2005 Recap

My sidebar is getting a little long over there with all my FO's, so in an attempt to consolidate (and in the meantime write one long-assed post) I'm going to catalogue all my 05 FOs.
The reasons are 3fold:

1. I just started knitting over a year ago, in September, so many of my projects this year were clearly, uh, remedial knitting. I never shared them before because well, they're just embarrasing. However, I keep the blog to record my triuphs and failures. So, while not proud of much of it, I still want to catalogue it here.
2. When I started blogging, I never kept track of patterns, yarns, needles or my feelings about any of these. And what's the point of chronicalling all of this if I don't opine?
3. Uh, I'm sick...and have lots of time because I'm home from work and this is as good a use of time as any! (oh yeah, and it'll give me one link for all the 05 FOs)

Today I'll cover Jan-June:
The first project of 2005 was this bag for Jamie's birthday. My first in-the-round knitting and my first colorwork! Dylan shows it off here:

Pattern: Poster Boy by Debbie Stollar, from SnB Nation
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Wosted in Baron Red and Black Galway
Notes: I was so proud of myself for this, but of course now I can see how awful the tension problems were! The pattern was easy enough and I learned how to read charts with it.
How's it holding up?: Now that Jamie knits-she uses this as her knitting bag! It doesn't get any better than that, my friends!
After finishing Jamie's bag, I immediately cast for my first sweater. I worked on it for all of February and finished it in March.

Pattern: Under the Hoodie from SnB.
Yarn: Unknown: Some mohair blend I bought on Ebay
Needles: US 7 29" circular Addi Turbo
Notes: I modified the pattern to make it longer, otherwise it would have ended at my belly button! Other than that: eh. The sweater came out great...it's just that I hate with all of my heart this color! It's SO not me! Despite the yarn, I'm still really proud of my first my sweater.
How's it holding up? well, it's been hanging out in my drawer ever since-I've only worn it out of the house once and although it was really warm, I felt like everyone was staring! My mom recently asked for it (she likes Bright!), so maybe it will get used!
After the sweater, I was unstoppable! I knit this bag at Grams request.

Pattern: Buttonhole Bag
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Fun Fur
Notes: Easy and fun and my first felting project: success!
I knitted another BB for myself

Pattern: Buttonhole Bag
Yarn: 100% wool salvaged from a Goodwill Sweater, dyed by me!
How's it holding up? The handles stretched out quite a bit with wear, as did the bottom. Perhaps I didn't felt it enough? Anyhow, I threw it out when we moved, as I hadn't used it in months.
I also dyed the yarn for these fingerless gloves (my first dpn project!)

Pattern: My own, using various others for the #s
Yarn: Handpainted Lamb's Pride Wosted and Patons Divine
Needles: US 8 dpn Clover
How's it holding up? Since these are the ONLY gloves I have, I wear them constantly and even though the thumb on one is unravelling, I love them!
In April, I knit this minisweater for my first swap

Pattern: Glampyre's Boobholder
Yarn:Cotton Ease
Notes: I think I only modified it by not doing the little pointy bits all around. This pattern was so easy and quick, I definately recommend it, if the shape flatters ya!
For the rest of April (and the beginning of May) I woked on throws for my mom and MIL
Here's the last pic I took of the MIL's

Pattern: From the Yarn Girl's Guide to Simple Knits. You basically cast on for the length of it and change yarn at random until it's as wide as you want.
Yarn: oh, lots of yarns! here's a partial list: Lion Brand Chenille, Fun Fur, CottonEase and Homespun;Plymouth Yarn Alpaca Boucle , Berroco Candy Fix, Sirdar Duet and Berroco Soft Twist
How's it holding up? My MIL loved it! It's always out on her couch in the living room and it still looks good!
In May, I kept working on my mom's throw and whipped up something for a swap

Pattern: A Button Hole Bag, coin purse (my own) and sunglass case (my own)
Yarn: Salvaged Sweater yarn I dyed myself
I also knitted and submitted my first published pattern in April.
It's here!
For Mother's Day, I gave Grams this pillow (but never got a great pic!)

Pattern: My own -I just knit in Entrelac until it was wide enough
Yarn: Cascade Pastaza on the Entrelac side, and some cream boucle on the back





Apparantely I didn't knit anything new in June, just kept working on my mom's throw
On my roadtrip in July, I started my first self-designed sweater.
This is the swatch I made while on the trip:



and here's the finished product (the color is truer in the top picture)

Pattern: My own! I hope to submit a longer sleeved, simpler version to Knitty in the next month.
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Notes: Although it didn't turn out like I expected (the neckline is more of a boatneck/wraparound) I still love it-especially the falling leaf pattern.
In August, I finally finished my mom's throw:

Pattern: Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits throw
Yarn: Everything! Some recycled yarn I dyed, Lion Brand Homespun, Suede, some metallic stuff, Crystal Palace Squiggle, Knitpicks Andean Silk, and some more..
How's it holding up? It is still in the same place in my Mom's room and I love it so much.. It matches my living room so much better than her room-I'm going to try to convince her to trade sometime soon!
I also started my first sock in August from yarn I dyed myself. I finished it in September:

I spent most of Sept working on my Mom's sweater, Autumnal Rose and the patterns I sold to Lion Brand.(too ugly to show again). However, I did have time to knit some quick armwarmers for a swap

Pattern: Loosely based on Ann Budd's Fingerless Mitts from Weekend Knitting
Yarn: Lion Brand Landscapes
After seriously struggling about what to knit for a wedding gift for Sam, I finally decided on Clapotis out of Zephyr. Sadly, I have no pictures of the end result. The biggest exitement of October was finishing Mom's sweater:

Pattern: My own, with Ann Budd's help
Yarn: Arcania Patagonia Nature Cotton in Red
How it's holding up: She's worn it about 5 times, mostly because it's not warm enough for her, without a shirt underneath (hey, she's the one that asked for cotton, despite my insistence that it should be a wool blend!) It's only gotten softer with age, and the color makes us both so happy!
I also whipped up a scarf while on a trip in October and started Josephine for a friend. I finished Josephine by Thanksgiving. I'm still lacking any pictures of the receiver in it....but here's what I took right before sending it off:


Pattern: Josephine
Yarn: KnitPicks Sierra in Natural
Needles: US 13 Clover circs (16" and 24")
November also brought on the Christmas knitting!
Here are fingerless gloves for the FIL

Pattern: my own!
Yarn: Lamb's Pride worsted
Notes: This was super tricky to figure out but it made both the Hub and FIL so happy-it was well worth it. Here's the scarf that matches: same yarn, my own pattern again.

I also knit a hat and scarf for charity.
Although she didn't know it, I knit Al's B-day present all through October and November


Pattern: Ann Budd's Fingerless Mitts pattern from Weekend Knitting
Yarn: Knitpicks Color Your Own sock yarn dyed (by me!)

December was a flurry of holiday knits:

• Mom

Pattern: Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers from SnB Nation and a topdown hat
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes handpainted by moi
Reaction: She loves 'em, hardly takes 'em off!

• Troy

Pattern: Basic sock pattern to fit my ginormous feet, felted to fit him
Yarn: Wool of the Andes, dyed by me and Troy
Needles: US8 Clover dpns
Reaction: Again, with the love! He was so happy to have something knit just for him and was heard telling someone that his sissy knits 'just for me'--this is what knitting's all about, my friends!

• Dylan

Pattern: My own...which I may post one day, if there's interest...
Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool, dyed by me and Dyl
Reaction: Pulled it right on his head and didn't take it off all day! Was said to be crying when he couldn't find it to take to his Dad's...also told his dad "you don't understand, it's a hat FOR me, it's what I drew her!" Which is true, I gave a sheet of paper and he drew something very similar to this!
Well, that's everything (except Jamie's supersecret birthday gift that I'm almost done with!) of 2005. Whew!