2018 in Knits (and Crochet!)

Following on from 2017's blog post, it's time for the annual knitting review!

I feel like I haven't really achieved much knitting this year - or rather, I feel like I haven't really achieved many finished objects. There's been plenty of knitting, just very few FOs.

In 2018 I finished just 16 projects.

Last years total was 26, so I'm down by 10. There were 2 shawls. 10 pairs of socks. 3 crochet toys. 1 hat. It was a much quieter year for finished projects, but it's well in line with the goal I set myself for 2018 to create more mindful knits.

My first finished object of the year was a simple pair of vanilla socks in Felt Fusion's stunning candy-coloured Christmas colourway Whoville. I generally use my own experience to make toe-up socks now, but my knowledge retention for making heels is terrible! So, I tend to fall back on Carle' Dehning's Vanilla Socks pattern just for the heel.

The second was my Ravellenics Games project Maighdeann-ròin by Nat Raedwulf. It's a glorious pattern with just enough interest to not be dull but it's still a nice soothing knit. It's made with the most squishy, soft Cosmic Strings yarn as the main colour. I fell so in love with the egg yolk yellow mixed with black and white that I knew I wanted it to be the centrepiece. It's paired with some well-loved and hoaded Sparkleduck (that soft purplish grey) and the coal black Titus.

After that, I tackled Veera Välimäki's Slow Shawl (see top picture) - a gorgeous stashbusting project that helped me to use up a whole bunch of leftovers and create a colourful shawl that's full of memories. I loved the rhythmic flow of the pattern and it always delights me to work on scraps projects because as you work with each yarn, you're folding in the memories of where the yarn is from, what the original project you used it for was and the times you've worn or used the original item.

After that I put down my knitting needles and picked up my crochet hook to make this cute little Cinderella amigurumi. The pattern is from a kit that I received as a gift and reading all of the new, unfamiliar stitches really scared me. But I'm a big Disney fan, so I decided to buckle down and learn them. It's not the neatest of FO, but it really represents how far I've come in my crochet journey. So, I can't be mad about it. Check out that popcorn stitch!

My next FO was actually another crochet project. My friend gifted me a Toft kit for my birthday to make Bruno the Okapi. The wonderfully weird and shy okapi is one of my favourite animals, so I was super excited to make him (if a little intimidated!). He actually whizzed up pretty quickly, with the only troubling bit being the sewing of his horns.

And...oh my gosh - what's this? ANOTHER crochet project? Say hello to Don the Golden Retriever, another Toft kit.

I was actually so proud of this little guy - he got his own blog post.

We're moving back to more familiar ground now, with a whole bunch of socks. There's the beautifully bright Satsuma Socks.

These plain and simple beauties.

The Felix Felicis vanilla socks that I knitted mostly while on holiday in Wiltshire. They even had stitches added at Stonehenge!

The simple, yet stunning Sakura Socks.

And finally this pair of Nausicaa socks destined for my friend Adam - who is most certainly knitworthy (which is a good job because he has big feet).

I ventured into non-vanilla territory for the Winter Rose Socks by Helen Stewart in a beautifully sunny Sweet Georgia. I'd never used their yarn before, but I'd love to get my paws on another skein. It's so soft, yet strong and feels glorious slipping through your fingers as you knit.

And then picked up a skein of my own yarn in Wicked Like A Wildfire to make the beautiful Astrantia Socks by Helen Stewart.

My last sock knits of the year were both pairs of festive socks - and both self-striping yarn. The first is a Twisted Limone yarn and the second is London House Yarns.

I also rounded out the year with Caitlin Hunter's Kobuk hat - in a beautifully fluffy and soft combo of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze and some Exmoor Horn DK I picked up at Yarndale this year. It was a very fun project to knit - I'm most certainly a sock and shawl knitter generally, so I often forget the joy in smaller projects. And I adore bobbles.

2018 was almost certainly the year of the sock. I'm hoping too add a bit more variety to my knitting selections in 2019, with some shawls, garments and mittens. But I'm certain there will be socks too - because there always is!

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Six

Shawl Six: Brush Creek Shawl by Carina Spencer

It's time for another Thoughtful Shawl post!

Shawl six is this absolutely beautiful shawl by Carina Spencer that I knitted back in 2015.

This shawl is a definite keeper. It's made of two of my absolutely favourite yarns and I love the elegant, light lace of the design. 

The soft grey with flecks of pink, yellow and blue is Confetti on The Uncommon Thread's tough sock. I've been in love with this colourway for years now, and this is actually the second skein of it that I bought (I now have a third in my stash - waiting for the perfect project). The deep blueish grey at the top is Old Maiden Aunt's Selkie on her cashmere/merino/nylon base. This is another yarn that I've bought multiple times - I love the subtle colours and soft blending. Finally the third yarn is a ball of Lang Yarns Jawoll that I picked up from The Yarn Cake in Glasgow. 

I love this shawl, it's full of favourites and special memories and I know that I could never lose in from my collection.

The only problem I have is that it's a smidge on the small side - so it tends to be a Spring/Summer only shawl - but I think that a heavy block might open up the lace and add a little width. 

I'm going to give it a nice long soak and give it a big old stretch to ensure I give this little shawl the love and wear it deserves. 

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project: Shawl Five

Shawl Five: Dreambird KAL by Nadita Swings

Back in 2014 I was still very much a beginner knitter, I was starting to experiment more and poke around in more complicated patterns. I've actually always been of the opinion that as long as there's a tutorial or Youtube video, then I'm game to learn any new stitch no matter how intimidating it might seem. So when I heard about the Ravellenic Games, and the ethos behind it, I was really excited to join in and challenge myself. 

I actually initially picked Stephen West's Esjan shawl to be my project for Sochi 2014. I purchased some beautiful buttersoft Malabrigo worsted in sunny shades of red and orange. I waited eagerly for the Opening Ceremony to cast on.

The day came and I clasped my needles enthusiastically, ready to start a new knitting adventure. But within hours it became clear that me and Esjan, never going to work. I'm sure that it's not you, it's me Esjan. But your lace pattern is as undecipherable to me today as it was back then. My brain just refuses it. 

So, it left me in a bit of a panic. I was a day down, patternless and with yarn specifically purchased with this project in mind. I scoured Ravelry for a replacement that could use the same yarn. But nothing spoke to me. Nothing was the challenge I needed, but without tearing my hair out after the disaster of Esjan.

So when I saw the Dreambird KAL, it was unsuitable and looked incredibly difficult. I'd never even heard of swing knitting (and to be honest, even today I'm not entirely sure what swing knitting it). But it was so beautiful, I fell in love. 

Growing up, my favourite fairytale was always The Firebird, and I couldn't stop imagining this shawl in smokey, charcoal tones and fiery splashes of colour. It felt like a sign that this pattern reminded me so strongly of an old Russian folktake, when the Olympics was in Sochi. So, I steeled my nerve and bought the pattern. 

I had a beautiful, but unidentified yarn that I bought at Yarndale previously. The tag had somehow wandered in between my purchasing it, and camping in the wilds of Skipton. But I knew the flaming tones would be perfect. Rob made an emergency dash to my LYS (props to the wonderful Kath of Little Houndales for letting a big, hairy man into her house late at night on a non-shop day to pick up the emergency yarn) to grab a skein of Malabrigo sock in a lovely deep purple.

I was ready to go! And only delayed by two days, I could do this! 

I knitted that shawl religiously. I watched the moguls, the freestyle skating, the curling and so much more. I fell in love with Winter sports and the steady click-clack of the pattern. I felt a swell of pride as Team GB won medals, and I knitted hard and fast and finished just in time. 

And my goodness what a beautiful shawl this is. I don't know why I don't wear it more. It is the very reason I needed to start this project - I have beautiful shawls, full of stories and love that deserve more. So, I've dug out my Firebird shawl, and resolved that it will get much, much more wear. 

What is the Thoughtful Shawl Project?

I saw a post by Jennie of tinypaperfoxes about her 39 shawls project, it sparked something inside of me.

Like Jennie, I have an absolute wealth of shawls, but wear the same ones regularly which means that I own unloved, neglected shawls, just like Jennie.

The Thoughtful Shawl Project is my journey to reassess and explore my shawl collection and decide whether to frog, donate or keep. 

You can read the whole post about the project here: The Thoughtful Shawl Project or you can browse the other blog posts about shawls here: Previous Thoughtful Shawl Project Posts.

2017 in Knits

I thought that it might be a fun idea to round out the year with a look at what I knitted in 2017.

So, let's get into it!

In 2017, I finished 26 projects in total. This is an improvement of 6 projects from 2016, and it was an absolute bumper year for shawls.

Of the 26 projects, a massive 11 were shawls.  That means 42% of my knitting time went into shawls. The one thing I swore I would never knit as a beginner knitter!

So, let's take a look at them!

The first shawl of 2017 was the beautiful Aisling by Justyna Lorkowska. I actually started this shawl way back in 2015, but the edging really got me. I found the cabled pattern really hard to wrap my head around, and the huge amount of stitches was really intimidating to me. But I buckled down, stuck on some This is England and bashed out those many, many stitches. I'm really happy with this shawl, the pale colour is some gorgeous glittery Sparkleduck yarn. It shimmers so wonderfully under the lights. It's also a lovely big, drapey shawl.

My second finished was was The First Light by Veera Välimäki. I have complicated feelings about this shawl. It's knitted in the most beautiful, silky Stranded Dyeworks singles yarn, but absolutely no amount of blocking will make this shawl sit nicely on my shoulders. It feels very tight around the top of the shawl, and granted I do have fairly broad shoulders but I'm disappointed by how inelastic the top edge is. I wonder if it's possible to gently unpick it and reknit? Or perhaps it should be regifted to someone with more narrow shoulders!

2017 really was the year of finishing longterm WIPs. The gorgeous Vedbaek by Karie Westermann was the third shawl I tackled. I originally started this in 2015, but managed to convince myself the design was harder than it actually is - although I suppose this is a good indication that my knitting skills are definitely improving over the years. I knitted this out of some beautiful Malabrigo in the Candombe colourway. However, despite ordering two skeins of the same dyelot they came out so wildly different, it's hard for me to give this shawl the love it deserves. It's mostly my own fault, I should have alternated the skeins as I was knitting, but I didn't realise they would be so different that they looked like different colourways. It means the shawl has a big pale green strip towards the bottom, while the rest is a sort of grey, purple with flashes of deep green. It really is a shame, because it's a gorgeous shawl until the last three or four inches.

Finished Object: Lustre Shawl

This humble looking shawl is Lustre by Amélie Bernier. But to me and my closest friends it's known as my prayer shawl. And there's a reason for that. It's become my go-to shawl in times of sadness, stress, anxiety and pain. The soothing rhythm and chunky squish is like a salve for the heart. If I'm knitting this shawl, you can guarantee my life is less than peachy.

And that's the case recently. My mum has been struggling. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease recently and that's triggered an incredibly serious and severe bout of depression. My family is in turmoil. So, I felt like it was time to revisit my old friend, Lustre.

There’s so much I could say about this shawl, but nothing as much as telling you this is my third time knitting it. That should tell you how much I love it.

It’s become my go-to project for when I’m feeling stressed or sad and need a simple, comforting project to pour my feelings into.

I made it for the first time in 2014: Prayer Shawl and then again in 2015 Prayer Shawl the Second.

The 2014 iteration was knit in beautifully warm, soft Artesano aran with pops of a Debbie Bliss silk blend. I knit the shawl while I was on holiday in Loch Lomond, Scotland. It was my husband's birthday and I'd booked the trip for him. But a few days before the trip I was suffering with terrible stomach cramps and nausea. But I decided to soldier on through it, because who wants to spoil a birthday surprise, right?

Wrong. Absolutely wrong. I pushed myself hard to enjoy the trip for him, but spent most of the time curled up in the foetal position, crying in pain and begging for mint tea to stop the sickness. And the moments I wasn't crying in pain, I was knitting this shawl and putting every bad feeling and thought into the soft, squishy stitches and hoping it would ease my turmoil.

Side note: I did manage to enjoy a trip to the wonderful Yarn Cake in Glasgow. If you get the chance to visit, do. The cake is wonderful and the atmosphere is just as cosy as you might imagine being surrounded by cake and yarn feels.

When I got back home, I was diagnosed with a serious kidney infection. I took my medicine, got better and learned never to do a seven hour car journey when feeling like crap again!

I knit the second Lustre in 2015 with my lovely friend Karen. We had both been going through incredibly difficult struggles with our health and personal lives. So, I thought a KAL with this beauty would soothe both of our problems. Karen was a much less experienced knitter than me, so I perhaps should have accounted for that when choosing a pattern - however she did eventually find the rhythm with me. And she made the most beautiful mustard and yellow shawl. I think the wonderful thing about co-knitting is how much closer it binds you to the person. From shared failures and triumphs you bond over the stitches and it's really wonderful.




Each time I stumble, this pattern has soothed my heart. Both the knitting of it, and the subsequent wearing. It’s a beautiful pattern and it makes my soul feel rested and soothed. So when times got difficult for me this time around, I knew immediately what I had to do.

I wanted my 2017 Prayer Shawl to be exceptionally cosy and gentle on my fingers to knit. So, I immediately thought of one of my favourite yarns. Malabrigo Worsted is just so buttery soft and warm, I knew right away that it was my dream pairing. The gentle stitches of the Lustre combined with the beautifully squishy Malabrigo. 

I also had been dreaming of a beautiful neutral with a really bright pop of colour. So I ordered three skeins of a soft, biscuitlike taupe colour and one skein of an outrageously bright berry pink.

I packed up my yarn and pattern in my favourite project back and took in on holiday with me to Ardnamurchan. And I spent hours knitting it while away. I chatted and knitted, I watched sheep and knitted, I listened to the waves in bed, stargazing and knitted. It was my constant companion. And once again, it did its job perfectly.

Every stitch melted away a worry or a sadness. I don't know what it is exactly about this shawl that's so magical, but I thoroughly recommend you try it for yourself.

Because it truly is magical.

Finished Object: Stripe'aganza

It seems like Brioche is EVERYWHERE at the moment. I love the look of it, all squishy and neat. And after my initial struggles, I even enjoy the soothing repetition of knitting it. So, when I saw Julie Knits In Paris's gorgeous Stripe'aganza I knew I wanted to make it instantly.

I was tempted in by the brioche most of all, but also the idea of a shawl knitting in lots of different directions and styles. I don't know about you, but I find the last few rows of shawl knitting really drag - when you have anything from 200 to 600 stitches on the needles at a time. So, the premise of knitting the shawl in smaller sections and portions really appealed to me.

I also really loved the colourful shawls Julie used for the images of the pattern, so I knew I could go colourful and bold. Speckles ahoy!

I dug out some very old, deep stash Knitting Goddess Sparklynne in gold, some Lamby Toes in Excited Party Pony and a self dyed white with pink and brown speckles.

From the first moment, I loved how the pinks and gold played together, and I knew it was going to be one special shawl. I absolutely adore stripes too, so it's fair to say it was love at first sight. I whooshed through the stripy section and got nice and deep into the brioche. I can honestly say I have never been more grateful for my Addi interchangeable needles. They're the type with the lifeline holes built into the cords, so it made adding lifelines an absolute breeze. It's actually the first time I've ever used them, and I was really glad I did. I had to pull back a few times after getting to enthralled in binge watching Netflix and goofing my brioche.

This shawl was so incredibly fun to knit - I love the constantly change in directions and patterns. I never had time to get sucked into monotony, or long rows from hell. It was simple enough to be TV knitting, but complicated enough to keep my brain focused.

And the finished object? I LOVE it. It's bold, beautiful and bright.