So 2012 already. Unlike previous years I'm not buckling down with big goals this year. I'm going to try to blog more and I'm going to try to use more stash. But no set goals or resolutions. Just going to continue doing the things I was already doing. I do want to participate more in some of my groups on ravelry. Would eventually like to learn something new, or work on a technique. But I'm not going to stress it.

So far this year I was able to finish up the stockings I was working on. I of course never blogged these. I knit my friends family stockings. They were suppose to be for Christmas this year. But we all know how that goes. I finished the one for their daughter before Christmas and had it mailed to them to be able to use this year. But Mom and Dad's stockings didn't get finished until after Christmas. They actually still haven't been mailed. But will definitely be there before Christmas this year (hehe). The stockings knit up pretty easy once i figured out what I wanted to do.

the pictures are taken all at different angles and distances. They really are all the same size.

They were a lot of fun to do. I didn't use a pattern. I just winged them. Started with a provisional cast on did some garter stitch at the top. Then a band of white to duplicate stitch the names onto. Then a little color-work border, followed by a color-work design (different for each stocking), the border again. Then a short row toe and normal plain foot. One more little color-work detail before doing a shortened wedge toe. Then I picked up the provisional cast on and did a 4 stitch applied i-cord edge with a little loop to hang it with.

Pattern: personal

Yarn: Cascade 220 (7803, 7818, 8886) and Patons Classic Merino (winter white)

needles: us 5, 6, and 8 (3.75mm, 4mm, and 5mm)

Started: first stocking:Dec 13

Finished: last stocking: Jan 3

Was really proud of the color-work patterns. I spent several hours charting different designs to try to find exactly what I wanted to use. Here are the pages of designs. :) They were a lot of fun to try to sketch out.

I finished a hat for a friends daughter. Another pigtail hat. Pretty much the same as the one I did before, only in purple instead of pink. Even the same yearn. :) could have finished it much faster, but ran out of yarn and was lazy about going to grab another ball. Plus Justin's family came into town and I didn't get much knit time in. excuses excuses i know haha.

this is Ryan modeling the hat. He however doesn't have pigtails. hehe

Pattern: modified nippertails

Yarn: Jo-Ann Sensations Tesoro in purple

Needles: us 5 (3.75mm)

started: Jan 5

finished: Jan 11

The exciting project is my socks from stash project. We revamped the group a little this year with some theme/challenge months. This months theme is to use the oldest sock yarn in stash. So for me it was some Artyarns ultramerino 4 and some dale of norway/dalegarn baby ull. The artyarn is in a few shades of pinks and greens and the baby ull is a pretty cordinating green color.

I picked broken seed stitch socks. First I cast on 72 stitches on size 2.0mm (us 0) needles and started knitting. After about 3-4 inches I realized that this sock was coming out to big. So I ripped and restarted with 64 stitches.

pic of the sock before frogging.

So far things seem to be coming along much nicer. I'm absolutely loving the pattern. Its quick and fun to work on. I did a combination mini gusset short row heel. I recently did this heel on a sock for Justin and wanted to try it out for myself as well. I'm not super thrilled with how it looks in the picture. But I'm not ripping it back to rework at this point. I'm also a little worried that I'm going to run out of yarn. Always a fear when its old yarn that you can't get anymore. I started with 1 ball of each. Should technically be enough for a pair of socks. But since the ribbing, heel and toes were all going to come from the green... means I'll be using more green then multi colored. Thought about finding a cordinating pink for the toes... but I might just use the multi. Not sure yet. Still thinking about that. But since I'm about to work the toe on the first sock... I might need to make that decision sooner rather than later. hmmm.... opinions?