Skill and 1 up

What have I learned in a year? How did my knitting improve? What did I achieve?

That is not as easy a question(s) to answer for me. Part of me is a total product knitter that loves churning out sock after sock after sock. While I do try to learn and experiment. 

This year I made 14 pairs of socks, 9 for me and 5 for D. Yep he made the jump to the permanent knit-worthy category this year. He showed proper and continual admiration for what I have made him. He still loves my sweaters best though.

One of D's pair of socks

I forced myself to go to a yarn shop in an unfamiliar city and enjoy it when normally I would have holed up in the hotel room and waited for D to appear. This was so out of character that I am still amazed that I was able to do it, and would choose to do it again.

I tried my hand at a knit Christmas ornament, a mini sock. Festive right? Yes, I know I am addicted to knitting socks.

I knit more lace and incorporated it into its primary form, the shawl. I liked knitting this so much I knit two and kept only one. Which is my favorite winter wear.

Multnomah Shawl in Alpaca

One of my many pairs

I relearned what sheep shearing looks like. It was informative as it was not explained to me as a kid. I served in more of an uninformed labor capacity, sheep maneuvering, wool stomping and general farm kid duties.

I learned differences in sheep breeds and was able to talk with my family about what we raised. I searched out different breeds and bought some yarn. I ogled and photographed sheep at the fair recognizing some breed differences.

So by the numbers what did I do last year?
14  pairs of socks (cables, lace)
2 shawls (yarn choice)
2 hats (felting and lace)
and a pair of Norwegian mittens (colorwork and stranded knitting)