Keeping Resolutions

I did pretty well on my resolution to knit five projects from stash yarn before buying new yarn.  Brian started complaining that he doesn't have a pair of slippers, which made me pretty annoyed since I've knit him two pairs, including thrummed bunny slippers, which are really warm.  He wears them all the time.  How dare he say he doesn't have any slippers. 

Turns out he meant slippers that he could wear outside, like when I ask him to take out the compost.  Oh.  So I knit nine projects from stash yarn (because I counted my December purchase of yarn as new yarn for the resolution), and then took Brian with me to Jimmy Beans to get yarn for a third pair of slippers.  I've knit this pattern before, and even though it's a bit fiddly, it is in worsted weight held double, so it goes fast.  In two days, I had slippers ready for some leather soles.  Alas, the soles I had don't fit Brian or the slippers.  I still hear about how Brian doesn't have any slippers to wear.  Still rankles me.

I've knit some fun things.  A present for my new favorite little guy.

 A bunny for a birthday girl.

A puff for a friend (the "for a friend" part came after I knit it and had no idea what to do with it.  It was fortuitous that this friend just happened to need a knit puff).

Some cowls.

Hats.

My favorite knit so far is my current project, Simple Sprinkle.  It is so fun!  I don't usually like to knit cowls flat, and I rarely knit scarves.  They just get so boring and repetitive.  I'm also not that crazy about knitting endless garter stitch.  But.  But!  This is so fun to knit.  I love the short-row sections the best.  I love that it's using up some bits of skeins that are too small to be useful.  You can't tell in the picture, but the yellow and blue striped section has three different blue yarns.  It's going to be a very squishy cowl when it's through.

Tallies

Along with lists, I like to tally.  Counting soothes me, gets me back into rhythm.  It's often why I lose track of my stitches.  If I'm supposed to knit three and then purl two, I will start off well enough, but then I'll fall into the rhythm of counting.  I speed past three to eight, ten, twelve, before I realize that I'm off the pattern.  So then I'll tink back, counting.

Since many bloggers are tallying their projects from 2012, I thought I would, too. 

I knit:
59 completed projects
2 frogged knits (plus quite a few that never made it into Ravelry)
2 projects that I knit sometimes (Beekeeper's Quilt and a secret project)

Breakdown:
16 cowls
13 adult hats
12 baby things (2 sweaters, 6 toys, 2 hats, 1 overalls, 1 bunting)
5 fingerless mitts
4 adult sweaters
2 pairs of slippers
2 shawls
2 headbands
1 bag
1 pair of mittens
1 steering wheel cover

I have also made one resolution for 2013.  I have decided that I will knit at least five projects using yarn from the stash before I can allow myself to purchase new yarn.  I will make an exception to this when we are traveling.  I like to buy something special from yarn stores in the places I visit.  I have 168 different yarns in my stash (some are partial skeins; some full, single skeins; and some multiple skeins).  I also have a grocery bag half-full of yarn that still needs to be cataloged.  I was thinking I would make it five balls of yarn and then I could buy more, but with all the partial skeins I have, that means I'd be allowed to buy yarn pretty quickly.  Since I ordered the yarn to join in the Downton Abbey knitalong, I'm going to count that as my first new yarn.  I've already knit four projects since the first of the year, so that means I have to knit six more from my stash before I can buy new yarn.  I'm on a bit of a bulky kick right now, which is very unusual for me, so new yarn could come soon.  I don't have a lot of bulky in the stash, so I think I'll challenge myself to emptying that bin, too.

Here are three of the four things I've completed so far (the third was mailed off before I remembered to take a picture of it).

My own design, using silk yarn without a label that I bought in East Lansing quite a few years ago.

Swirling Cowl, using left over Chalet by Classic Elite MountainTop.  So very, very soft.

Non-Felted Slippers, made with bits of Imperial Yarn Native Twist and some Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky

All three of those items used up yarn from other projects.  I was really happy with the purple cowl, so much so that I may even wear it myself.  The other cowl is a bit short, and a lot shorter than the pattern calls for, but the yarn is so squishy soft it won't matter.  It and the slippers took only a few hours to make because of the super bulky yarn. 

I knit a lot more in 2012 than I did in any previous year (mostly because I'm unemployed).  I plan on having a giveaway soon, so watch this space!