My 2011, in Crafts

Just like I didn’t read as much in 2011 as I usually do, I also didn’t make as much stuff as I usually do. But after spending the first half of the year too tired to concentrate on anything beyond the simplest of projects, I have gotten some stuff done.

From the looks of this list you might think my crafting world revolves around babies now, but do not be deceived! Unrepresented here are the projects I have not yet finished. Like the Rock Island shawl with lace on both sides that I was nuts enough to start before Owen started sleeping through the night. I’ll pick that one back up in 2012, for sure. And the February Lady Sweater I’ve had on the go for a year and a half – I’ve been making some slow progress on the first sleeve! I will OWN that sweater!

I’ve also been working on my Citron shawl, though as you might imagine I get a little bored with it during the seven rows of doubled stitch count. Four hundred stitches in stockinette = long stretches between knitting bouts.

Here’s what I finished in 2011 (even if I started it in 2010):

• I only knitted the last 20 rows of this baby blanket in 2011, but I’m calling it my first finished project of the year.
• Owen needed booties for the party we had to welcome him to the family after the 30-day revocation period passed. So I made him some out of scraps, mostly while he slept on my lap.
• Finally made the kid some clothing in March. It’s the Hank Vest from Robyn Chachula‘s book Baby Blueprint Crochet, in Spud & Chloe Sweater (a stupendous yarn for crochet).
• One old t-shirt + one tutorial found on Pinterest = a quick crafty project
• My new go-to party contribution, clever idea stolen from a friend: Candy skewers
• There was the quick ugly creature I made for CRAFT. That was big fun.
• Another sweater for Owen: A no-intarsia Willie Sweater he’s been wearing all season. Made in RYC Cashsoft Aran and some leftover Sirdar Denim.
• A newborn-size Hunter hat for our nephew-soon-to-be, in Louisa Harding Kashmir DK. There will be more of these hats in the future, for sure.
• Owen’s dinosaur Halloween costume!
• The Virtual Planetoid hat.
• A mildly slouchy hat for our beloved babysitter, Emily. It’s the Jane hat, by Jane Richmond, in Malabrigo Worsted. They’re faux cables, people. Fastest hat EVER.
• For kicks, I’m including the first cake I’ve ever made (I don’t like cake, so I’ve never felt compelled to make any). It was, naturally, for Owen’s first birthday. I ate some, and I didn’t like it. But I’m feeling downright determined to learn to make an amazing cake. I see a lot of baking coming in 2010.
• The Celia Circle Scarf
• A Puerperium cardigan for Nephew.
  
• And finally, a year and a half after I started it, I finished a mistake-rib scarf for my friend Scott the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. Phew!