My 2007

What a strange year.

A year ago, if you told me that I was about to take up knitting and it would completely take over my life, I really wouldn’t have believed you - not the knitting part and especially not the taking over life bit! I have no idea how or why I caught this bug, I had no idea that other people had it too, but I’m glad it found me. Even my boyfriend has accepted it and bowed to my taking over part of the living room to store books, needles, yarn, multiple projects etc. He also knows that I have lots more hidden upstairs and seems to understand that this is something which just shouldn’t be spoken of ;o)

As well as knitting, 2007 brought lots of emotions with a cancer scare for me; a settling of my arthritis and the medication used; my Dad having cancer, then not having cancer, then having cancer again (confirmed a few days before Christmas); and the death of a much loved pet, to name a few. It also brought some big personal decisions which will be played out over the coming year(s).

But to get back to the knitting…as a child, when I was first taught to knit by my Gran, I was rubbish – totally rubbish. I persevered for a while but eventually gave up and didn’t even think of trying again until March last year. All it took was my Mam to show me how to cast on, knit, purl, cast off and I was away! I experimented, taught myself new things by trial and error, and looked things up on the net when I got really stuck – but essentially, it just clicked. Who could believe that I’d be able to make identifiable things! Who’d have thought I’d be able to not just follow a knitting pattern, but understand it too (more or less)! …and I don’t even want to think about how much money I must have spent on all the kit I seem to have collected.

I’ve really enjoyed reading other people’s knitting blogs too. I am a lurker by nature and do read an awful lot blogs both from the UK and further a field. I should comment more but don’t always have anything to say. Ravelry has been a really great resource too. How did people cope before Ravelry?

Since March, I have made the following things:

• Mobile phone cover – the first thing I knit, completely made up (before I had attempted following a pattern). It’s getting tatty but I love it and use it every day!
  


• Long fuzzy scarf – a beginners must do kind of a thing


• Massive yarn store bag made from scraps – a really terrible looking thing which is hidden away upstairs


• Three sets of chunky hats and scarves, as well as various other hats
  


• Gilet for my Mam - she wears it when I'm around...wonder if she does when I'm not ;o)
  
• Massive chunky cardigan – given to my SIL
  


• Sleeveless top – waiting to be frogged and turned into something nice


• Girlie cable tassel hat and matching leg warmers – made up patterns in my excitement of having taught myself to cable
  


• Chunky cable throw – much appreciated by the recipient, and I hope loved...
  


• Cable hat and matching mits – I think the recipient liked them...
  


• Sweater bag – much loved by the recipient
  


• Two skull illusion scarves and matching hats – again much loved by the recipients even though the hats were a bit big...
  (they deliberately made them look worse for this photo!)
  


• Dog snood - went down very well with my brothers family, especially his dog :o)
  
  
• Camera sock – much loved by me, and made specifically for my camera to my own design
  

And that’s just the stuff I’ve finished! It’s not a bad list and I can really see an improvement with each finished project. Go me! I have one more gift on the needles (and then my PIF gifts) but then I focus on making stuff for **me**!!!

I think that’s about it for now.

Happy New Year!