The calendar year draws to a close. We bid Farewell to 2008.
There's lots to look back on. It's been quite a year. And though I write an annual holiday newsletter recounting the high points of life here in Shadowland, I'm not going to put most of that up. I could do a travel re-cap, or a round up of the musical achievements of my daughters, or even a health update (since this year has included hospitalizations and CT scans for folks here). But I won't. This is, after all, a knitting blog.
I will include one non-knitting achievement. I can twist it into being knitting related because the key to making it work was given to me by my partner in knitting KAL crime - Whichy.
This year, I learned to make soup. With Whichy's advice in mind, I tried my hand at turkey stock again with the carcass of the Thanksgiving turkey.... and managed to turn that into some yummy soup. Last night, for supper, we had proof that the November achievement was no fluke: soup that I made from stock based on the Christmas turkey's carcass.
I, for one, found it quite tasty.
But you didn't come here for soup. You came here for the 2008 Knitting Round Up....
I'll start with the Mission Possible 2008 List. Just over a year ago, I worked up a list of twelve knitting related things I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. Here's what I said about them at the time (where possible, I give non-Ravelry links):
1. Finish the Pre-Columbian Shawl (originally started circa 1997, frogged and re-started in or around 2001 or 2002)
2. Fix Thistle's sleeves and get her buttons on. They were too tight. I have no more yarn. The dye lot will matter. I though I needed either find a way to block in a few extra inches (hahaha) or undo the seam, and insert a gusset in black. (Ravelry Link to pattern)
3. Figure out what I did in Willow 2" back so I can resume knitting it. (note: the promise is to resume knitting... not to finish). (Weeping Willow Pattern - Ravelry Link - by Two Old Bags )
4. Finish Mermaid (not likely to be a challenge, what with the obligation to blog about her every Monday, but who knows).
5. Finish swatching the Bohus fer chrissakes, and start knitting the thing! Oh,... finishing it would be good too... but I do NOT promise to donate this if it's unfinished by year's end. The promise here is to get it well and truly in progress.
6. Finish fixing the Microfibre Ribbon & Spritzer Tee from Tess Designer Yarns that I'd originally made too large.
7. Deal with DH's abstract sweater. He claims he wants it. I can't imagine enjoying working on it. I'm not sure where the pattern is any more. But he still wants it, 10 years later. I MUST either knit or frog or dispose of this thing THIS YEAR. (this project was made for this Mission)
8. Finish or frog the Nalgar (raglan backwards) that I once started for someone's baby. Last year I frogged it back to where I'd started the sleeves, but there it remains.
9. Finish all socks currently in progress :
9a. The Spiraling Up Socks in Fleece Artist's Sea Wool Done 3/4/08
9b. Blue Stocking bail out in Fleece Artist merino
9c. The experimental (heel out) sock - yarn reclaimed for something else -- idea percolating
9d Added -(when you add new socks before the original three are done, are they part of the Mission?-- Harelquin Socks - Done
10. Finish the sweater I'm knitting sans pattern out of Grignasco Spongy.
11. Finish the tee dress I started in Katia Ola (ribbon yarn) Frogged (3/13/08) and therefore DONE
12. Fix the damned Silk Garden Jacket! (need to pick out the sleeves and re-knit them ... I put them in in the wrong place).
As of this writing I have:
1. Finished the Pre-Columbian Shawl
2. Realized that Thistle's sleeves may have been too small for me, but they were perfect for my mother. So, I found new buttons, put them on, and gave the jacket to Mom for her Birthday (sort of).
3. Figured out what I had done in Willow, recharted some of it, and brought it to within inches of finishing it. I'm now stuck with deciding whether to end it as planned, or quit now to avoid it being too huge to wear.
4. Finished Mermaid and worn her happily.
5. Finish swatching the Bohus fer chrissakes, and start knitting the thing! Oh,... finishing it would be good too... but I do NOT promise to donate this if it's unfinished by year's end. The promise here is to get it well and truly in progress.
6. Finished fixing the Ribbon & Spritzer Tee that I'd originally made too large, and then gifted it to theh Divine Though Blogless Elizabeth, whom it fits better than it fits me.
7. Dealt with DH's abstract sweater by frogging it.
8. Frogged the Nalgar the rest of the way, and traded away most of the yarn.
9. Finished almost all of the socks then in progress:
9a. The Spiraling Up Socks in Fleece Artist's Sea Wool were finished in March
9b. The Fleece Artist merino that I thought I was going to knit Blue Stockings out of was reclaimed and knit into Socks de La Mer, which I enjoy immensely.
9c. The yarn for the experimental (heel out) sock - yarn was reclaimed for something else -- idea percolating
10. Finished the sweater I knit sans pattern out of Grignasco Spongy. I adore it.
11. Frogged the tee dress I'd started in Katia Ola (ribbon yarn) and gifted the yarn.
12. Fixed the damned Silk Garden Jacket by frogging it. Now I have lots of Silk Garden to play with.
These pictures show most of the results of the Mission Possible assignments.
In addition,
I designed and knit:
1. Harelquin Socks for DH
2. Silkie Socks for DH
3. Kitty's Cables tank top for C (pattern stalled by my inability to figure out how to size it up).
4. Lacy mitts for J (pattern in "mock up" ready very soon)
5. Hat from "off-color" yarn salvaged from a Noro Silk Garden
6. Lozenge Scarf for step-mother (pattern in the works)
7. Lacy Cowl for SIL (pattern in the works)
8. Secret Shawl (pattern - to be released very soon)
9. Daedelus (pattern being tested, to be released soon)
10. A hat for Joan (pattern in "mock up" to be released sooner)
(Test knitters welcomed)
I also knit
1. Knucks for my step-mother
2. Baby Sweater for CPY
3. Boing! scarf
4. A chunk of a Knitted Mile
I guess I did okay on the knitting front, eh?
And... there's actually one more -- blocking, and thus not photographed for posterity...
The Weekender Stole is also finished.
When you look back on 2008, may you find more good memories than bad. When you look forward, may you see more hope than despair. And may the coming year bring health, happiness, peace, joy, love and laughter to your home, your heart, and those you love.
See you next year!!
Excellent knitting! You had a productive year.
Posted by: kmkat | January 01, 2009 at 05:34 PM
that soup looks really yum! - I am glad my meager advice stuck - and get ready to cook again - I think I'll be posting my Ham and Bean soup recipe soon.
p.s. I am very impressed by everything you knit - and getting all the pictures to fit so nicely together.
Posted by: Alyse | January 05, 2009 at 10:44 PM