2008 Knitting Resolutions....and more

Dawn at Texas Purl Gurl just reviewed her 2008 knitting resolutions so I thought I would do the same here. This is what I wrote back on January 1:

1. Make 6 pair of socks.
2. Make matching spring ponchos for my girls (pattern suggestions welcome!)
3. Learn to cable in the first half of 2008.
4. Learn to do either intarsia or fair isle, sometime in the second half of 2008.
5. Knit at least one item for charity.
6. Learn to use dpns, at least do one project with them.
7. Knit 5 times a week (would love to knit every day but I think that's impossible).

And the update on each:

1. I have made 2 pair so far. I started the first pair in 2007 but finished them this year so I'm counting them in the total. Since it took me 3 months to knit them, and almost 7 weeks to knit the second pair, I know I am not going to make my goal of 6 pair this year. To meet that goal I'd almost have to knit nothing but socks and although I loved making both pairs, I do want to knit other things too. So I'm going to revise that goal to make 4 pairs.
2. I couldn't find a poncho pattern I like for the girls and even if I found one now, I will never finish them on time to wear this spring, which is what I wanted them for. So I'm taking this goal off my list and will possibly put in on my 2009 goals.
3. I am currently making a mini-messenger bag which has cables on the flap. I am ready to start the flap so I should meet this goal very soon. I haven't knit much at all in the last week! I haven't lost my "knitting mojo" or anything like that, it's just been busy or I've been really tired at night.
4. I still plan to learn intarsia or fair isle in the second half of this year. I haven't picked out a project yet for that. Any suggestions on a good beginner pattern for either technique?
5. I haven't knit anything for charity yet.
6. I haven't knit anything with dpns yet either. Any suggestions once again for a good beginner pattern? Mittens or something? I plan to start making some mittens about halfway through the summer so they are done for next winter.
7. I think I've knit 5 times a week the whole year so far up until the last week or so. So I'm doing pretty good on this goal.

So here are my official revised 2008 Knitting Resolutions:

1. Make 4 pair of socks.
2. Learn to cable in the first half of 2008.
   
3. Learn to do either intarsia or fair isle, sometime in the second half of 2008.
4. Knit at least one item for charity.
5. Learn to use dpns, at least do one project with them.
6. Knit 5 times a week (would love to knit every day but I think that's impossible).

I guess they're the same except I changed the number of socks and deleted the ponchos.

***************
In other news:

**Awhile back I mentioned I was making a gift for a friend but I couldn't say what it was until she received it. She got it a few months ago! but I forgot to post about it. It was a dishcloth. She lives in North Carolina so I made her this:

**Podcasts! My sidebar is so not up to date. I listen to many more podcasts than what I have listed. In addition to knitting podcasts I now listen to at least 10 other misc. podcasts. Call me a podcast junkie! I will try to update my sidebar soon and post about some of my favorites. My current favorite knitting podcast is Stitch It! More later....

Socks are Done! (and January recap)

I finished the second sock on Wednesday night. I haven't had a chance to take a picture and post until now. It's not the greatest picture but here they are:




It looks like one sock is smaller than the other in the top pic but it isn't. In fact, they are both exactly the same size. I did a good job on that anyway! :-) The color looks different in these 2 pics - the actual color is closer to the pic on the bottom, where they're on my feet. :-)

************

January Recap:

On my needles when the month started:
-First socks
-Sophie bag felted purse
-Gift that can't be named yet
-Ballband dishcloth

Off my needles by the end of the month:
-First socks

Goals for February:
-Finish Sophie bag
-Finish gift
-Finish ballband dishcloth
-Swatch and begin second pair of socks, hopefully finish!
-Find a pattern for ponchos for my girls
-Start small felted purse pattern with Boku yarn

New Year's Knitting Resolutions

Here are my knitting resolutions for the new year:

1. Make 6 pair of socks.
2. Make matching spring ponchos for my girls (pattern suggestions welcome!)
3. Learn to cable in the first half of 2008.
4. Learn to do either intarsia or fair isle, sometime in the second half of 2008.
5. Knit at least one item for charity.
6. Learn to use dpns, at least do one project with them.
7. Knit 5 times a week (would love to knit every day but I think that's impossible).
   

Things I do NOT want to do in 2008:

1. Make anything without a pattern (I LOVE following patterns!)
2. Design my own pattern (I am not that talented.)
3. Do a lace project (will probably be a 2009 goal).
   
4. Spin or dye my own yarn (Although so many knitters seem to love this, I have NO interest in these things! Maybe someday I'll look back at this post and laugh, but for now it's not for me.)

I may think of more, but that's it for now. I also want to crochet some, maybe some thread coasters to give away here on my blog for fun. :-) I want to get back into sewing more too. There are NOT enough hours in the day!

************

I finished the heel flap on my second sock! I have not been bit by Second Sock Syndrome. I guess I want to finish this so I can make a pair of socks with regular sock yarn. I want to use something much more colorful next time. I really like this Knit Picks yarn and I like the color too, but I am itching to knit with something brighter.

For the purse I am making I am using Cascade 220 Plum Heather which is also a muted darker color similar to my sock yarn. I picked up the stitches along the sides and bottom this afternoon, not sure if I did it right, but I'm going to move on to knitting the sides and see what happens. I know felting hides some mistakes so I'm hoping that is the case for my first felted project. :-)

************

For Christmas I got 2 knitting related items - Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's book Yarn Harlot, the Secret Life of a Knitter, and a knitting pattern a day calendar. The calendar offers a free online second calender so I chose the Stitch and B---- calendar. Two for one, yea! I also got some money from my dad which I plan to use at my LYS to buy sock yarn. When am I going to do that you ask? Well...........my husband is giving me a day out by myself for my Christmas present. Hopefully next week one day will be the day. I plan to visit my 2 LYS's, go to the library, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, and who knows what else. I can't wait!

************

Happy New Year!!!