Goodbye 2014 - and Hello 2015!

It's New Year's Eve, time for my look back at what I've made over the past year, and to see if I came close to keeping any of my knitting resolutions. It hasn't felt like a particularly productive year, but when I looked on Ravelry, I was astonished to see that I have completed around 50 separate projects in the last 12 months. Admittedly, many of them are teensy tiny ones, but even so, that's almost one a week! It's pretty impossible to pick a favourite, but if pushed, I think I would choose the block I knit as my contribution to a wedding blanket for my dear friend Kim. A group of around 30 knitters schemed and plotted in secret and the result was a beautiful wedding gift. Of course, Florence wanted in on the photo shoot! You can read the blog post Anne wrote about the blanket here and watch the YouTube film made when Anne gave the blanket to Kim here.

I'm really excited that Anne is releasing the pattern to knit this beautiful blanket in 2015. So if you fancy knitting your own version, why not join me? Sign ups are still open, and you can choose to knit it in one of the beautiful BareNaked yarns available from knitspot, or you could go pattern only. Take a look here, it would be great to have your company.

OK then, time to look at my knitting goals for 2014. How many of them did I achieve, I wonder?!

1. To knit from stash as much as possible. 
Although lots of yarn has appeared in my stash this year, the vast majority of it has come as gifts or through swaps. I did have a major splurge at Fibre East, but apart from that, not a lot else!! I'm feeling very virtuous, perhaps I need to treat myself to a skein or two before the year is out?!!

2. To spin more regularly and enter something into Fibre East or one of my local guild competitions. 
I haven't spun anywhere near as much as I had hoped to, but I did enter some skeins of handspun yarn in to the spinning competitions at Fibre East this year and was amazed to be awarded some prizes. The judges' comments were extremely helpful and I shall definitely be entering again next summer.

3. To knit at least one jumper for myself.

I did finish two sweaters for myself - my mink and cashmere sweater that Flo wanted as a blankie for herself...........

...... and Vodka Lemonade, which I have worn endlessly this year.

4. To carry on designing.

I have dabbled a little more with some designing, but nothing has been published yet. I have a cowl pattern in the pipeline.......

................as well as a pair of socks.

I also have a crochet pattern for a tape measure cosy!!

5. To try some colourwork.

Oh dear, yet another year has passed without me even getting close to achieving this goal. I think that I will have to look out for a class at Fibre East in the summer to give me a kick start. 

6. To finish the 64 Crayons blanket.

Yay, job done!! I cannot begin to tell you just how much I love this blanket. It's on the sofa in the lounge and everyone (including Flo!) wants a share.

So what of 2015? I have the feeling that my goals will be pretty similar to previous years.

1. To knit from stash as much as possible.

2. To spin regularly and try to attend some guild meetings, as well as enter some handspun yarn into the spinning competitions at Fibre East.

3. To write up and publish my knitting and crochet patterns.
4. To try some colourwork!
5. To finish projects that are currently hibernating on Ravelry.
6. To improve my sewing skills.

So, that's almost it. Just enough time to say a huge thank you to you, for reading my blog. I do love reading your comments, so thank you for taking the time to leave me a message. I hope that 2015 is a happy and healthy year for you and your nearest and dearest. See you next year! xxx