End of Year Round Up

Well - another year gone, and a new one is here -- it sure did go fast, and I have to say, 2010 wasn't the best year we've had here at the Cook homestead. There were some fun times that I wouldn't have missed for the world, but there were also some things that I really don't want to go through ever again!

Looking forward to 2011, I am hoping for a year filled with good things, health and great times for us and for our friends and family :) And of course, lots of knitting!

I have neglected the blog during the month of December - too much knitting and other things going on in my life to be able to devote time to doing proper posts, so I just let them slide. I have been on top of the Ravelry project page though ... so if you are on Ravelry, you can swing over there, and have a look at pictures of what I have been doing. I will try to do a quick catch up here, but be forewarned - this is a long post, with a few pictures, so go pee now and grab a cup of coffee;)

A last minute, end of year project came up, and I managed to fit it in under the wire, just before the New Year began ... my BIL enjoys felted slippers, and a few years ago, I gave him a pair that I had made from Briggs & Little that would not felt down to a size that would fit me or the woman I had knit them for ... he took them off my hands, and has been wearing them pretty near daily ever since. Two Christmases ago, I had his wife's name in our family Christmas draw, and she also enjoys cozy slippers, so I thought I'd make her a pair (then was told by my phsyio not to knit, so a kind Knitter friend took on the project and knit them for me ... thanks again, Marti!). Flash forward to Christmas Eve 2010, and she tells me that my BIL has been wearing her slippers and has now worn holes in hers slippers plus his own ancient ones (so my knitter mind starts working -- maybe a good idea for next year). Then Christmas morning, I gave each of the nieces a pair of felted elf slippers (theirs are the mauve and pink picture), and my BIL commented that he had hoped that my hubby or I had drawn his name, because he had hoped for felted slippers. He said he had even told my hubby and his other brother that whoever got his name should connect with me to work out a slipper deal. That is so funny, because I had planned to make him a pair if T or I got him, knowing that his old pair was holey (but not knowing he had also worn out his wife's slippers too).

Well - a Knitter cannot pass by a non knitter in need - I think that it is in the Knitters Code that someone who loves feltwear that much MUST have said felt wear knit for them, if they are unable to do so themselves. I went stash diving as soon as I went home (and had no suitable B&L - thank goodness! All I stock at home are single skeins!) but I did have a nice manly Deep Olive, and some Paprika Classic Wool that was a nice match.

The Details:
Time in: Started Dec. 27, and finished Dec. 30, with 1 non-knitting day when my niece came for a sleepover (I didn't felt them until today, as that was as soon as the BIL & I could connect, but I couldn't them as done in 2010, as the knitting was done well in advance of New Years Eve)
Needles: 9 mm
Size: Ladies large with extra rows added for width
Materials: Classic Wool by Patons, in colours noted above

He came by today for the felting, and they fit him perfectly. They are drying now, and I am going to try painting the soles to see if that helps with the wear of them.

They are my official final FO of 2010.

Here is the run down of all the things I made this year - I didn't do one last year, and found that I really had no sense of how much or how little I produced in the run of the year, so this year - I am having one (and I haven't added it up yeat ... I am interested to knwo what my final total was!)

Slippers - 1 adult pair, 7 pairs childrens, or elf slippers
Socks - 3 pairs thick wool, 7 pairs fingering
Dishcloths - 34
Hats - 14 adult, 17 child/baby, 5 Fish Hats, 3 Shrek
Fingerless gloves - 2 pairs
Cowls - 4 adult, 3 childrens
Purses - 6
Photographers blanket prop - 1

Total = 107 things (wow! I had forgotten some of the things I made ... it feels good to have made over 100 items)

Looking at the list, I only have one regret -- I didn't make as many pairs of socks as I would have liked, or as I usually do. That will change in 2011, as I am taking part in the Self Imposed Sock Club on Ravelry ... modelled after the Yarn Harlot's project, I have matched balls of sock yarn from my stash with some patterns that I really enjoy, or have always wanted to knit, sealed them in bags and will randomly pick a bag each month, with a deadline of the end of the month to finish the pair. at the end of the year, I should have 12 pairs of new socks for gifts or for myself! And also a terrific way to stash bust - I have intentionally pulled some of the older stash, as well as some yarns I have been meaning to use for a while!

I had T draw the first bag for me yesterday - the pattern is Monkey by Cookie A, and the yarn that I had paired with it is Estelle's Arequipa in colour 202 "Beach" (mauvey/blueish/purpley/greyish). I cast on last night, and got one repeat of the pattern done before bed. I have only made Monkey one other time, and didn't have luck with it ... ran out of yarn, so I am being careful with this pair. This pair is tagged for T's mom for Christmas. As I was bagging things up, I was thinking of who they might be good gifts for, and put stickies on them so I remember when I open the bags months down the road.

Oh yeah - on Boxing Day, I finished the Red Rover socks for T from B&L Tuffy. I finally got a pair of bamboo needles in 3.75 mm and they made a big difference in the pains in my hands - well, that and I tried to only knit on them in smaller time periods. He loved them, and wore them immediately -- these are modelled after he got abck from duck hunting. It was a bitter cold day, and he was the only one of the four who went who didn't get cold! He told all of them it was because of the wool - he wore these wool socks, plus a wool sweater, a hat and a cowl - all made for him by me!


Before Christmas, I got on a jag of knitting felted elf slippers ... they turned out cute, and I wound up making 6 pairs (2 pairs in adults sizes and 4 kids pairs). They are so sweet, and I am definately going to make some for family members who didn't get them this year. 2 pairs for my nieces were finished late Christmas Eve.

Over the holidays, my niece came over for a sleep over, and we did woolie crafts -- we made felted beads, and soap in sweaters. It was a lot of fun, a bit messy, and she really enjoyed it.
I have to get some wool in colours I like and make some beads for me now :)

I think that's all iI have right now ... see you in a few days!