End of the Year Project Roundup

I've been revisiting some of my projects recently (as in, tearing one back and reknitting to make it more wearable) and blissfully looking at my ouvre. So far I've completed 32 projects this year, and I might finish up Honey Cowl the Fifth sometime today.

This also seems to be the year that I made the same damn projects over and over again. So far I've made five honey cowls (almost), two Hap Blankets, two Shrooms and two Tiny Tea Leaves cardigans.I've also experienced some pretty intense growth as a knitter, and I've learned a great deal about the craft. Looking forward to learning a whole bunch more!


Happy New Year, everyone!

January

Pattern: Citron
Yarn: Morehouse Merino in Blackberry and Wisteria

Georgia kind of stole this shawlette from me. It's just her size, as I never blocked it, and the yarn is quite soft. Plus, it has purple. I really should block it one of these days...

Pattern: Liesl

Yarn: Berocco Vintage

Ella (pictured) helped me pull this one from a total fail to a win. Of course, I originally knitted it for myself and she ended up with it, but, there you go. Anyway, when I wore it, I looked like I was a particularly scraggly reject from the Middle Ages. Ella decided on the button placement, crossed the fronts, and voila! Looks great on her.

Also, the Berroco Vintage is one of the nicest acrylic blends I've ever worked with. Great stuff.

Pattern: Improvised by me
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Grande Hand Dye

Not the prettiest thing, but the warmest scarf EVER! If it is not somewhere around 20 F (-6 C), I am sweating in it. I've worn this scarf nearly every day this winter.

February

Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan
Yarn: Morehouse Merino in Indian Summer

Made it for Ella. It took forever. I think she still wears it. I lost patience with the stockinette portion of the sweater, so it came out a little short. Ah well.

Pattern: Terry's Pullover
Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Wave

Sort of fail. I definitely chose the wrong yarn for this sweater. It's too heavy and the sweater has already pulled out of shape. Also, I completely and utterly lost patience with trying to figure out the hecking cable chart at the top, and quit about two inches before I was supposed to. But, Bruce wears the sweater. He says it is quite warm. Though a little baggy.

March

Pattern: Francis Revisited
Yarn: Cascade Eco

Ironically, this is the sweater that I ripped back and am re-knitting. I'm making the cowl more cowly, as I like the drape. I'm probably also going to rip out the sleeves and knit them longer. I may also rip out the bottom hem and knit it longer as well. For a sweater that didn't take me that long to knit in the first place, I sure am taking a while to re-finish it. Heh.

 April

Pattern: February Lady
Yarn: Cascade 220

Another example of my inability to size things correctly for myself. I made this about 10 inches too big, as I followed my bust measurement, rather than the rest of my body's measurements. I also do not like the sleeves at all. I HATE bell sleeves. Hate hate hate. So I'll be sending this one off to my mother, as I believe she will like it, it will fit her, and the sleeves won't bother her at all.

  

May

Pattern: Cinnamon Grace
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Primavera

This is by far my most favorited project on Ravelry, which is funny to me, because I like it, but I don't love it. I knitted it as a gift for my friend Jorie, and she adores it, though. I get a phone call every time she wears it.

 Pattern: Wispy Cardi
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow Tonal in Queen Anne

Knitted this for Georgia and she's already outgrown it. She also finds this yarn itchy. So I'll probably rip it and use the yarn for a shawl.

June

Pattern: Tiny Tea Leaves Cardi
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Violet

She loves this sweater. I do too. Unfortunately, we had to put it through the laundry quite a few times, and the sweater shrunk in length and grew massively in width. I'll probably re-make this one for her in a different yarn. Maybe Berocco Vintage, as I love that yarn SO MUCH (and it's easy care).

Pattern: Traveling Woman
Yarn: Indigo Moon Merino Superwash in Raspberry
I enjoyed the pattern. Haven't worn this shawlette once. It's still sitting on my dresser. And I haven't found the shawl's recipient yet, either. Really soft yarn, though.

July

Pattern:  Helen's Waterfall lace Scarf 
Yarn: Oasis Yarn Aussi Sock in Fall Melody

A fun knit from my blogging friend Helen. It's a great pattern, easy to memorize, and fun to knit. Kept me entertained. This scarf ended up with my friend Cara.

Pattern: Villane
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Whales Road

I adore this pattern, even if I did screw it up. I also wear this sweater all the time. However, I will nevah, evah make another sweater from Malabrigo worsted. This poor cardi has pilled so much it looks like it is 10 years old, not brand new. Also, variegated yarn. Sigh. I like it, and I kind of enjoy the variegation, as its tonal, but it probably wasn't the right choice. Will definitely make myself another one of these sweaters.

August

Pattern: Travel Shawl
Yarn: Peace Fleece DK in Grandfather's Gray

Love love love love love this shawl. I wear it quite a bit, and yes, the Peace Fleece does get softer with wear. The shawl is big, warm as all get out, and gets approving nods from Russian ladies on the subway.

September

Pattern: Braided Mischief
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss DK in Masala

This was a fairly quick knit. The yarn is held double, and the cable pattern was fun. Bruce says this scarf is really really warm, so he's only been hauling it out on cold days.

Pattern: September Circle
Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball

This cowl was for Ella, and she lost it. So RIP September Circle. She did feel bad about it, and purchased me another ball of yarn to knit her a second one. It's my second most favorited project on Rav.

Pattern: Hap Blanket
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes

Fun quick knit. These colors are not at all what the blanket looks like. Wool of the Andes is a much softer yarn than I expected, given all the kvetching on Ravelry about it. I think it is softer than Cascade Eco.

October

Pattern: 103-1 Jacket in Eskimo or Silke-Alpaca with A-shape
Yarn: Mirasol Sulka

 I finally put some buttons on it, and this thing is VERY warm. Love it. I haven't blocked it yet, which sucks of me, because it really needs it. Also, I think I'm going to have to put a hook and eye closure on the inside of the front placket because the yarn is heavy and the buttons pop open.

Pattern: Dierdre
Yarn: SweetGeorgia Yarns CashLuxe Fine

Beautiful shawl, great yarn, not a fan at all of the color. It was a gift for my daughter's day care provider, Cheryl.

Pattern: Shroom
Yarn: Mirasol Sulka

The amazing five hour hat! I wear it daily. The yarn is holding up pretty well, with only minimal pilling. It is SUPER warm, although sadly not wind proof. I am going to need to come up with something wind proof to keep my ears protected.

Pattern: Ryan's Very Manly Cowl
Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball

Ella bought this yarn for me to make her fiance, Ryan something for Christmas. It has been gifted, and despite Ryan's initial "what the hell do I do with this?" reaction, I believe he's worn it every day since then. He definitely wore it all night on the evening that he received it.

He promised a picture of himself in it, so I'll post that on ye olde blogge as soon as I get it. In the mean time, here is Beezer looking very catly on it.

Pattern: Shroom
Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande in Orchid Purple

Georgia, much like myself, finds alpaca itchy. I know. We are apparently the only two people in the world who think that alpaca is itchy. Almost unbearably so. Unless it is SUPER cold outside. Then we want to snuggle up in the stuff.

Anyway, Georgia, despite loving the style of the hat, refused to wear it due to itchiness. So Ella ended up with it. As Ella ends up with nearly all of my knitting mistakes.

This was also my fifth project for October, and the one that killed my hands for a few weeks.

November

Pattern: Tiny Tea Leaves
Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in Archangel

A gift for the granddaughter of the mother of one of my friends. Or alternately for my friend's niece. Whatever. My friend's mother commissioned it. I like the Rios a lot. I really hope it doesn't have the same pilling problem as the worsted. It shouldn't as the Rios is both superwash and plied.

Pattern: Honey Cowl
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino in Smoke

This was commissioned by my friend Katie, and it started a craze. I also made one for her sister (below), my husband's aunt Libby, who watched me knit half of this cowl and obviously wanted one (though she didn't ask. I made her one anyway, also below), my husband and myself. It is awesome, and only takes two skeins.

Pattern: Cherry Fizz
Yarn: Alchemy Migrations in Rosy Finch

The yarn is surprisingly similar to the malabrigo silky merino. Also, this is the most complicated thing I have ever knitted. And it was awesome. LOVED this pattern. Hate the colors of the yarn. Georgia ended up with this scarf. She adores it. She wants a matching hat and mittens. Sigh.

Pattern: Honey Cowl
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino in Cape Cod Gray

This is the second of the honey cowls I've knitted. This one is for Katie's sister.

 December

Pattern: Honey Cowl
Yarn: Karabella DK Merino Silk

The third of the honey cowls. This one from a fun yarn from Karabella. The yarn's home store, School Products is in Manhattan and it is a wonderland of inexpensive cashmere and other luxury yarns. Awesome stuff. This yarn was a blast to knit with. This was a gift for Bruce's aunt Libby, who, as I mentioned above, saw me knitting Katie's honey cowl and was lusting after it.

Pattern: September Circle
Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball

So my dear friend J (over at the blog Constant Chatter of that Crazy Cruisin Chick) saw the September Circle I did for Ella, fell in love with it, and quite subtly hinted that she wanted one. Subtle as in "Virginia, I want a cowl exactly like that." So I made her one. Once I finally found the wool. Finding the yarn was the hard part. Webs, where I originally got Ella's, was sold out. So I finally tracked some down at Brooklyn General, which is my new favorite yarn store.

Anyway, this was one of the secret projects. Janey has now received the cowl, loved it, and I'm allowed to talk about it.

Pattern: Snapdragon Tam
Yarn: madelinetosh dk in Gilded

Awesome knit. I made the medium size and it is a little too big. Plus, the brim of the hat gets floppy, as per Ysolda's notes, so I think I'll need to put some elastic thread in it. But otherwise awesome, and such a great color.

Pattern: Honey Cowl
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino in Smoke

Ah, the Fourth. This one was for Bruce, and he loves it because he says it looks like chain mail. He has worn it daily since I gave it to him. So I'd say this is a winner.

Pattern: Snug
Yarn: Patons Shetland Chunky in Highlands Variegated

Baby gift for a friend's kiddo. I haven't gotten it to her yet (and she gave birth on Sunday), but you know... blizzards.

Pattern: Hap Blanket
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Bulky in Ivory and Adobe

Baby gift for my sister-in-law Susan, who is due any minute. I haven't gotten this off to her yet, but the post office told me not to bother until next week, as the mail is moving a little slowly.