Tuesday 29 March 2011

Skill + 1Up: 2KCBWDAY2


Skill + 1 Up: 2KCBWDAY2
Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. Have you learned any new skills or forms of knitting/crochet (can you crochet cable stitches now where you didn’t even know such things existed last year? Have you recently put a foot in the tiled world of entrelac? Had you even picked up a pair of needles or crochet hook this time last year?




Ooooh, statistics ! Yum ! Well, as long as we're not talking significance, means, curves, populations etc.

So off I went to check my projects page at Ravelry: NB: digression alert how did people keep such easy track of what they had made B.R (Before Ravelry) ?? I guess if one were anally retentive, the kind of person whose CD collection is alphabetized, whose socks are organized not only by color groups but by co-ordination, then maybe one would have some kind of corss-matched filing system. That's certainly not me, or anyone I'd admit to knowing. I guess, like the unicorn and the Yeti, they exist theoretically and hypothetically ....

Anyway. Apparently I've completed 30 projects since last March. Lots of those were lace, and can be further sub-setted into scarves (this year's family gifts - no-one can say I don't plan ahead). Quite some few were baby items: mainly cardigans, again including much lace.

There are 4 new things that I have achieved:
1) Pattern alterations
I am a lot more comfortable with altering patterns; usually by substituting stitch patterns



original (mind-numbing) pattern


and look now ! wow, chevrons & stripes !



2) completion of an adult-sized project
Actually,this is a bigger deal than you think - we're actually talking Shrek-sized, not adult. May I proudly present the SoDMk2 (Sweater of Doom Mark 2). And - he wears it !



3) My first proper design
available free here; it was part of my MIL's Xmas gift ...


4) Main new skill: cabling
illustrated nicely by the previous two photos; but I have moved from this small try-out for my baby nephew:


to this, recently completed (last Saturday) jacket for Mini Diva; gasp in awe at those millions of bobbles, people !


So, to round up - projects completed: 30
of which:

adult clothing: 1
baby clothing: 9
child clothing: 7
lacy projects: 18
scarves: 13
cabled projects: 8

23 comments:

  1. I am seriously digging those millions of bobbles. My mother never knitted me anything quite as bobbled *deprived face*

    Ali x

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  2. Love your projects and your mad skills...when you said you went off topic, I really expected a whole different post. Unicorns, Yeti's and knitting...yes, I can see that now especially if the Yeti is wearing the knitted items.

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  3. I am thinking of making a ladies version of the SoDMk2 for myself. Well, a pattern quite like it, anyway, this one here.

    I think all your achievements have been large and impressive ones. Here's to new stuff!

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  4. *GASP* That is a great sweater! Love the color!

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  5. Pretty good going there! And about those bobbles? I luv 'em (repeat that to anyone and I'll deny it!)

    Good going on completing so many projects! I'm off to count how many projects I knitted last year.

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  6. Did you hear it? That was me gasping at the millions of bobbles!!!! I'm in awe of the Shrek sized jumper too.

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  7. I'm loving on the bobbles too. And the Shrek sized sweater. Great year of knitting!

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  8. This was a good knitting year for you. These are all awesome accomplishments. I'm a bit mesmerized by the number of bobbles on the last sweater.

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  9. I'm drooling over those cables! I love cables!
    I agree with you: finishing adult size project is quite an achievement!

    Happy knitting,
    Kasia

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  10. You've accomplished a LOT in the past year, congrats!

    I love bobbles, they're so much fun :-)

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  11. I love the stitch definition on the hot water bottle cosy - what yarn did you use for it? And wow, all those bobbles...

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  12. Looks like you had a great knitting year, that is A LOT of bobbles :-D

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  13. That jacket with all the bobbles must have taken forever! And that adult sweater is amazing too.

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  14. I don't think you strayed from the subject at all . and love all those awesome cables.

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  15. Ahhhh a hot water bottle cozy. My first thought was that your design was for a flask cozy. Which would also be useful.

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  16. WOW! I am in awe of your large project skills. I have been working on the same sweater for nigh on two years now, I think.

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  17. Wow! I love all your projects! The adult sweater is amazing!

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  18. I always love seeing your projects. Congrats on such rousing success (especially those bobbles... too cute)!

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  19. i love you bobbles, and your cables. Serious knitting going on this past year!

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  20. your cabled projects are fantastic!

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  21. Wow, love those cables! May have to download your hot water bottle cover pattern, I've been wanting to make one for a while. I was pleased with myself for mastering a simple cable, now I realise how far I have yet to go!!!

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  22. Wow, I actually have that cabled hot water bottle cozy queued and ready to go! Cool. Such lovely juicy cables!

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  23. I'm very impressed with those sweaters, especially the one for Mini Diva. It looks as if she wears it,as well! I could never get the Mini Deva in my life to wear things I chose :)

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Thanks ! I love comments :-)