2012 Afghan

I finished my afghan for this year's county fair. It's baby/lap sized and was a challenging pattern. In fact, there are forums on the web devoted to knitters helping each other out with this one.

Anyway, in the photos, you'll see a green seed stitch border- I added that to the pattern as well as a little green decorative stitching in the body of the afghan. I don't think the photos can do it justice, but the pattern has trees with crossing branches, a flower garden, and a leaf border.

I won second place at the fair last year - maybe this one will put me in first. *crosses fingers*

The Year in Knitting

What I'm writing: Gods Willing edit
What I'm reading: Nothing at the moment
What I'm knitting: Just finished the last mitten - either a sweater or socks (for me) next

First off:
Happy Holidays!!

I hope each and every one of you has a joyous and safe holiday season.

Other than little notes in my header, I don't believe I've ever talked about my knitting here. I love knitting. I taught myself to knit when I was in my early twenties (and we won't talk about how many, many years ago that was). I've tried crochet, tatting, etc - but I just can't seem to get it like I do with knitting. My Grandma Wilcox knitted for most of her life and has passed down many of her supplies to me (including the hefty McCall's pattern book in which I got the pattern for all those double knit mittens I worked on this year). Now in her 90s, I know Grandma wishes she could still knit, but really can't anymore. I think I can understand how she feels - I'd miss the soothing motions and the light clack of the needles if I could no longer knit.

Anyway, I worked on several projects this year. I won't bore you with all of them, but here are a few:

Those Mittens!! (double knit with wool blend yarn)

A shirt/dress for the granddaughter - it's a bit too big still, but I'll give it to her probably on her birthday:
(junior jacquard yarn)

Socks! For me! (Jacquard sock yarn)

And the 'big' project this year: it's only a lap blanket size, but the pattern was detailed enough that it took me several months to finish. I finally finished it in early fall and I don't care how geeky it sounds, I really think I'll enter it into next year's county fair.

And a closer view:

Some things I've learned about knitting this year: I really, really don't like intarsia work and I'm also not that fond of making knit bobbles (from the afghan). Also, after years of thinking knitting with four double pointed needles would be difficult, I found I really like it (the socks).

Now I have to decide whether I'm going to use the leftover yarn from the mittens, combine it with some beautiful cream Aran I have and make myself a sweater - or will I make another pair of socks... I'm not sure.

If any knitters want to know what patterns and yarns I used in any of these projects, just ask!