KnitCrit

2012 vs. 2011

I have taken the first days of 2012 to think about which projects I want to knit and which year-long challenge groups I want to join in Ravelry. Last year, I set primarily monthly goals, with a few shorter challenges thrown in here and there. That put too 
much pressure on me, often resulting in my wanting more to just finish the project than to enjoy the process.

Yet, when I counted the completed projects from last year, I was blown away – 32 knitting projects and 4 sewing projects, plus several ounces of spun yarn! My choice of favorite two knitting projects is easy: my Wishful shawl and the 2011 Rhinebeck sweater.
    

Given last year’s accomplishments, I feel secure in identifying 36 knitting projects that I would like to complete in 2012. (Note the "would like to...") Included are 12 sweaters and 5 current works in progress projects. There are big and small projects, and gift and charity projects. I have not made any projections for spinning or sewing in 2012, but there are numerous goals for those that are spinning around (pun intended) in this old mind o’ mine.

I have joined two challenge groups: 12 Sweaters in 2012 and the Doubleknit twin’s 2012 Finish, Frog, and Slog Along. It’s a sure bet that I’ll join a Ravelympics group and my favorite, NaKniSweMo. Now that I’m spinning, I wonder if I’ll join this year’s Tour de Fleece or my ususal, a Tour de France knitting challenge; maybe both?

I will close by showing off my first project of 2012, a pair of fingerless mitts for Bruce. The pattern is from Bruce Weinstein’s Knits Men Want and the yarn is Brooklyn Tweed's SHELTER in the Button Jar colorway. I truly enjoyed this quick knit.  


I just love a new year and a new list!

October Quickie

I haven’t posted my October goals before now because I have been too busy working on getting them knitted since they have actual deadlines. The first and most important is the Rhinebeck 2011 sweater. In fact, this quick post is to announce that it is finished!
I finished it today and leave for Rhinebeck tomorrow for the 2011 New York Sheep & Wool Festival, at the Duchess County Fairgrounds. Hey, that’s better than last year, when I was completing my Rhinebeck 2010 sweater at midnight the Friday night before, after driving 8 hours.
I have wanted to knit this sweater for awhile, and set it as my Rhinebeck goal right after deciding to go to this year’s festival – only about 5-6 weeks ago. Everything was running quite smoothly until I realized last week that I would run out of yarn. An additional skein came in the mail on Tuesday, but the dye lot was way off.  So, I alternated the skeins and while I think it’s more noticeable than I’d like, I don’t think that it will be obvious to others.
I am excited about wearing it on Saturday to the festival, with my yellow and brown clogs to match. A priority of the day is to attend the Anne Hanson / Knitspot picnic.  I hope she likes it, too.
Another October priority is my Socktoberfest socks. The pattern is Olympian Socks by Sheryl Giles. I selected the pattern because of its ease. I just didn’t want a more complex pattern to compete with my sweater. It was the right decision, and knitting 
on the sock has been a soothing diversion from the sweater. The yarn, Anzula Squishy is absolute luxury, with its merino/cashmere/nylon blend. The eye of partridge heel is perfect for the yarn. I hope to get a lot of work done on it during the trip this weekend. 
Lastly, my color work group chose to knit 8-inch squares of the varying color techniques, to be combined into a charity blanket. The October technique is slipped stitches, so I will cast on my square and have it done by the meeting, toward the end of the month. Maybe I’ll work on that, too, this weekend.
Time to go pack. I’ll be back to post about the Rhinebeck experience after I return.

September Monogamy

One great joy of going to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY in October is that you have the opportunity to see many beautiful knit sweaters. With that comes my own desire to knit a lovely sweater to wear there, too. At last year’s Anne Hanson meet-up, I first saw the Aztec Mazes pullover pattern, knit and worn by fellow KnitSpot devotee Cathy. I had been eyeing the pattern anyway, but seeing it put me over the edge. 

Soon after arriving home, I purchased Knitting Notions Classic Merino Superwash DK in the luscious French Marigold colourway.  But, it wasn’t until I cemented plans for going to Rhinebeck this year – just two weeks ago – that I cast on the pullover. As with all of Anne’s patterns, the instructions are complete with charts and counts and warnings; everything that I want with a project that is going to be knit quickly. Thus, I will be knitting it and only it, for the remainder of September. The only exception will be some hats that need to be knit for the Christchurch School silent auction. They’ll be a nice diversion, to be knit while in knitting groups, and will be instant gratification projects. 

In closing, since I last posted my goals back in August, I am happy to present five projects that I completed:

              
First Toe-up Socks, started in September '10

             
Summer Shell, needs altering at neckline

            
Wedding Afghan for Allison and Rob
                    
            
Maureen Top for BFF Marianne

             
Mojo Socks

Happy Fall to All!

August Goals & Why

One of the people whose blog I read recently posted about her four step plan to tackle her knitting WIPs. I read it with interest, happy that I don’t have that many WIPs. My issue, however, is the number of projects for which I have yarn but have not yet cast on. More on that in a bit. 
In the same post, she stated that the final step, accountability, could be monitored through her blog posts. It occurred to me that is actually why I post my goals on my blog, too. Whether anyone who reads my goals really cares whether I achieve them is doubtful. Yet, I have stated what my goals are each month and I feel that obligates me to achieve them. 
In Ravelry, I use my queue to identify the yarn and pattern match for yarn that is in my stash. I usually post new yarn to my stash soon after making the purchase. However, I have not been as diligent about updating my queue; that is, until last week. An entire afternoon was spent updating my stash, with photos, and updating my queue. As of today, I have 73 projects in my queue. Add that to the 14 WIPs that I have, and there are 87 projects that I can complete, without ever having to buy another skein of yarn!  If I complete 2.5 projects a month, that equates to THREE YEARS of knitting! And that does not count each and every skein of yarn that I own!
It is time for some accountability, people!  
In July, I did complete two projects and nearly completed two more. I finished the wedding “lapghan”
and the Wishful shawl.
The BFF top and summer top only need the sleeves sewn in and the neck edges knit.
I cast on a hemp tee and a bamboo blend circular shawl, as planned, as well as another bamboo blend shawl that is a bit more complicated.
There is only one August project to be cast on - another wedding shawl. It has to be finished by August 27th. The yarn is super bulky and we have another long road trip that begins Monday. Hopefully, I am not being too optimistic in thinking it will be 
finished close to the end of the trip. 
My secondary goal for August is to work on WIPs, both those that I cast on in July, and several that have been languishing for some time. With the exception of some socks, most of these are large projects, so while I would like to complete a few in August, it is more likely they will carry over into September.  
The real goal is to enjoy all of these knits and not become in any way panicked to complete them. I must remember that I knit because it soothes me and quenches my thirst for creativity. It is not a race.

OMG(oals)

Eee gads! Over half of the month of July is over and I haven’t posted my knitting goals for the month.
With all the sale yarns around and a plethora of new shawl patterns, the priorities of what I want to cast on changes daily. Add my June purchase of an iPad, with its easy portability (interpretation: Ravelry everywhere I go), and you have the makings of knitting queue chaos.
There were three projects that I sought to complete in June. The Spirited Charm Shawl is done and the wedding “lapghan” is blocking (no photos in case the bride reads this blog post). All that’s left on the BFF top is the finishing around the collar, and it can wait since I won’t be seeing her until August. So, that leaves July and what my intentions are by month’s end.
I am safe, committing to the following:
    WIPs, to complete by July 31:

• Summery Shell    

• Wishful             
• Mojo Funky Socks
  
  New Projects to be cast on in July:

• Strafford Tee
• Shieffelin Point Shawl

This weekend, we will be attending a wedding, followed by a retreat with close friends.  Between airport, car travel and retreat time, I am counting on many hours of knitting, albeit simple knitting. The two additional July cast-on projects should fit the bill, and will travel well.
Also, last week I cast on the (Blooming) Kudzu shawl, a Classic Elite free pattern that I saw and just had to knit. So, that very day I bought the yarn on sale at Webs. I’m in love. While it may not get much attention in the next week or so, look for it on the August goals post. 
There has been knitting time, with the Tour de France coverage taking up several hours each day. Yesterday, I even sat down at the sewing machine, with the goal of making new pajamas for the retreat. Uh, yeah, we’ll see.  
I am closing with a photo of the ginormous blackberries that we received in our CSA bag last week…yum! 

May Achievements / June Goals

At the beginning of May, I declared that my overall goal for May was to “work on the projects that are on the needles and not cast on anything else until significant progress, or completion, is reached for several of them.” I also suspected that I would cast on for BFF’s birthday top. Kudos to me, since I achieved what I set out to do in May. There were two finished objects: the second gift facecloth
 and my Summer Smock. As much frustration as I had getting the perfect gauge for the smock top, in the end, it is 
perfect. I love this top! A friend is now knitting the sleeveless version and I can’t wait to see it.
Fortunately, I did not have gauge issues with the BFF top. The Ripple yarn is fun to work with, as the little nodes do not get in the way while knitting, and provide a nice effect. It's hard to realize that it is 100% cotton yarn. The gauze-like material is a little more open than the pattern yarn, but I think that it will be fine for a summer tunic-like sweater. Completing it is at the top of the goals for June.
My “on-the-go” purse project, the Mojo socks, are coming along well, having finished the first one last week. 
The cotton yarn, in its summer colors, should give me some very light socks for wearing with (*gasp*) my Birkenstocks. Finishing them, however, in June, is not a priority.
The two priorities for finishing in June are: the Spirited Charm shawl, knit in yummy Spirit Trail Sunna; and the wedding gift afghan for HL. Although the wedding isn’t until late July, another wedding shawl needs to be cast on immediately after this one is completed; for an August wedding.
I continue to spend too much valuable knitting time surfing new patterns, so with the exception of the second afghan, my queue is a moving target. I am not sure what I will cast on after these current projects are completed. Recently, I have been really excited by all the small semi-circular shawls, and am also ready to knit some more summery sweaters. The details are for July goal setting!
One last photo to share. Remember the post about how I don’t like gardening?  Recall that much of my knitting time was taken up with gardening? Pay off time, as here are the first harvests from the garden. Yum… 

May Goals / April Notes

Knitting time in April was limited, primarily because I spent so much time either out in the yard, or reorganizing my Ravelry queue. The former impacts knitting for not only the time, but weeding really hurts my hands. By the time evening comes, knitting is slow going and painful.  
What better way to replace that productive knitting time than to rummage through yarn and patterns! Two projects were frogged: the Rhodocrosite Wrap and the Harvest Moon cardigan. Neither project was working as well as I had envisioned with their respective yarns, so I ripped them out and re-assigned the yarns. In fact, only two projects were finished: my “Simple Lady” shawl
and the linen facecloth.                 
Instead, I cast on five new projects. “Spirited Charm” is Anne Hanson’s Boxleaf Triangle shawl, knit in my Spirit Trail Fiberworks Sunna. It was the third try for a project with this yarn, hence the name. “Summer Smock” is a cute little summer top from Sublime #611, knit in their dk weight organic cotton yarn. Getting gauge with a cotton yarn is a real challenge for me, particularly with my hand issues. So, the fact that I cast this on, no less than five times, was frustrating but not a total surprise. Now, I am getting as close to gauge as I can and progressing forward.
Last week, I cast on a pair of simple socks out of some cotton Regia that I had in my stash. It’s my “on the go” project that fits nicely in my purse. And, I am knitting a second linen facecloth for another friend’s birthday.
However, my two most favorite new projects are the Acorns cardigan and the Cirlicue coverlet. Acorns is yet another pattern that falls into my recent obsession with yoke sweaters, and this one is a challenge. This is sit down in a quiet place at a quiet time, gather patience, and go. I’m loving it and hope to get back to it soon.
As for the coverlet, I am knitting it with alternating blocks of variegated black and white, and solid black. It’s turning out to be potato chip knitting, since the number of stitches dwindles down at each alternate row, until you reach the end of the block and go on to the next one. This is fun knitting!
My overall goal for May is to work on the projects that are on the needles and not cast on anything else until significant progress, or completion, is reached for several of them. 
          
There are two new projects in the queue, though, that I may cast on in a moment of weakness. One is my BFF’s birthday gift sweater and the other a simple short-sleeved top from Sublime. We’ll see what happens.
The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is this weekend, and I’ll be attending with friends from here, with plans to meetup with other friends there. For the first time ever, I have very little in mind to purchase. In fact, my primary goal is to buy a pottery yarn bowl, in addition to leading my “virgin” MSWF friends around and sharing in their excitement.
Happy May! 

March Review & April Goals

For March, I had included eight projects on the Works in Progress To-Be-Finished list. Half of them are off the needles.
One of them, the Box Top Jacket, was frogged. Although I had knit a gauge swatch, not only was the gauge off, but I “just wasn’t feeling it” with the yarn. The Imperial Stock Ranch Native Twist is a super bulky, soft spun single yarn. Thus, it is akin to knitting with pencil roving. I think that I’ll use it, instead, for a felted project somewhere down the road.
What I did finish was the Pinkerton Shawl, my father-in-law’s socks and Bruce’s cashmere blend socks. The Pinkerton Shawl was the perfect project for our mini-vacation in the Bay area, with stockinette rows to begin with, and wrap-and-turns on alternating rows. When those were finished, I was home, and the easy lace pattern on the attached triangle was quick to knit. I really love this shawl, and was happy that another knitter at The Bay Window group purchased yarn to knit one for herself.
That leaves four projects that will carry over into April. I am very motivated to finish them all this month, and with an Easter deadline for the Charity Bear, it has to get done.
Last month, I listed one project to cast on in April – the Wedge Scarf. While I did not cast it on, since I found a different pattern for the yarn, I did cast on three other projects.  The first one is a quick knit linen facecloth for a friend’s birthday. That, with a nice bar of artisan soap, makes for a simple gift. In addition, I cast on the Rhodocrosite wrap and the Harvest Moon cardigan. The wrap is a very simple lace pattern, with a lot of yarn-over + purl two togethers. That combination is a little fiddly, but is getting easier with each row. It has become a good project for group knitting, and I love the chance to use my Spirit Trail Sunna yarn from last year’s yarn club.
The construction of the Harvest Moon cardigan is what drew me to it. The collar is knit, sideways, in garter stitch first, and then the stitches are picked up for the body and knit top down. I completed the collar yesterday and picked up the stitches, and now I’m anxious to get going on the body. The yarn that I am using is one of my favorites, albeit discontinued: Classic Elite Bazic Wool. It is a washable merino yarn with an interesting twist that makes for a nice stitch definition.  
I am very proud of myself for casting on two projects with stash yarn. And, there is one more sweater that I plan to start in April – Acorns, by Carol Sunday, published in the Fall 2010 issue of Twist Collective. Otherwise, I am going to add some old WIPs to the April goals, as I really want to get these out of the way and either wear them or divert them elsewhere. Also, I'm sensing some startitis coming on, so I won't be surprised if several other new cast-ons happen by April's end.  
I am looking forward to many afternoons of knitting on the porch in April, now that the weather is getting warmer. Or, perhaps there will be "April showers" that also present a perfect knitting scenario. 

Works in Progress to Work on/Complete:
Broadripple "Zebra" Socks
Ladybelle Shawl
Bunny Cowl
Rhodocrosite Wrap
Harvest Moon Cardigan
Green "For Spring" Top
Yellow "Henley" Top
Kaffe Socks

Cast On:
Acorns Cardigan 

March's Fiber Goals

In February, I stated that at the beginning of each month, I would list my fiber goals for that month, as well as review my status on the prior month’s goals. On the latter, I did okay, but only okay. Some work-related time got in the way of my knitting time and the knitting really suffered.
I finished two of the Works in Progress: the Seneca sweater
and the Honey cowl.
      
B’s cashmere socks are near completion, but I hardly worked on the Zebra socks. 
Neither the Ladybelle shawl nor the charity teddy bear were touched.
More than once, I started to oil that wheel, but it never got done.
Of the projects that I was to cast on, I did start the Box Top Jacket and the birthday socks. Also, I cast on the Pinkerton Shawl from the Spring Interweave Knits; a project not on the original goals list. I had some Decadent Fibers yarn in my stash that was calling out to be this project. The remaining new projects on the February list are likely to be put off for future months.
It’s getting close to time for switching fiber priorities from warm, woolen sweaters to lighter sweaters and accessories for Spring. So, with that in mind, here’s the list for March 2011: 
    Finish Works in Progress
    B’s Cashmere Socks
    Birthday Socks
    Box Top Jacket
    Broadripple Socks
    Charity Teddy Bear
    Ladybelle Shawl
    Pinkerton Shawl
    Bunny Cowl 

    Cast On
    Wedge Scarf
    (TBD)
Several days in March will be spent in the Bay Area of California. There, I plan to visit at least two yarn stores, A Verb for Keeping Warm and Purlescence. When I return, with new purchases in hand, I will be re-ordering my queue. That’s the (TBD) section of the March Cast-on plans. In the meantime, there will be a lot of traveling time to knit, and hopefully less work commitment time to get in the way.

Happy March!

February's Fiber Goals

At the beginning of each month, I will be posting my goals for that month, as well as review my progress from the prior month’s goals.  I did not have January goals, so there’s no review.

My February Fiber Goals:

Finish Works in Progress:

1. Seneca Sweater (Seneca, Not Selma on Ravelry)
2. Honey Cowl (Longgg Cowl on Ravelry)
3. B’s Cashmere Socks (Cashmere for B on Ravelry)
4. Broadripple Socks (Zebra Socks on Ravelry)
5. Ladybelle Shawl (Simple Lady on Ravelry)
6. Charity Teddy Bear

Cast on New Projects:

1. Box Top Jacket in Imperial Stock Ranch Native Twist
2. Wedge Scarf in Louisa Harding Willow Tweed
3. Easy Mobius Cowl in Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend
4. Socks for Someone’s Birthday (???)
5. Aztec Mazes in Knitting Notions Classic Merino Superwash Sport

Oil Spinning Wheel and Re-learn how to Spin

With only 28 days in February, are these goals achievable?