New Year's Knitting Resolutions

I know it's probably a bit late to post NY's resolutions but I really wanted to come up with some this year to give my knitting a bit more direction, rather than going for the same old boring 'safe' projects again. (Although there will no doubt be some of those as well!)

So here we go...

9. Socks
I have only ever knitted one pair of socks. It was the Sock of Doom from Sock Wars (which I wasn't a participant of, but thought I would make them anyway cos I was so bummed I missed the sign up date). I ended up giving them away (very unlike me, see resolution 2) so I don't actually have a photo.

Anyway, I didn't think I would really get into it (I mean, hand-knitted SOCKS? There's got to be less daggy things in the world) but as it turned out, I really really enjoyed it!

Up until that point, I had never thought about how a sock is constructed and the different ways it could be knitted (what on earth is a gusset? And a heel flap?).

I still think hand-knitted socks are daggy and I don't know if I'll wear them outside the house, but I'm going to give them a go just cos the structure aspect of it really interested me.

With that in mind, I went to my LYS last weekend and bought 2 balls of this Paton self-pattern stuff. I was really after the Filatura de Crosa Zarina to make the Embossed Leaves Socks in Interweave Winter 05 (at least these don't look too daggy) but they didn't have it and the lady at the shop was so friendly I couldn't walk away without getting something.

As you can see, I'm just up to the toe-turn (is that a proper sock knitting term? The Toe-Turn).

8. Design a pattern (and write it down!)
I've made up my own patterns before, but I've never bothered to write them down.

My original resolution was that I should try and get a pattern published but maybe that's a little too ambitious. In any case I will post the pattern on the blog if that really happens.

My biggest problem is I have no idea about sizing. I can design patterns for specific individuals, but how do I work out smaller and bigger sizes? I'm assuming this is simply a matter of doing the maths but I'll have to find out what 'standard' sizes are. Anyway, will deal with that when we get to it.

(Although I could always design a poncho or a muumuu...)

7. Experiment! Be Bold!
This one stems from an audit I did of my projects over the last few years, all of which used one single yarn in one single colour.

I can't believe I'M SO BORING!

So this resolution means I can do one or all of the following...

• A multi-coloured project
• A multi-yarn project
• Something subversive/unwearable/just for the hell of it

6. Learn Continental knitting
I just know this will make my knitting so much faster. Plus I'm getting RSI on my right thumb from holding the needle the 'English' way. Argh.

5. Learn steeking
This is too scary I can't even bring myself to think about it as yet.

4. Learn to spin
I already have a plan about this. One of my friend's mum has a spinning wheel. I can just ask her to teach me, right? Right?

3. Actually give away knitted gifts
I have to stop hogging them for myself. I really have to stop hogging them. (But they really prefer a CD or worse, a GIFT VOUCHER!) No, I must stop hogging them...

2. Get involved with a knitting group
I need some knitting-obsessed friends. (Refer to resolution 1.)

1. Act normal
I've been making an effort not to appear completely obsessed with knitting in front of my non-knitting friends (which are about 99% of my friends) because, well, they just end up being disturbed by how much I know about knitting.

So here's my final and perhaps most difficult resolution. I'm not going to talk about knitting with any of them. Even if they ask me, I will first gauge whether they're doing so out of politeness (in which case I'll be as brief as possible because they do not deserve to know how much more fun knitting is compared to drinking or playing computer games) or out of genuine interest (in which case I'll do my best to evangelise them).

The exceptions are Jerms (this is the price he pays for having a free cleaning & cooking service), this blog (you chose to read this) and friends who actually knit.

(This has got to be one of the longest post I've ever written.)