stitch Scarf, Little Le Slouch
Second Row: Adriane's Le Slouch, Grandma's Birthday Socks, Nadine's Footies, My So Called Scarf
Third Row: Estella, Simple Fitted Cowl, John's Log Cabin Socks, Tracy's Log Cabin Socks
Fourth Row: Beer Gloves, Grandma's Birthday Slippers, Miraculously Striping Socks, Tracy's Wedding Capelet 1.0
Fifth Row: Obamarama Cowl, Snicket Socks, Julia's Calorimetry, Kitty Stuffie
Sixth Row: Baby Cape, Droplet 2, Little Arrowhead Shawl, Laburnum Socks
Seventh Row: Noro Gloves, Neck Thingy, Baylie Needs a Hat, Boring Boy Hat
Eighth Row: Hemlock Ring Blanket, Ribbed Baby Jacket, Karyn's Rose Red, Baby Bolero

I knit a ton of stuff this year, especially smaller projects. Like last year, I didn't make xmas gifts and that was a great decision. I did, however, knit a ton of things for other people: twice as many things as I knit for myself! Crazy! Why am I so generous?

As for knitting resolutions, they currently consist of the following:
1. Knit more sweaters! I only finished two this year and one had short sleeves! That's definitely something that needs to be remedied in 2009. I'd like to finish at least five, but they don't all have to be for me.
2. Get back into knitting socks. I'd like to knit at least six pairs during 2009, and also want to try to have a pair on the needles at all times.
3. Knit with my handspun. I've knit up three things with my handspun so far and I really like seeing how the yarn looks in a knitted fabric. I definitely have a lot to choose from now. I'd love to make a yoked colorwork sweater with commercial yarn as the main color.
4. Finish up my 5 UFOs. They are: the Wedding Capelet, a cowl from my Stitches Midwest 2008 class swatch, John's Smokin' Sweater, Dogwood Donna (needs a lining and a zipper or other closure), Nantucket Jacket (Honestly, I'll probably just frog this.).
5. Knit challenging things. I still haven't really knit anything with colorwork, but I currently have a double-knit cowl on the needles. I would like to make some colorwork mittens pretty soon.
6. Buy less yarn. Ha! Seriously, though, I have a lot of yarn for projects right now, so I'm hoping to buy a lot less yarn this year. I did manage to cut my stash down from 32,700 yards at the beginning of 2008 to just over 25,000 yards at the moment, and I'd like to keep that downward trend going.
7. Publish a pattern for sale. I've had one that I've been working on for a while. I just need to work on the final version and sizing. Oh, and get some people to test-knit it for me.

Pattern: A Hat Fit for a Boyfriend
For: Noel
Yarn: ~102 yds of Cascade 220 in Charcoal Gray
Needles: US 7 KP Options
Timeline: started 12.27.2008; finished 12.28.2008

Not much to say. Knit this continental, which really seems to be helping out my shoulder. Also, since I was worried about my gauge being a bit off, I went down to a size 7 instead of the suggested 8. A nice, fast knit and the decreases at the top look nice. I knit the main section to 5.75" instead of 5.5" and blocked it to be a bit longer, too. Otherwise, I knit it as written.

Pattern: Last Hurrah Scarf
For: Me
Size: 7 1/2" x 54"
Yarn: 220 yds of my Stormy Skies Handspun
Needles: US 17 HUGE plastic needles
Timeline: started 12.25.2008; finished 12.27.2008

I had spun up this crazy mixed batt a while ago and the yarn was so squishy that I knew it would be great for a big, squishy scarf for me. I looked on Ravelry for a nice, simple pattern that would let me enjoy the yarn, and this pattern was perfect. I cast on using a cast-on I learned at a workshop with Susanna Hansson this year at Stitches Midwest; it's the spinners' version of the long-tail cast-on and it keeps the yarn from untwisting. I couldn't find it online anywhere, so I'll write out the directions below. The scarf is basically just one row repeated, and I simply knit until I ran out of yarn. I love it. I'm toying with the idea of blocking it a bit longer, but I have the feeling it will stretch out on its own.

Spinners' Version of the Long-Tail Cast-On
(Taken from Susanna Hansson's handout at her Great Beginnings workshop at Stitches Midwest 2008.)
"Adjust your hand position [from the typical long-tail cast-on position]. Instead of draping the yarn over your index finger and thumb, put your index finger between the two strands and the thumb "outside" the tail strand. Insert the thumb between the yarns from right to left. Now pick up the "inner" loop from the thumb and after that proceed as for the regular long-tail cast-on."
Just a note: I've found that I need to reposition my thumb at the beginning of every stitch I cast-on. I'm not sure if that's just me, but it's something to keep in mind as you use this cast-on.

Pattern: Rose Red
For: Karyn
Size: 22" head circumference
Yarn: ~205 yds Cascade 220 in White; ~8 yds Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Blue Blood Red for the trim
Needles: US 8 Knit Picks Options for everything, except US 6 Knit Picks Options for rows 55-72 and the nipple-like part on top, US 5 Knit Picks Options for the one row of red
Timeline: started 12.07.2008; finished 12.26.2008

I've knit this before, so nothing much to report here. I purposely knit the top part of the hat on bigger needles so that the lace would be more open. I also initially knit the cable part on the bottom on 4s, but it was way too tight. I ripped back and knit it on 6s and like that a lot better. I also added a single row in red and bound off in red, too, per request. I like how it looks. Now, I just need to send it off.

Pattern: Cozy Armchair Socks AKA The Miraculously Striping Socks
For: Baylie
Size: to fit women's 8 1/2
Yarn: ~160 yds Malabrigo Yarn Merino Worsted in Curacao
Needles: US 7 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 12.08.2008; finished 12.26.2008

I've knit this pattern a few times before, so I don't have much to say on the pattern itself. I do love the afterthought heel, though. The real miracle of this project was how wonderfully the Malabrigo striped. I was just going to knit and see what I got, but it came out just amazingly well. I was and am astounded. These are a gift, but I'd love to make myself a pair of these in Malabrigo at some point. They're so decadent.

I've been spinning a bit over the past few months and figured it was about time to talk about it. (All of the links go to Ravelry.) I have some fabulous chocolate brown Montadale on the wheel right now, and some dyed Cotswold locks on a spindle.

Stormy Skies

No earthly idea of what-all is in this one.
220 yds / 5.6 oz.
2-ply, bulky, 7 wpi
Timeline: started and finished 09.19.2008

This stuff is awesome. I purposely spun it up thickly and I'm dying to make a huge scarf for myself with it. Hopefully, I'll get to it soon.

Ocean Fingering

100% wool
265 yds / 4.6 oz.
2-ply, fingering, 14 wpi
Timeline: started 09.22.2008

Ocean DK

100% wool
166 yds / 3.1 oz.
2-ply, DK, 10 wpi
Timeline: finished 11.26.2008

These were both spun from the same big bump of fiber. Of course, I didn't pay attention and ended up spinning the second half more thickly. Oh, well. It spun up pretty well.

Neapolitan Blue-Faced Leiscester

Frabjous Fibers Hand Dyed Blue Faced Leiscester Top from The Fold
100% Blue-Faced Leiscester
412 yds / 8 oz.
singles, sport, 12 wpi
Timeline: started 11.26.2008; finished 12.08.2008

Adult Alpaca

!00% adult alpaca from my Yarn School (Spring 2008) goody bag
~61 yds / ~4.2 oz.
2-ply, super-bulky, 6 wpi
Timeline: started and finished 12.10.2008

This was my first time spinning alpaca. I did a bit of research on the spinning forums on Ravelry, and decided to spin it thickly, with very little twist, and from the fold. I was able to avoid it becoming wiry, and I like it spun up and plied way better than the raw fiber. I'm not sure how I feel about spinning adult alpaca; it was sort of like spinning hair.

Pattern: Unisex Gloves
From: One Skein
For: Baylie
Size: 7 1/2" hand circumference
Yarn: ~148 yds Noro Kureyon in 178
Needles: US 6 and 7 Knit Picks Options
Timeline: started 11.28.2008; finished 12.07.2008

These were a great knit, mostly due to the beauty that is Kureyon. The pattern is simple and straightforward, so I didn't run into any issues. The only change I made was to skip the tips of the fingers and use EZ's sewn bind off for everything. I didn't match up the colorways perfectly, but wanted them to be a bit similar. I think they are amazingly beautiful. I might have to make myself a pair.