It was a prolific year for me, which probably had something to do with taking time off this year. How much time is hard to calculate, because of the six months I intended to take a break I spent about five on work-related tasks anyway. But then the house extension messed up the first new project I started, and delayed the next, and I know toward the end of the year I wound up sitting on the daybed knitting through frustration or exhaustion more often than I liked.

Anyway, just for fun I’ve divided the fos up into categories and done some ratings. (I’m going to count the baby wash cloths as one project and the Fetching & Panta set as two.)

Full sized garments: 3
Sleeveless garments: 1
Shawly things: 2
Scarves: 6
Gloves: 1
Hats: 3
Headbands: 3
Socks: 13
Homewears: 3
Other: 2
Non-fibre: 3

Given away: 14
Kept: 26

Designed: 30
Adjusted a pattern: 5
Used existing pattern: 5

Favourite non-sock fo: Squares Jacket
Non-sock fo that gave me the most grief: Zhivago top – challenging, pretty, wrong size
Favourite socks: Rosebud socks
Sock that gave me the most grief: Jaywalker – most frogged project, didn’t fit
Most used fo: ipod nano cover
Most expensive fo: Scribble Knit Shawl (slubby silk cost $100)
Most economical fo: if I ignore dishcloths and the nano cover, then the Summer Stripe is the cheapest for stitch per dollar. It’s made of dyed up leftovers and op shop finds.

(Oops. I’ve realised that there’s one project I forgot to include in the fo list – the white chocolate socks. So the true sock total is 14. Which is probably the most socks I’ve ever knitted in a year. It’s been a very socky year for a lot of knitters, I suspect.)

I gave a lot of fos away – just over a third. Sometimes it was the intention, sometimes not. But the wonderful thing is, the latter were often fos that didn’t fit or suit me, but found appreciative homes so easily it felt like destiny. I like that.

It felt like I was designing or adjusting all the patterns I worked. The only existing patterns I followed almost completely to the letter were the Zhivago top, a dishcloth, the Pomatomus socks, while the Liquorish Allsort Jumper and Scribble Knit Shawl are included though the pattern instructions aren’t detailed, but guide you toward what you want.

It’s doubtful I’ll get as much done this year, which is part of the reason I want to Knit From My Stash. Weekday knitting opportunities will shrink to almost nothing once I get stuck into work, though weeknights are still mostly free, but weekends are likely to be full of post-extension decorating and gardening work.

I know my brain will be too full of work for much designing to be going on, too, so I’ve decided to knit from existing patterns more. It gives me something to buy other than yarn. Books, patterns and tools. Books, patterns and tools.

Which is why I popped down to The Wool Shop in Surry Hills this morning to buy this pattern and a few extra balls to meet the pattern requirements (that’s allowed, in the Rules under 2.c.).

I also bought Crocheted Aran Sweaters and some crochet hooks. Unfortunately I don’t have any aran weight yarn in my stash, but I’m thinking it might be possible to use 8 or 12ply and make a bigger/smaller size.

But there’s plenty else to knit from the stash, and I’m happy to just admire the patterns for now. And stash was what I was planning to blog about today. Oh well. It can wait until tomorrow.