Friday, January 04, 2008
Happy 1st Post in the New Year to me!! :oD
Yeah so I have been doing my usual blogstalking on some of my knitterly friends ;op and been enjoying everyone's "year end review" and "new year knit resolutions" that have been exploding everywhere over the week.
Well.....I have been planning & truly wanting (for my benefit really) to do the same.....but sitting down to get all my thoughts together and even making one of those cute mosaics just seemed way too much energy than what I desired to put out! ;op Ha!
Thankfully, Alyson unknowingly liberated me of this dark looming cloud (which should not have been over me b/c blogging should be fun and not a chore!). So I said 'screw it!'
What was the whole point of me doing a F.lickr badge in the first place if I am not going to use it?!?!! Haha! At least I wasn't too lazy and went back to shuffle them around in chronological order ;op
So if you are at all interested in viewing my '2007 Year in Review' of my knitted projects in one neat little spot then click on that link at your leisure. ;o)
Now if you are just really really interested (bored) in all the gory details then you can click on the "Finished Objects" link at the bottom of this blog to pull up the blog journal entries!
Just in case someone asks......Yes! All about knitting!!
Come on! Lets all read it together, right above in the top left corner
"This blogsphere is about my journey in knitting" Gracias! ;o)
Nope...no cute pictures yet (won't be many). Hang in there though! Keep reading!
In my mind, which I truly believe, this is my 1st year of knitting...YES!
I was actually introduced to knitting back in Dec. 2004 and was a seasonal knitter. I really didn't start making an effort at it until 2007. In fact, 2007 was my 1st year I ever knitted all year long! That alone was a big accomplishment! LOL
For your additional reading pleasure you can read "my knit story" and know when I started blogging...it hasn't even been a year yet!
SO I really consider 2007 my "true" first year of knitting since that was when I really became dedicated to it!*Are your eyes crossed yet?!?* Stay with me here! Haha!
With all that being said, I realized I have learned a lot over the past 12 knit months!
From not knowing how to increase (really) to knitting backwards!
Here are "Reflections of my Growth in Knitting"
a.k.a "I learned how to":
- Increase by making a ton of freakin' bobbles!
- Realized that mattress seam is a knitting wonder! But didn't know what the heck I was doing.
- Contrasting yarn, and that I don't really care for mohair! Haha!
- 3 needle bind-off, what a whip stitch is and my 1st taste at wrap turns, as well as picking up stitches
- How to felt!
- Intro to socks with baby booties...how there are 'parts' to a sock?!? ;op
- That I hate DPNs, and it is official that I am allergic to them...unless I am doing an I-cord...which I had never done before until much later!
- Ooh! How to make ruffles...that I hate doing those and will avoid them at all cost!
- Continuous K1,P1 ribbing is.....wow
- Discovery of Magic Looping really is magical!!
- My 1st pair of socks were birthed by magic looping! YAH! And sagging feet are so not cute! ;op
- Made my 1st miniature garment and setting sleeves was a new awakening! Haha....mmmh yeah
- Learning the basics of crochet!!! Woot! Woot!
- Had a taste of lace knitting and picking up a neckline that slowly went into hibernation (Lillian Tank..what?!?...plan to pull that back out again this year Haha)
- That choosing the right yarn for the right project is imperative! *cough*Ms. Marigold*cough*
- How to be the master of short rows (gotta love Lizzie!) and knitting backwards
- The true meaning of fortitude...did I mention how much I love Lizzie? LOL
- Seaming is hell-acious on the floor for long periods of time....okay I am really getting off of Lizzie now Haha!
- Magic Loop 2 socks on 1 needle toe-up and made some very fugly socks!
- Not all cute items are functional, and yarn substitutes do not always work or you will end up making giant size baby booties ;op
- Tried out the cable, knitted, and turkish COs
- Negative negative ease should never be underestimated or misinterpreted (red croquette) and is crucial so you can party like a rock star later! (red croquette)
- How to make those "fake me out I am really not that difficult" cables!
- My 1st attempt at 'big people' garment and actually split sleeves...wow
- Did a little surgery and figured out how to work provisional stitches (intro to mitts)
- Couldn't get away from picking up stitches and practiced on the Winter Obi
- Made 4 mini charity baby hats...actually my first time making hats!
- Yep then I had to finish making that adult cable hat
- How to add fingers on a mitt to form gloves!
This list ended up being a lot longer than I had anticipated :oD Which is actually good and shows that I did grow up a little in knitting! Like I said this really was my 1st year of knitting.
But I must highlight 'My Proudest Knit Item(s) for 2007' 
Both of these items I didn't not see myself actually conquering so soon, but I did! It was a great boost of confidence to get ready and try my 2008 Knit Goals!
I really don't get into forcing myself to making commitments for the fear I won't follow thru, so I only have 2 main knit goals I will work on in 08:
1. Well, this is the Year of Socks for me!
2. Working on a fair isle project
Thanks that's it! Really I am all done! :oD That wasn't so bad!
Many blessings to each of you this new year!
Happy New Year, Stacey!
I do love the gloves and would like to conquer those as well.
Be blessed in the new year and may all your new year's knitting be flawless!
We need to meet in person so you can teach me to bobble. I just can't get it.
Congratulations on your awesome 2007 knitting accomplishments!
Happy New Year, Stacey!
Good Luck in 2008.
You really have come a fabulously long way in your first official year of knitting! Congratulations!!!
i can't wait to your socks and we should work on fair isle together i have yet to try :)
Yay Bring it on 2008
you learned a lot over the year! i think the only thing i learned in '07 is knitting backwards/in reverse, so you're definitely growing as a knitter.
i feel ya about your lizzie and fair isle. i just knit my first fair isle hat of my own design and it was so much fun. :-D
And the lizard ridge is definately something to be proud of. It's beautiful!!
you realy learned alot this year though!
The Michael's I went to didn't have it. I tried to find it at A.C. Moore too, but it wasn't at the one I went to. I'm going to try a Michael's in Durham to see if they have one on hand.
Love the lizzie too!
DUDE!! You knit that blanket in your first year of knitting!! Now that's a HUGE accomplishment. You SHOULD feel damn proud of it!