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| 2014 finished projects (and yay! 4 original designs!) |
I hope that you are all continuing to enjoy your holiday festivities. Our days have been quiet and peaceful, just the way I like them. After a whirlwind visit from Grandma L. we have been settling in to a calm, relaxing routine this holiday break: sleeping in, quiet play and lots of movies & knitting time. The only personal drama being a bit of a Poor Rudolph Hat withdrawal which resulted in the creation of these mini ornaments. And look! I finally figured out how to use my Clover pom pom maker. Such a clever device, although I have a tendency to overly fuss and trim the resulting pom poms too much.
I also finished a pair of mittens for my niece just in the nick of time (they were literally cast off on Christmas morning). She had sweetly requested a pair of blue mittens but I over thought the project and could not decide which shade of blue to use. So I decided to raid the stash and came up with three shades with a pleasing gradient effect. The mittens were a mash up of two patterns: the Cozy Purl Ridge Mittens with its afterthought thumb construction and the beautifully simple colourwork from the Hiro Mittens design. They were a big hit with the niece and I might knit up a pair for myself in the same colors in order to use up more of the stash.
In fact, looking back on the projects from this past year, knitting from the stash was a common theme. Giving myself a pat on the back for this, although at the same time, I am not so proud of the basketful of WIP's and UFO's carrying over into the New Year. I think that my low FO count this year is mainly due to having too many projects going on at once. At one point there were four or five sweaters simultaneously on the needles even. So the main goal for January and February is to come to terms with my impulsivity and to deal with these on-going projects one way or another. Either finishing them or ruthlessly frogging them, because they are putting a damper on my knitting mojo right now. So the big lesson learned in 2014 and the goal set forth for 2015? Be more mindful of what gets put on the needles!
What kinds of creative goals are in the works for you in the new year? Any lessons learned from this past year? Here's to a brilliantly fun 2015 and thank you for continuing to share in this creative journey. You are all a constant inspiration to me!
Your collages look so much more better than mine. Your projects are such eye candy.
ReplyDeleteBeing more mindful on what projects to knit is an excellent goal for 2015, I think I'll try to stick to that one as well. The blue gradient mittens are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteahhhhh, we have the same beginning of the year goal.....that mindfulness-thing! I've been seriously looking at hibernating and ongoing projects and some of them will definitely not ever (EVER!) make the FO category. I'm going to deep-6 them early in the year (I hope!). Love the mittens...and the collage....still eant to make that hat with the embroidered leaf (LOVE IT!)----and the ornaments. You'd have a very productive, colorful year.....made even better by the use of the STASH! What a novel idea!!!!
ReplyDeleteNot making yearly goals, but will still try to make monthly goals as I feel like it. The one thing I do plan to do is choose a word and try to stick to that. Will post more about that on Saturday. Love the ornaments soooo much. You need to check out the pom I made for the last hat of the year. Can you say HUGE!
ReplyDeleteI love the gradient effect in your niece's mittens. You do a wonderful job of applying your personal taste and interests to your patterns. That take the creativity of craft to another level. Personally, I'm excited to get through something with a finished product hopefully of quality. Though this is coming from the kid that consistently was sent back to change her clothes in Kindergarten b/c I would mix patterns and stripes or forget my underwear ... what? I was dressed?!?
ReplyDeleteI think this year for knitting, I'm going to really consider the shape of any garment I'm making for MY body type if I don't have the intention or time for modifications. Other than that, just knit more, knit happy. (I totally allow myself to amend this list whenever ;)