Counting Down

I am looking forward to a nice quiet New Year if I can. Gus has been continuing with his problems off and on again. I wish I could figure out what it is about this time of year... other than old age that is.

Just to make myself feel better I put in a picture of a sheep I saw this summer. Is it just me or do sheep with dreadlocks just look more awesome?

I started and finished up doing my socks to leg warmer conversion for my Mother in Law. I was amazed to find it only took me a day or two. Now I just need to get them washed up, measured and sent off. I don't think they will be a miracle cure, but I bet they will make her legs just a bit warmer.

I am happy to tell you that I achieved some goals this year. I try to knit at least 12 pairs of socks a year, this year my final two pairs were underneath the Christmas tree. D and I both got new socks to wear on Christmas. Mom got a pair delivered to her, D got six pairs and my little tootsies got five pairs. I think that is the first time D got more socks than me. We may have to move him into a bigger sock drawer if this continues. 

My sock count was down because I knit myself three sweaters. I know! And they were all different styles too. Once I figured out how I needed to read the patterns in Ann Budd's Top Down Sweater book, my knitting took off. Well that and that I could really do short row shaping and come out with good sleeve caps, there was nothing to hold me back. 

I knit my Christmas tree four sweaters out of my hand spun yarn. Now I don't have to avoid D's eyes when we talk about hand spun yarn. My mind is mulling over some cowl patterns for some of my other hand spun. Plans for the new year, I am making them.

Over on Goodreads I challenged myself to read 35 books this year. I exceeded that goal with 53 books, I may even finish one more before the night is over. 23 of those I read with my eyes and the rest were audiobooks. No I don't listen to the same song playing on the radio anymore, I get immersed in stories instead. I've even been know to listen at work when no one else is around. 

I took some of my bonus from work and donated it to charity and some I gave myself permission to spend on me. I have such a hard time buying fun stuff for me without suffering guilt and angst. My stash of yarn would say otherwise but I really do have a hard time. I guess yarn is Ok because I turn it into something useable. This year I thought long and hard about what I really wanted and finally place the orders last night. It feels good. 

My feet have suffered through just shy of 560 miles of exercise this year. I know! I am pretty darn proud of myself!

All in all it was a pretty good year. I hope I feel this good next year at this time.

New tools

You know I don't think Christmas is all about the gifts, but I certainly do like getting presents, especially knitting related presents. Shhh I even spent a touch of bonus money.

First a book each from each of the Moms. Now I was a bit of a bad girl this year because I can not say with certainty who bought which. I do know that I still owe Thank You notes to both of them. 

These were the two knitting books I was hoping for this year. I'v already used the Cast On Bind Off book on D's green toe up socks because I forgot some of the nuance of the knitting class I took. But now I have a handy dandy book to help me out.

I am looking to do more sweaters in the future and while I love the top down pattern I have, it will be really nice to expand my understanding. All my current sweaters are raglan construction but I really want to try some different looks. I've been eagerly reading through the four different constructions in the book just biding my time till I can start one. Top Down Sweaters by Ann Budd

While I was busy shopping for others I took a wee bit of a Ravelry break and found an ad that intrigued me. Magnetic line keepers, now I'd heard of these but I've never been truly in love with any of the designs till I saw these. 

Keep calm and carry on, with a teacup and saucer? Yes please I will take a set. So thanks to Slipped Stitch Studio for inspiring me to make my first etsy purchase. I may have bought the last one of this particular set, you should have seen me typing in my data hoping to get the last one.

Then on Saturday I had a hair appointment so I figured since I was up, dressed and out the door I should probably see what the yarn store looked like. I know my basket overflowith but really I wanted another set of needles and look they had yarn too.

I bought a nice big bottle of eucalan, that smells all eucalyptus like. (I really like that smell and it protects the wool.) My current favorite set of sock needles Knitter's Pride Dreamz in my standard 2.25 mm needle size. I lost my self made knit kit on our camping trip in May, so a new tape measure is a handy thing to have around. I am still hoping to find the kit somewhere but I am afraid it is truly gone. The yarn is from a local dyer The Raggedy Cat. It is BFL Bamboo sock in the colorway sunflower. I know it is totally out of my normal color palette, but apparently I am growing. Don't worry it is more orange than yellow and I really like it. I thought I would make D socks but he says I need a bright pair myself, and I agree with him.

That is my new stuff, that should tide me over for a while, right?