“After all this time?”
“Always.”
Since my 2012 knitting goals are all about trying new techniques, I decided to follow the “Tangy” version of directions for Incognito. I’m not counting this “knit-in hem” as one of my three new techniques tried for the year — well, unless the year proves to be a spectacular failure — since it was pretty simple once I got past the initial awkwardness of double circular needles. But it’s such a tidy technique that I’ll be looking for ways to use it again.
And now I have my first FO of 2012.
Today was an uncharacteristically overcast day in New Mexico, but I think it helped capture the yarn’s mix of colors with a little less gleam. There’s something very lunar about this combination of yarn and pattern — not that I could bring myself to include “craters” in the name.
Knitting all those little moons/craters was a challenge… Not because it was a difficult pattern, but because trying to keep my tension consistent was driving me mad. With help from my wise sister, I decided to relax and start honoring the imperfect. All in all, a good practice to start a new year.
Over the holiday break, I had a chance to see Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and one of the surprise highlights for me was Dr. Watson’s scarf. Turns out I wasn’t alone. There’s a thread devoted to making the scarf on Ravelry and one ambitious knitter is auctioning off her own version of the scarf on eBay.
And while it’s certainly a fine scarf (don’t get me wrong), my reaction to the movie wasn’t that I wanted to knit one. Small Spoiler Alert: In one scene Watson stands by calmly as his personal items are lifted by a tribe of gypsies… until they take the scarf made by his fiancee.
Yes, I’m such a dweeb that my first thought was, “He’s ready to fight for the knitwear!” And while I’m still a Sherlock/Robert Downey Jr girl, for one moment there you could classify me as Team Watson.
Yes, I am just now — on January 5th — getting around to wrapping up 2011. But since I’ve been in catch-up mode for the past few months, it feels apropos.
I finished the knitting for this in early November, but didn’t get around to blocking and photographing it until the end of December. The biggest hindrance was the gallbladder surgery I had in late November. (I also blame that for the decision to undertake the frenzy of Christmas knitting. That form they give you that says not to make any legal decisions after anesthesia should include a “no new knitting projects” clause.)
Now that all the 2011 FOs are blogged, how did I do on my knitting goals? Well, I did some colorwork but I never cast on those Fiddlehead Mittens. With that in mind, I’m going to keep my 2012 knitting goals more general and say that I want to try three new techniques/items.
And now we come to the end of the holiday knitting madness.
Given what I’d started, I had to add a knit gift for my sister — especially since she’s the only one of the crew who’s done any knitting. I’m nothing if not a planner (and deadline driven, in case you haven’t yet figured that out), so I’d wisely purchased enough Malabrigo to make this wrap for her.
In case anyone needs to know this for future reference — not that I’m advocating for that madness — this wrap can be completed in a couple of days. It also makes good airplane knitting.
Somewhere between finishing the Transverse cardigan and knitting a pile of monster parts, I sort of lost my mind. That’s really the only explanation I can come up with for why it seemed wise to plan more holiday knitting at the end of November.
Um, yeah…
So I grabbed the Malabrigo and cast on slippers for my father and brother-in-law. Since it was only after I’d purchased the yarn that I got the pattern, I didn’t realize that short rows were involved. So, yes, I unwittingly queued up a new skill test for myself just to add to the Christmas frenzy. As I said, sort of lost my mind.
I had so much fun making the Penelope Sisters that I decided to create another grouping, this time for my nieces and nephews. Since all four are under the age of 5, I went the practical route on the yarn. There’s just something so cute (at least to me) about super-sized monsters for little kids, so I chose super bulky.
They we a big hit — not that you’d exactly know that from this I Love Lucy attempt at a group photo.
The only thing I’ve been working on longer than this now finally finished cardigan is the Moderne Log Cabin… and that’s a blanket, so much more deserving of the extended timeframe.
I’m very happy to announce that it was finished in time to make it under the tree for my mother.
Good thing she liked it enough to be willing to pose for the FO photos. Izzy helped with the photoshoot so she gets the credit/blame for the final goofy pose. And, yep, that’s Northern Minnesota in late December — just barely enough snow to call it a White Christmas.
Waste not, want not? Well, maybe want less. Loved the yarn used for the Penelope “sisters,” so I was happy to discover I had enough green left over for this small infinity scarf/cowl.
This is the time of year when I really start appreciating Albuquerque — chilly days with fading leaves instead of falling snow. Perfect Thanksgiving weather.
yarnandyarns.com 