Another year, another set of resolutions

I've been posting my projects on Ravelry and woefully neglecting my little blog here. To sum up December, I did manage to clear everything off the needles before the end of the year, adding to my finished items list a little hat for my nephew:



And a pair of socks for me:



And a couple of garter stitch dishcloths for the kitchen:



It is very clear to me that I have no actual need to purchase yarn in the foreseeable future, so my knitting resolutions this year all center around stash management and reduction. I'm going to try to stick to a few rules:

1. Put a moratorium on yarn purchases for the first three months of the year. I can best accomplish by avoiding yarn browsing both online and in-store.

2. Publish monthly knitting goals, and document my progress on achieving them. Ravelry is an awesome tool for managing your stash and project ideas, and the blog is a great way to track actual movement.

3. Set aside some daylight time on the weekends to get some decent FO photos in natural light.

FO: Nomad Man

This is my brother's Christmas scarf. He shaves his head, and he lives in one of those Christmas-y towns where they have actual snowdrifts, so I'm thinking he'll get some good use out of it.

I have to say, I wasn't caught by the pattern when I first saw it, but it was fun and super easy to finish.



Project: Nomad Hat and Scarf, Interweave Knits, Fall 2007
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Merino Chunky, forest green, 7 balls
Needle: size 9, 10.5 and 11 circulars

Notes: Didn't bother with the Emily Ocker cast on, and accidentally knit the first 50 rows of the second scarf end with a size 9 needle instead of moving up to the 10.5. Surprisingly, it makes almost no difference, and will certainly make no difference when it's blocked. Hurrah for crazy loose gauge!

FO: wrist warmers!

These are lovely, and completed just as the weather has gone from refreshing to uncomfortably crisp:



Project: Wrist Warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, 1.5 balls
Needle: US 6 circulars
Notes: Cast on 28 stitches for a snug fit, and three patterns repeats instead of two.

Untempted

The sweater, she has been wound back into balls.


I knit two inches on the yoke and definitely needed at least one more skein. Even though I found one on Ravelry in someone else's stash, in the end I just didn't love this sweater enough to keep moving on it.

I've learned enough over the past two years to see what didn't work about this particular pattern for me. Straight 2x2 ribbing is not particularly flattering to my square torso; I need something a little more patterned that adds the illusion of shape. I also look much better in a V-neck than any other style of neckline, and, in retrospect, an off-the-shoulder sweater was probably not the most practical of wardrobe items.

This is okay! This project has been sitting on the needles for nearly two years, and I'm glad it's over. I will happily use the yarn to make a pair of wrist warmers from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, a Quickie Cowl, and maybe a Foliage hat.

WIP: Tempting

I had to rip it back twice, but I finally managed to knit the sleeves on properly. I was rejoicing that I had a full ball and a half of yarn left over, and, um, then I remembered that there is a six-inch yoke to knit. Heh. Colour me brainless.

First Christmas gift of the season - done!

Yep, I got going again on the scarf this week. Train knitting rocks! People are fascinated by the concept of variegated yarn, and will not hesitate to talk to you about it. I gave my yarn label to a girl wearing a lovely basketweave scarf. Spread the Noro love!

Tonight I had a rare couple of free hours, so I sat down and finished off the scarf for my brother's fiancee. And here's my first attempt at modelling:



Project: My So-Called Scarf
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, colourway 164, 3 balls
Needle: US 11 circular

I suppose I should airbrush that chin zit-in-waiting...

KAL: Clean slate for 2008!

Barely any knitting, and no blogging in 2007! Wow, am I lame. So, I joined a knitalong on Ravelry to get some closure on a few projects.

Look! I have progress!



That's a whole three-inch sleeve and a one inch of the second sleeve, all since last night. I would have had them both done, except that I had to rip the first attempt, as the called-for number of stitches was way excessive for even my beefy bicep. This project might actually be done by the end of the week...(ack! jinx!)