New Years Wools-o-lutions

The end of the year. I am overwhelmed at the idea that 2005 is just about over. 2005 was a fantastic year – shit, I got engaged this year! To the most wonderful man and perfect partner, to my best friend and closest confidant. But enough about that aspect of my life – this is, after all, a knitting blog, right?

2005 has been a banner knitting year. I tackled (and triumphed over) both socks and lace knitting. I learned how to read charts. I can do toe-up or cuff down. I enhanced my stash like crazy. I am making my first real sweater, with cables and a kangaroo pocket and a hood. (we won’t discuss my real first real sweater, which is a mess – the lesson learned? If you don’t completely understand gauge, please don’t try to fudge it!)

Speaking of socks, have I told you how much I love the Jaywalker? Yeah, I know I have, but let me say it again – what a gorgeous sock! My Fluorite Jaywalkers have the potential to be super-tall, too, which is a plus – tall and bright, just the thing these light-deprived winter eyes need. I finished turning both heels and getting them back on my 2 circs last night. (love doing the 2-at-once on 2-circs method, but even I am not self-delusional enough to try to cast on two toes at once, or, even more frightening, turn two heels at once. Although, maybe next pair…)



And, as long as we are talking knitting, let me just say that I agree with the lovely Jen, who is in absolute love with the multidirectional scarf pattern. I, too, have had a torrid, almost obsessive, affair with this pattern, and, as a direct result of that affair, produced 3 offspring. Each is different, yet familiar. Each is beautiful, and soft, and interesting, and warm. The only thing I don’t agree with Jen on is her dislike of the purple in the left-hand scarf. Wow – I love that little smidgen of otherness. The unexpected is beautiful, I think. Is this because I am always discovering the unexpected in my work? The unexpected dropped stitch; the unexpected knit where a purl should be; the unexpected twisted cable; the unexpected extra something that proves, undoubtedly, that the object in question is a hand-knit.


This is the beautifully sewn and artfully designed bag my sister gave me for Xmas. The girl is seriously talented. She made me a skirt for my birthday that is going to get used hardcore once summer hits - I am not really a winter-skirt-wearing type of gal, mostly because I HATE tights or nylons.

And now, since the title of my post (cheesy though it may be) refers to some sort of fiber-related New Year's Resolutions, and since New Year's Eve is tomorrow, I must come up with something!

1. My first New Year's Wools-o-lution, out of necessity, must address the stash. I will use up my stash. Let me repeat that so I actually hear it: I WILL USE UP MY STASH. In some way, shape, or form, I must not enhance the stash without knitting up or otherwise using a comparable amount (oh, no - did I just write that?!?!? For example, I want to make Klaralund, but will have to use up a sweater's worth of yarn in order to acquire the Silk Garden. Okay, fine, I will, but I won't be happy about it).

2. I will begin my Christmas knitting while it is still warm out. I didn't even THINK about it until it was way too late this year, with the result being that I didn't knit anyone anything, really. The Bane Socks, of course (which turned out perfectly, by the way). But nothing else.

3. And, again, just to underscore the importance of this resolution, I will use up my stash.

Happy New Year to everyone out there in blogland - best wishes for a fantastic 2006.