Looking Back

While I continue plugging away at doll clothes and dishclothes and doll clothes and dishclothes... etc... etc.. ad nauseum... ad nauseum... (I will be SOOOO ready for selfish knitting next week) it seems like a good time to look back at what 2006 held.

So, off we go...thanks for the meme Elizabeth.

1) What is your absolute favorite project you've ever knit (one that fulfilled both process and product)?

So far, it's been socks. I enjoy that I took the leap into sock knitting and I've fallen for them hard. I haven't done any particularly involved patterns yet, but I look forward to many socks in my future and love wearing the pairs that I've finished.

Which of your handknits do you wear the most often?

My two pair of socks get worn frequently, and I carry my sophie bag with me daily.

What was your favorite gift to knit?

I'm really enjoying the doll clothes and I think they will be very well recieved. It's been a great medium to try things out without using up a ton of yarn and a great way to play with sock yarn leftovers.

Which of your handknits are gathering dust your closet?

My ribbon not-x-back. It never really fit quite right and I haven't had the heart to fix it or frog it. It just hangs on the back of the bathroom door and has just become a wall decoration.

Which of your handknits have you gotten rid of?

I've had a handful of projects that got some false starts or have been abandoned, but I haven't disposed of anything finished.

If you've knit socks, what is your favorite pattern?

I haven't done anything more complicated than ribbing yet, I did really enjoy the picot hem on mom's socks and I'm eyeing some other patterns for '07 that will challenge me and should be a fun adventure.

What would you like to make in 2007?

Cables, Colorwork, Lace. I'm eyeing several projects that incorporate these features and it's all I can do right now to keep myself from diving right into something new.
Also, I hope to move past the zillion false starts on my first sweater and actually take the plunge.

What have you learned about your craft in 2006?

Everything. I only learned how to knit in February. I've at least tried a lot of different things even if some of them didn't make it to a finished state. I'm hoping to step beyong dabbling and actually finish some projects that are more than just the relatively plain items I've finished so far.
Probably the biggest development that I'm still working on is that I've learned how to read my stitches. I just realized last month that I was purling "upside down" and that was causing my stitches to twist. It didn't take much work to correct that one. I do knit backwards primarilly though as I am very much a leftie, and I'd like to become a little more ambidexterous and learn to knit forwards too as I'm not sure what the mirrored connotations will mean to garment construction... although it doesn't seem to affect my little mini doll raglans so it may not be a big deal.

What events/sites have you particularly enjoyed in the blogosphere in 2006?

I haven't been the greatest participant, but I do enjoy the swaps that I've participated in. It's much simpler to put together a box for shipment than it is to start and finish a project in a timely manner with a KAL. However, The Amazing Lace was fun even if I didn't really participate, and reading all the Knitting Olympics stuff at the beginning of the year was what ultimately prompted me to start this blog.

2006 was a fun crafty year and I think that kept me sane with the other crazy stuff that was going on in my life. Personally, it was a more complicated and trying year with some big events and adjustments both good and bad, but sometimes it takes some big shakeups to make things better. And I think this year is definitely ending in a much better place than where it started. So, for that, I'm grateful.

But for now it's back to dishclothes and doll clothes for me...