HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

The Selbu mittens are still not finished. The totals for this year are:

Socks : 16 pairs
Gloves: 2
Mittens: 8
Rabbit Finger Puppets: 7
Washcloth: 1
Hats: 5
Tea Cozy: 1

That makes a total of 40 small FOs plus 10 skeins of rabbit fur spun for the rabbit shelter to sell and one knitting pattern booklet. This is about half as many items as I knitted last year but out of the 40 FOs, 22 of the projects were my designs. I guess that is because it takes me a lot longer to design my own items.

I forgot about another fun pattern I did this year - the Tipsy Knitter socks from Socks, Socks, Socks.



Unfortunately I'm finding that the yoga socks pattern I posted last week have become too loose after a few wearings - perhaps the ribbing pattern is not the right one to use. Anyway, I'm removing the pattern until I can figure out a better way to do them.

My favorite book of 2005 was Marcia Lewandowski's Andean Folk Knits because it was the only book for several years that focused on stranded color knitting. My favorite retailer was Knitpicks because I'm not sure I could continue knitting if I had to pay some of the high yarn prices I've seen.

I forgot to add some projects I want to knit for 2006. I want to make the Debbie New sideways garter stitch socks from IK a few years back. I also want to make the Del Mar lacy wristwarmers from the winter issue of Spindlicity out of some hand-dyed merino singles and the Fair Isle hat pattern HERE. Tomorrow I'll have the last FO of 2005 and a list of what I've knit.

Here are my two favorite projects of 2005 - the Aran Island mittens from Folk Mittens and the Floral Fair Isle Gloves from Interweave Knits.

I hoped to have the Selbu mittens to show today but yesterday was just too busy. First my 10+ year old monitor decided to go bonkers so I bought a nice new big 17" monster. What a difference on the eyes! Then we had to go to Santa Fe to meet some old friends. We went to India Palace and a wonderful new spot off Guadalupe Street, Gelato Benissimo. I had some hazelnut chocolate gelato that tasted a lot like cold Nutella. I'll definitely be back.

Today I'm busy cooking up a storm. I'm making some white beans with sage and garlic in the pressure cooker, whole wheat bread in the bread machine, stuffed mushrooms and zucchini, and a chipotle-red pepper risotto recipe from one of the Biker Billy's vegetarian cookbooks.

Lulu pays quarterly and the first check won't arrive until February but through Cafepress for 2005 Stranded Color Knitting made $500 for rabbit rescue which was sent to the Colorado House Rabbit Society. I expect to make more this year with the extra pattern booklet.

I want to do 2 more pattern booklets this year: one on wacky hats for kids and one with Christmas knitting patterns. Some of my other 2006 goals include the black and white mittens from the cover of the Latvian mittens book, the Alice Starmore Celtic Keynot Pillow, the Blackberry Ridge Step Dance socks (F on the chart), and some lovely cabled Log Cabin socks Jessica just made from Handknit Holidays. I'm waiting on the book but otherwise I have everything to get started on these projects.

Peaches is currently taking her 3 hour afternoon nap in the sun. She usually sleeps with her eyes open while flopped over on her side.