Year in Review 2010

Year in Review 2010

1. your best FO of the year:
Based on the tenacity it took to master the pattern, I would say my Skew socks are my best FO of the year.

2. best FO of the year made by a blog you link to:
I have not really been reading as many blogs but there are plenty of FO on Ravelry that I have liked this year.

3. best yarn you tried:
No new yarn for me this year--I stuck with my old stand bys.

4. best book/mag/pattern of 2010:
Book:
I have to say that, for me, Aran Knitting was my favorite release of 2010 in the knitting category. I also loved Amy Butler's Style Stitches so much that it motivated me to buy a sewing machine.

Magazine:
Oxygen is still my favorite magazine--I look forward to reading it every month. As for knitting, I have found myself buying Vogue knitting more and more and disliking Interweave Knits more and more. I am letting my Interweave subscription go when it's up this year which is bittersweet for me as I have subscribed to it since I started knitting but the patterns, articles, and the general magazine layout do not appeal to me anymore and I had such high hopes when Eunny took over as editor :(

Pattern:
Challenge wise, Skew was the pattern that tested my patience this year. I enjoyed the dishcloth pattern from Mason Dixon and made tons of those this year for friends and family.

5. best new technique or gadget you tried in 2010:
I FINALLY learned magic loop this year. Thank you to Stacey who put up with my raving while trying to master this.
Fitness wise--Turbofire was the best technique I tried this year, love the intensity, love the music, love the choreography--makes me want to be an instructor again.

6. top 5 inspirations--what five things inspired you the most over the past year?
**Stacey--her enthusiasm is infectious
**Facebook--especially the groups I am in that remind me constantly of my fitness goals.
**Let's Go Pens! from Ravelry--knitting Pens fans--we are from all over the world and are bound by our love of the Pens and knitting. Oh what fun it would be to have our whole group together at a game in Pittsburgh.
**My sister who finished her first Ironman this year--WOW!!
**My kiddos who are always a light in my life.

7. designer who most amazed & inspired you throughout the year:
Probably Cookie A, again. She is a sock genius!

8. Challenges for 2011--what's next for you and your blog?
**still working on project me--getting in better shape, eating better.
**get sewing again--as I haven't since 8th grade
**finish at least 11 projects before starting anything new

An Inventory of Finished Objects 2010

Knitting:
(1) Winter Lace--Lion Brand Thick and Quick--Free Lion Brand pattern
(2) Baby Socks--Shibui Knits--personal pattern
(3) Baby Hat--Colinette Jitterbug--Handle pattern
(4) Baby Hat--Opal Harry Potter Tonks--Handle pattern
(5) Rick socks--Red Rocks Fiber Works--Rick, Cookie A, Sock Innovation
(6) Barn Raising Square--Red Rocks Fiber Works--Knitalong
(7) Barn Raising Square--Collinette Jitterbug--Knitalong
(8) Barn Raising Square--Pagewood Farms sock bites--Knitalong
(9) Barn Raising Square--Pagewood Farms sock bites--Knitalong
(10) Barn Raising Square--Pagewood Farms sock bites--Knitalong
(11) Barn Raising Square--Pagewood Farms sock bites--Knitalong
(12) Barn Raising Square--Shibui Knits sock--Knitalong
(13) Barn Raising Square--Pagewood Farms sock bites--Knitalong
(14) Dishcloth--Sugar and Cream Cotton--Mason Dixon Knitting
(15) Dishcloth--Sugar and Cream Cotton--Mason Dixon Knitting
(16) Dishcloth--Sugar and Cream Cotton--Mason Dixon Knitting
(17) Dishcloth--Sugar and Cream Cotton--Mason Dixon Knitting
(18) Show-off Stranded socks--STR Lightweight--Ravelry download
(19) Skew socks--Noro Silk Garden sock--Knitty
(20) Fiobanacci socks--Opal--Get Starting Knitting socks
(21) Plain Vanilla socks--online cotton sock--Classic Beginnings Socks for the family
(22) Barn Raising Square--Online sock--Knitalong(finished 12/28/10)

Reading:
(1) Fade Out(Caine)
(2) Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Cole)
(3) Flirt(Hamilton)
(4) Dark Lover (Ward)--reread
(5) Lover Eternal (Ward)--reread
(6) Lover Awakened (Ward)--reread
(7) Sweater Quest (Martini)
(8) Lover Revealed (Ward)--reread
(9) Lover Unbound (Ward)--reread
(10) Lover Enshrined (Ward)--reread
(11) Lover Avenged (Ward)--reread
(12) Kiss of Death (Caine)
(13) Lover Mine (Ward)
(14) True Love and Other Disasters (#4)(Gibson)
(15) Simply Irresistable (#1) (Gibson)
(16) Nothing But Trouble (#5) (Gibson)
(17) The Trouble with Valentine's Day (#3)(Gibson)
(18) See Jane Score(#2) (Gibson)
(19) The Darkest Whisper (Showalter)--reread
(20) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)--reread
(21) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)--reread
(22) Deep Kiss of Winter (Cole/Showalter)
(23) Demon from the Dark (Cole)
(24) No Mercy (Kenyon)
(25) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(Rowling)--reread
(26) Crave (Ward)

Fitness:
(1) P90X Lean--December through April
(2) P90X Lean--August through October(finished 2 weeks early to start Turbo Fire)
(3) Turbofire--October through December (finished first 12 weeks--looking forward to weeks 13-20 in starting in January)

Final Finish of 2010

I made this pair of socks for my Grandmother to keep her toes warm this winter :)

Stats:
Needles--sz. 2, magic loop
Yarn--Online sock
Pattern--Classic Beginnings Socks for the Family

I am almost 100% positive that this will be my last finish for 2010 unless I have a major knitting binge in the next few days. I am going to be making a blanket square with the leftovers--that "may" get done before the end of the year if I actually have time to sit and knit.

And totally off topic but has anyone ever checked out this blog, And Then She Saved? I saw a news feature on it a few days ago and I think it's a brilliant idea although I don't think I could go as spartan as she did.

Merry Christmas to all. . .

. . . and to all a good night!

Happy Holidays and Blessings for the New Year :)