Monday, January 18, 2010

Knitting Olympics

I'll have more to say about goals for this year in a few days. For now, the important decision looms - what to knit for the Knitting Olympics?

This year's contenders:

Must-Have Cardigan: Pros: Yarn in stash (yay!), Has been in queue FOREVER. Cons: That's a LOT of cables.

Fair Isle Cardigan: (I know there's no picture - apparently no one has ever made this!) Pros: No one has made this yet!, I like the side-to-side construction, it is fair isle. Cons: No one has made this (yikes!), I'd have to order yarn, I'd like to lengthen it.

Abstract Leaves Vest: Pros: So pretty. Fair Isle. Cons: Have to order yarn. Steek!

Rowan Fair Isle Cardigan: Pros: Very cute. Have 1/2 the yarn. Cons: Need 1/2 the yarn, would like to convert it to be knit in the round which equals steek. Yikes.

Thoughts? I cannot decide. I really want to use up stash, but I know cables take me longer than fair isle. What to do?

Friday, January 01, 2010

Returning?

Hello and happy new year to any readers I still have left! :) I, like many of you, am making my "resolutions" and plans for the new year (and the new decade!)

The "00s" were big years for me - I'm going to take a minute to document them for my own memory.

2000- graduated from college in December, got my first "real" job as a manager at a local bookstore.

2001 - Started dating Kent, got a different job at the bookstore. Adopted Rocky

2002 - started graduate school, quit my job, got engaged, started teaching ballet,

2003 - bought a house! Decided to go to a different graduate school and a different program, quit another job, started 2 more jobs. Adopted Cocoa

2004 - My brother got married. I got married! Went to Tahiti on our honeymoon.

2005 - Student teaching, graduated with my M.Ed. Knit a lot. Adopted Miles.

2006 - Got my first teaching job, had to move schools and grade levels. My sister got married. Knit some more.

2007 - Knit a lot. Started teaching another new grade. Adopted Otis. Remodeled Kitchen. Started working at yarn store.

2008- Found out we were pregnant, installed new windows. Had Samantha in September.

2009 - Changed grade levels again! Started more graduate classes. Went on lots of trips. Went to Sock Summit. Started quilting.


Whew! I am looking forward to what these next ten years will bring!

In knitting terms, I knit 35 items (way down from my usual production levels), and started to sew a lot. I sewed 20 items, and made 5 quilts.

In stash numbers, in January of 2007 I had 604 balls of yarn. In January 2008 I had 821 balls and 166,195 yards. In January 2009 I had 900 balls of yarn and 193, 453 yards. I used 97 balls and 17, 004 yards. This year I have 966 balls/skeins of yarn and 206,156 yards. I used approximately 10,800 yards.

I didn't finish nearly as many things as I wanted/planned. But I'm OK with that. I wanted to finish more things at the last minute, but I just didn't make it. Maybe this year!

I'm starting out with a few plans - I've tagged a bunch of things in my ravelry queue for 2010, we'll see if I can get them finished! And I really want to finish up a bunch of WIPs. Maybe I'll write more about them tomorrow!