A Year in Review

After perusing the end-of-year posts of various bloggers I follow, I realized I had yet to do the same.  I wasn't even sure I'd have much to show.  With school work occupying my time and energy most of the year, it felt as if little crafting had taken place over the year.  Lo and behold, there was crafting!

Knitting Projects

I managed to finish one pair of socks, slippers, a baby sweater, a substantial adult sized sweater, couple of frilly scarves and lots of little dishcloths (it must have been the year of the dishcloth, LOL).  Not my best year, but I'll take it.

Interestingly, I noticed that my sewing machine came into use more than once--and not just for hemming pants.  I made several useful hand towels for the kitchen and I managed to sew my own costume skirt, a hat for my son and alter existing clothing for his costume.

Sewing Projects

Not bad for a girl who can't really sew.

Hoping the new year brings more crafts my way . . . 

A Tale of Two Hats

Having received a new winter coat, I decided to knit myself a matching hat.  None of my old hats matched properly.  I already had some white chunky yarn in my stash.  After perusing Ravelry and printing off a few beret-type patterns, I settled on Wendy Bernard's Not-too-too-beret pattern (Rav link).

In-Progress Beret

I searched for the appropriate needles and thought I had found something suitable.  Immediately I cast on.  I did not realize my error until I had finished the hat!  I even **gasp** blamed the pattern  **shakes her head in shame**

My error came from two circumstances: first, I've been working on itty-bitty needles for a while so my tactile senses were off track; second, I misread the label in my interchangeable case.  I mistook the size 10 for 10mm.  Size 10 is 6mm.  That's a difference of 4 needle sizes!  No wonder the thing came out differently than expected.

Hubby with new beanie

Thankfully hubby took the hat for himself.  And with the frigid temperatures we've faced of late, he's been very pleased with it.

As for me, I still had another ball of bulky white in my stash, so I cast on for another beret, using another pattern ('cuz at the time I was still under the delusion that there was something wrong with the previous pattern when in fact there was something wrong with my needles).  With new pattern in hand, I finished the second hat with some modifications.  (I used the 1930s-beret and have the mods listed on my Rav page).  The second hat was more to my liking.

My New Hat

Now I can survive the wintery blast that's plagued us for the past week or so (why yes, I am counting down the days till springtime). 
Later,
;)

Happy 2014!

Hope everyone had a pleasant evening ringin' in the new year.  For myself, I crashed early--not much of a party person.

Photo courtesy of free photo site

As always, I'm hopeful with the coming new year.  Hope it brings health, happiness and prosperity to all!  And of course, hope there's lots of crafty and fibre-y goodness ;)

Cheers!