Project round-up post for 2010

Well, it's been a so-so busy year. I've finished more projects than I started, but there's less long-term projects "still in progress" than there was last year (I think).
If I'm lucky, I'll be able to decrease the long-term projects (slow "forgotten" ones) even further in 2011 - one way or another.
One thing I really do need to do on the internet for my knitting in 2011 is to find another free photo hosting site other than Photobucket (What a terrible site. I can't reactivate the photos I have on there. Bah.). I've many photos that need posting.

(Markings as follows: *internet pattern. ^magazine pattern. " book pattern)

Finished in 2010:
Catnip Mouse*
Rose Flower (3D flower for hat decoration) "
Black Silk Scroll Wrap (FINALLY!!!!) *
Multnomah Shawl (with extra repeat) *
BS Johnson Hat *
Market Bag 1 (it works very well)*
Gypsy Shawl ^
Grey Snow Rose Shawl (a.k.a. Lumiruusu)*
Crow Print Shawl(ette) (full pattern knit with fingering yarn on smaller needles)*
Quant Hair Band *
Baktus *
Winter Reading Shawl *
Vortex Hat (times 2) *
Feather and Fan Diagonal Lap Blanket*
Saroyan "shawl" (a scarf with 3 extra repeats in the increase (and corresponding decrease)section)*
Torreyana Shawl *
Rainbow Shawl *
Eyelet Wrap (Vogue Accessories Book pattern)"
Mario Netbook Case (with handmade wood "buttons") *
Bamboo yarn Dishcloth (own pattern)
Lacy Baktus *
Eyelet Cowl (Vogue Knitting Pattern)^

Started (but not finished) in 2010:
Patchwork Jacket ^
Orenberg Shawl ^
Maelstrom/Vortex Circular Shawl *
Basketweave Diagonal Lap Blanket *
Lace Capelet (Vogue Knitting pattern)^
Bamboo Circular Vest (knitting finished, ends need sewing in)*
Lace Wrap Cardigan (Vogue Knitting Pattern) (this could have been finished 2 weeks ago, but I didn't want to do the blocking needed) ^
Felted Slippers *

"Long-term" projects still unfinished in 2010:
Kimono Sweater (still not spun that silk yarn *grr*) *
Endpaper Mitts 2 (need to re-cast-on the second mitt - it WILL get finished in 2011) *
Prayer Shawl 2 (still waiting on dye - it's getting tiring) *
Clapotis 2 (not bad, just boring) *
Basic Socks (can't seem to want to re-start that second sock) ^(leaflet)
Flickering Flames Skirt (not a bad, boring or difficult project, I just don't know why this isn't finished) *
Lace Leaf Scarf (this is seriously boring -I think this will be frogged in 2011) ^
Knitted Kitties (Really, I've got to knit more of these - I just don't want to) *
Market Bag 2 (I've just got to buckle down and finish this, and I should, considering that the first one works nicely) *
Tudora (I'm still waiting on just enough scrap Noro Kureyon yarn to finish it) *
Secret of the Stole II (Knitting V. slowly on this) *
Mitered Vest/Jacket (I'm bored with this - don't know why, as it's charming and quirky and I really like the colour palette I'm using. I'll figure out how to get started again on this.)
Dappled Lace Kitchen Curtain strips (I'm sort of scared of this project) *
Hat and Scarf Set (I'm still trying to figure out a pattern to finish the cap part of the hat, using vertical stripes knitted in the round to the crown)
Gothic Lace Mohair Scarf (This is a non-entity of a project. It just goes into limbo even while I'm knitting it. It's NOT a boring lace pattern, and the yarn is quite lovely, but it's just. . . blah.) "
Cherry Leaf Shawl (I'm 2 repeats away from starting the border. But I'm scared of the border. Weird.) "
Spring Blossoms Shawl (This was actually in limbo. I'd forgotten about it until just now. I'm hoping to get another ball of the yarn I'm using so I can make it a repeat or two bigger.) ^ (leaflet set)
Cotton Squares Blanket (I crochet a couple blocks together a week. Slow but steady work. It'll take a year or two (or three) to finish this. *sigh*)
Apple Tree Leaves Lace Wrap (This needs working on and it's actually a beautiful lace pattern, but it's a bit boring to work on) "
Spider Web Half-Hexagon Shawl (I'm coming to the end of the first section. I knit a couple rows a month. Not enough, but the yarn's a bit intimidating.) "
DROPS B13-19 baby Jacket (I'm knitting erratically on sleeves) *
DROPS 111-27 Lace Jacket (I'm knitting erratically on it, I'm just being REALLY slow. It's a nicely challenging pattern.) *
Le Cardi Toddler Jacket (Knitting finished, but the seaming and ends need sewing - I just DON'T want to sew all the ends in) ^
Icon doll (This is likely to stay in limbo for years as it's a vanity project) "
Poppy Flower (I don't know why this isn't finished, I just need to knit/crochet a simple disc and sew the petals to it and each other - it'd take a day (at most) to complete) "
Squashy Blossom Flower (It's my own pattern, but I've forgotten what I was doing. I'll work it out eventually)

Techniques learned or first done in 2010:
Knitting a round shawl on circular needles (Maelstrom/Vortex shawl)
(In 2009 I forgot (I think) to note that I'd knitted a square shawl on circular needles (Spring Blossoms Shawl))
Shaping a garment (Lace Wrap cardigan)

I've listed my resolutions for 2011 in the last post, so that's done.

So. . .good luck to me for the next year.

A crafting resolution or two . . .

Ok, the first resolution is that I've decided, in line with my fervent wish to decrease the amount of clutter (crap) in the house, that I will start projects that use my yarn stash.

There's over fifteen (15) carboard flip-top Ikea storage boxes of yarn in my craft area.

I realise I'm a sucker for yarn, so I'm certainly NOT going to say I'm not going to buy any new yarn in 2011, but the list of projects I have or think of in the future, I WILL think of the stash yarn first.
That stash pile has GOT to get smaller.

The other resolution is to finally re-start work on my spinning, braiding and weaving in 2011. I originally got the equipment to finish projects and to increase my knowledge.
To start this, I'm going to take a spinning class in February (I've already talked to the teacher, and somehow I've got to get my spinning wheel down to the class) but I promised I'd take the class - once it goes online, I'll run down to the shop and book (and pay for) a place. I have silk top, flax top, wool and linen fibre to spin and I want to get them done.

I'm not saying that a huge amount of work will get done in the year, but I'm determined to complete a braid, a part of a woven piece (to finally get the loom useable would be something!), a decent amount of spun fibre (the minimum is about a 50g ball in total fibre spun) and a box of stash used in knitting.

It doesn't sound like much, but it will be a start, and if I complete those things in 2011, I can do even more in 2012. I deserve it.

Go me!

I am knitting furiously (for me) on a lace wrap cardigan - knit half a size too small. I don't know yet if I love it, and at the same time I hate it. I hate it for being so knittable.
This frantic knitting goes against my being. I am, by nature, a procrastinator. I'm (somewhat) lazy and flighty, and I don't spend a lot of time on one thing. I find I'm thinking of the cardigan as an alien being, stroking my soul and making me do things contrary to my nature.

I deeply love it as well. I want this cardigan to be perfect in every way, so I can coo over it and wear it every day (once it fits me). It seems a bit strange to be paying this much attention to an item that won't be able to be used as soon as it comes off the needles/blocking pads, but I'm knitting it for the smaller, healthier me.

I suppose that this also means that I'm really happy about being healthier. Which I am.

I want that time to be here MUCH sooner than it should be.

Music and Knitting

The music first:
Last Night (3rd Dec) I was watching Cecilia Bartoli @ the Bridgewater Hall. Astounding. She sang Castrati arias with a Baroque Group (forgot name of group), and it was wonderful. the music and her voice carried all over the hall, and it was unmiked. *whee*. I booked a ticket to see a counter-tenor (sorry, can't remember his name at the minute) singing more baroque music, and I'm SO happy.

Onto the knitting. . .
The knitting umph is back. I don't know when it came back, but so far, in addition to the other stuff, I've knitted a cowl (used last night due to the snow and general cold weather here) in Blue Manos Classica yarn, a circular vest (got to sew in all the ends and crochet around the armholes before I *lightly* block it) in Aqua Rowan Bamboo Tape and though I'm nibbling on other projects in an erratic rotation, I've started on a lace wrap cardigan in a neutral grey Texere White Rose Mohair yarn. It makes me happy to see it in progress. So soft.

Other stuff:
I'm losing inches around my body through a combination of diet and exercise. In 8 weeks, I've gone down a cup size and my clothes feel generally looser. I'm ecstatic. I've got to sign up for the next round of Yoga and Tai chi classes and the first chance I get, I'll be signing up for aerobics classes in order to get me fitter in general. Whoo! Go me!

Later.