Happy New Year! I hope you all are enjoying the first few weeks of 2016 as much as I am. I've spent the last few weeks thinking about what I want to accomplish, knitting-wise, this year. Over the years, I've decided that setting specific goals isn't really my thing. For example, last year I wanted to focus on knitting socks and use up some of my sock yarn stash. Guess how many pairs of socks I finished last year? Five. And only one of those was with sock yarn - and by one, I mean just one sock. The rest were knit using heavier weight yarn, and two pairs were made in the couple of weeks leading up to Christmas.
{my dad's Christmas hyak socks)
But you know what? I'm okay with it. I made a lot of things I love last year (22 projects, according to Ravelry), and clearly my goal wasn't really something my heart was set on. So this year, I've decided to do something a bit different. I want to focus on a word - something I'd like to base my thoughts, emotions, and decisions around. I've thought about it, and decided I'd like to focus on the word "contentment". I chose this because it's something I can lean on in all aspects of my life - knitting and personal. I may not be churning out finished projects as fast as some others, I may not have the budget for sweaters worth of some of my favorite nicer yarns, I may not feel as accomplished as some others, but I love where I am in my life, and am very happy with it. So I'm going to choose to focus on that this year. And so far, the year has been off to a great start. I've finished a couple of knitting projects, and am very excited for the things I have planned for the year, both personally and in my world of knitting.
I've already gotten a few quick knits off my needles in 2016, and I love both of them so much! First off, over the New Year's holiday weekend, I finished up these Wanderers Mukluks by Andrea Mowry, and have basically lived in them since binding off. I used a couple of skeins of Peace Fleece worsted, and it's one of my new favorite yarns. The 25% mohair content adds just the perfect amount of sheen and shine. I've been trying to figure out how I can get away with wearing them to work, but so far they've been my faithful evening companions.
This past weekend, I managed to work up this gorgeous free hat pattern from Yarn on the House, Father Cables. I believe I've professed my love for cables here before, but just in case it didn't get the point across, here it is: I love cables. I should knit them more. I don't know why I don't, really. I think they're beautiful, and look much more complicated than they really are. I used a skein of Magpie Fibers Swanky DK that was a birthday gift from Jesse. And man oh man, swanky it was. It includes 10% cashmere, but it feels more like 100%. I read that a lot of knitters found the hat to run large and I really like my hats to fit snugly, so I decided to use the DK instead of worsted, and worked the s/m slouch with US 5 needles throughout. It fits like a glove.
But you know what? I'm okay with it. I made a lot of things I love last year (22 projects, according to Ravelry), and clearly my goal wasn't really something my heart was set on. So this year, I've decided to do something a bit different. I want to focus on a word - something I'd like to base my thoughts, emotions, and decisions around. I've thought about it, and decided I'd like to focus on the word "contentment". I chose this because it's something I can lean on in all aspects of my life - knitting and personal. I may not be churning out finished projects as fast as some others, I may not have the budget for sweaters worth of some of my favorite nicer yarns, I may not feel as accomplished as some others, but I love where I am in my life, and am very happy with it. So I'm going to choose to focus on that this year. And so far, the year has been off to a great start. I've finished a couple of knitting projects, and am very excited for the things I have planned for the year, both personally and in my world of knitting.
I've already gotten a few quick knits off my needles in 2016, and I love both of them so much! First off, over the New Year's holiday weekend, I finished up these Wanderers Mukluks by Andrea Mowry, and have basically lived in them since binding off. I used a couple of skeins of Peace Fleece worsted, and it's one of my new favorite yarns. The 25% mohair content adds just the perfect amount of sheen and shine. I've been trying to figure out how I can get away with wearing them to work, but so far they've been my faithful evening companions.
This past weekend, I managed to work up this gorgeous free hat pattern from Yarn on the House, Father Cables. I believe I've professed my love for cables here before, but just in case it didn't get the point across, here it is: I love cables. I should knit them more. I don't know why I don't, really. I think they're beautiful, and look much more complicated than they really are. I used a skein of Magpie Fibers Swanky DK that was a birthday gift from Jesse. And man oh man, swanky it was. It includes 10% cashmere, but it feels more like 100%. I read that a lot of knitters found the hat to run large and I really like my hats to fit snugly, so I decided to use the DK instead of worsted, and worked the s/m slouch with US 5 needles throughout. It fits like a glove.
I added a large pompom to it because pompoms are just wonderful, and I wanted to use the rest of the yarn - I think I had maybe 5 grams to spare after the pom.
I hope you're all enjoy the start to a new year!
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