(Before I start, if you usually read my full post as an email delivered to your mailbox, please click on the title to open the webpage version. This post is very long and picture heavy and on the email version you won’t see the full post, whereas on the webpage you will. Thank you.)

Well another year has flown and this is the final post of my 3rd year of doing the Year of Projects. (This was the group’s 10th year.) The final round-up post includes my updated list (with some comments in bold italics added), photo galleries and what my favourite projects of the 12 months have been.

As I did in the previous YOP year, I deviated from my original list and added some new items and will be carrying forward some items and some you’ll see aren’t in my future plans. I’m not worried that I got distracted 🐿. I am really proud of what I have achieved in the last 12 months and of the last 3 years in the YOP group.

I also finished 2 items on my list this week, sewing my Town Bag and putting a liner in the felted bag I made last year. I also cast on 4 new projects, but I’ll talk about those next week.

Ok so here’s my list; look out for notes in bold italics and ❤️ for items I really love.

Key:
✅ finished
✳ started
🆕️ added during the year
🐸frogged
➡️ If crossed out then I didn’t start it but may do in future so may/will be carried forward to next list. If not crossed out then I did some work on it during the year but it’s not finished
❗dropped from list and future plans

Where there are two hyperlinks in a line they are a link to my Ravelry project page and the week number links to the relevant blog post.

Crochet

• Minion by Tremendu ✅ Started week 1, finished week 2 ❤❤❤ I am pretty sure this was my 1st crocheted proper pattern, I used to just make things up as I went along. I love Minions and have yarn for a 2nd one!
• 🆕 Dog hair gifts for neighbour (rose, snowman & snowflake) ✅ week 6
• 🆕 Start a Havana Afghan ✅ started testing colours and sections week 6 on a sample Book cover, finished week 7; made a mini version finished week 13; then later added extra length and border. I will make a full sized Havana in the future but for right now I want to concentrate on using up existing stash on projects.
• Some Winnie the Pooh character(s) ➡️ It’s a tricky one this one, I love Winnie the Pooh and have a collection but then I worry I’m adding to the clutter and already have the official soft toys. So I’m not sure if I will do these in future, but perhaps one day.
• Have a go at an Octopal (octopus or jellyfish for premature babies) I have offered the suitable yarn in my stash to the Octopals group instead.❗️

Dyeing

• Dye commercial sock yarn in:
  • Self Striping ✅ week 15 (See next line)
  • Another go at Christmas ✅ week 15 I killed two birds with one stone here by making my Christmas yarn also my self striping yarn. I will definitely dye more self striping yarn in future.
  • Speckled I have enough speckled sock yarn for the time being so I have removed this.
  • Colours for Sweet & Tartan socks ➡️ I may be able to use existing yarns for these socks so leaving this at the moment.
• Try natural dyes ✅ Shibori Indigo week 49 I think I will only do natural dyeing whilst on courses, as I am less interested in doing it on my own.
• Dye BFL/Tussah Silk yarn for 2nd Quick Sand ✅ At the 11th hour I dyed this in week 51! Talk about cutting it fine.
• Dye fibres in my ‘to dye’ drawer ✅ I have a lot of fibre left to dye, but dyed quite a bit week 51.

Felting

As I made a lot of fairies and lampshades, there is only a selection represented here.

• Needle felted Ylva ✳️ Started YOP9 year ➡️ I did a little work on it, but still not finished
• Needle felted Highland Cow ✳️ Started YOP9 year ➡️ Same as Ylva one above, worked on but still not finished.
• Pictures and products to sell/gift/keep:
  • Lampshades ✅ so many posts with lampshades!
  • Wreaths – Christmas etc. ✅ landscape wreaths week 22
  • 🆕 Fairies ✅ many made see fairies page for examples
  • 🆕️ Clock ✅ week 18 landscape, ✅ week 42 seascape
  • Landscapes e.g. Loch Carron, Ben Wyvis, Glen Affric, Loch Morlich, Rosemarkie ➡️
  • Christmas stocking ❗️
• 3rd Hat ✅ In week 42 I altered an existing hat instead!
• Finish making lampshades for
  • study spare room ✅ week 43
  • large lamp ✅ week 43
• Plant pot covers
• Picture of Ylva ➡️
• 2nd nuno felted garment ➡️

Knitting

Jumpers/Cardigans

• Strathcona Sweater by Tara-Lynn Morrison (yarn Rowan Big Wool) ✅ Week 20 Boy oh boy is this tatty looking now, the Rowan Big Wool really bobbles and the loose knit doesn’t help.
• 🆕 Second Turtle Dove in red WYS Re:treat ✅ week 26 ❤❤ I still love it and can see when this and my purple one are falling to bits I will make another one. It is a really easy jumper to knit and wear.
• Fine Sand by Heidi Kirrmaier (yarn Rowan Alpaca Merino DK) ✅ week 43 ❤ Another pattern I love, thus me buying yarn for a 2nd in a different colour. I just wish the back of the neck was a bit higher.
• Second Quick Sand by Heidi Kirrmaier (home dyed Aran BFL/Silk) ➡️ Having only dyed the yarn in Week 51 I haven’t had time to start it but will be in YOP 11.
• Inside Story by Heidi Kirrmaier (yarn New Lanark Aran) ➡️ This pattern is reverse stockinette…hmmm not sure I like that look which is why I haven’t cast it on. I may knit a 2nd Such a Winter’s Day in the yarn instead.

Shawls

• Reyna by Noora Backlund (yarn handspun baby camel and silk) ✅ week 5 detailed post. ❤❤ I love this, it is perfect for Spring and Autumn Days.
• Project with mini skeins from 2019 advent – I chose ADVENTuresome Wrap by Ambah O’Brien ✅ week 30 (detailed post). This thing is huge…I’m finding it isn’t warm enough for Winter or even Spring/Autumn, but it is too bulky to wear outside in Summer. It is not a practical item! No more mahoosive thin shawls for me…however I love the yarn colours and loved knitting it so that’s fine.
• Cabriolet brioche scarf by Carolyn Bloom (yarn Cookston Crafts in Crathie (alpaca/merino/nylon) & Emerald (merino/silk/yak)) ✳️ Started week 34 YOP9 year I honestly haven’t made my mind up if this is a ➡️ or ❗ I need to dig it out and have another go and if I make another mistake I’m frogging it.

Socks

• More Hermione’s Everyday Socks (HES) by Erica Lueder: 2nd pair of wood pigeon ✅ week 21, Christmas socks ✅ week 24, Thistly Brae socks ✅ week 41
• More shortie socks: Hybrid of RCR with HES heel ✅ week 8, Rose City Rollers ✅ week 49 I normally knit all my socks with 2mm needles, but this pair I used 2.25mm so it will be interesting to see how well they wear in comparison. Less stitches makes them quicker to knit but I suspect they’ll wear through quicker.
• Sweet & Tartan Socks by Tracie Millar ➡️ I dithered about dyeing yarn for these and didn’tso they still haven’t been done.
• Pair of socks with homespun yarn ➡️ I have spun BFL & Seacell yarn to make these, just need to cast them on!

Accessories

Look what happened here! I basically only knit one item on my original list and everything else was ‘New’! This is exactly what happened in YOP 9!! So, I’m being less specific next YOP year about which accessories I will knit to solve my squirrel 🐿 problem.

• Brick and Mortar Cowl by Kim McFall (homespun merino) ✅ week 13 ❤ I felted this after knitting and it is a great wind barrier and I wore it a lot.
• 🆕 Herriot hat by Nicole Montgomery (Jamieson & Smith Shetland chunky) ✅ week 19. ❤ This was my go to hat last winter, the yarn is wearing very well and I may in future get a jumper quantity. It is very warm.
• 🆕 Litmus cowl by Amy Florence (Cookston Crafts 2020 advent yarn) ✅ week 33 (detailed post) Mine is a DK version so it is much more practical for our cold days, I can see me having a go at a handspun version in future.
• 🆕️ Taiga fingerless gloves for husband (John Arbon Harvest Hues yarn) ✅ week 45 No FO post as I hated the project, the pattern has errors and I’d avoid it!
• 🆕 Twig beanie by Lucy Choe (handspun baby camel & silk #3) ✅ finished week 47 ❤❤ I suspect this will take over as my favourite winter hat this year. It is soooo soft, light and warm!
• 🆕 Stash Bracelet by Riv Creative (Coastal colours yak & silk 4 ply) ✅ made week 51 ❤ A late addition to the list and I can see me making more with fancy yarn scraps. Very quick and only uses about 3.5g of yarn!
• Easy Mittens with Thrums (yarn tbc) ➡️ I hope to still make these one day, I just need to sit and make some thrums!
• Evil genius gloves (yarn Mothy & the Squid) ➡️ I’m still annoyed about the Taiga gloves so that’s putting me off starting these.
• Doublejay Gloves by Danielle (yarn some leftovers) ❗️ As above, and if I do make gloves again it will be the Evil Genius ones, so these are dropped from future plans.
• Snowdrop Lace Hat by Robin Lynn ❗️

Other/Household

• 🆕 dog hair gifts for neighbour ✅ heart in Week 6 (see crochet for other items)
• Make a variety of dishcloths and wash cloths ✅ 6 during Q2 and a scrappy one week 45
• Start another Christmas stocking garland with homespun yarns, perhaps mini socks. ✅ Started Hat Vent 2019 pattern week 8. Mini jumpers ✅ week 23. There are other hats and jumpers in the patterns I didn’t get to but now I’ve started on a scrappy throw project I can’t see me keeping scraps for miniature hats and jumpers.
• 🆕 2 x cup cosies ✅ week 31 These got a lot of use on our walks back from the Highland Farm Cafe. A good way to use up scraps of handspun.
• 🆕 Habitation throw by Helen Stewart (scrap 4 ply) ✳️ started week 45 This may end up a long term project as I’m almost out of scrap yarns, it is such an addictive knit though.
• Make some Christmas gifts!!❗️ I don’t enjoy knitting for other people, so this is off my list now. Maybe I might do something small in future, but I’m content to be a selfish knitter.

Sewing

• Sew some face masks ✅ Week 2
• Make a project bag with internal and/or external pockets ✅ made a practice small bag with external pockets week 36 and practiced sewing patterns on the little tissue holder. I will make a bigger version in future but I think I met my original goal of trying something with a pocket.
• Sew proper hanger to silk banner, I painted this in 2011! ✅ week 50 Woo hoo! This has been on my YOP lists for years!
• 🆕 Town Bag Pattern by Kelly Casanova using handwoven fabric ✅ week 52 (FO post) Really happy with how this has turned out. ♥️
• Make a lining for felted bag ✅ week 52
• Start making kitchen items from kitchen pattern pack ➡️ I think these will be good for practicing my sewing skills, I just wish I had a bigger higher table I could use for both felting and cutting out patterns etc.
• Make a selection of denim items with old jeans ➡️ I have tons of old jeans, I have denim yarn and denim strength sewing machine needles, I just need to decide on a pattern and make it!

Spinning

• Finish spinning baby camel and silk (colour #2) for Reyna (Started YOP9 year) ✅ week 1 during TDF (I finished spinning remainder week 51) ❤❤
• Spin some purple baby camel and silk (colour #3) ✅ week 3 during TDF ❤
• Spin Samoyed dog hair ✅ week 4 during TDF
• Host a Guild Team for Tour de Fleece 2020 ✅
• Host a Guild Team for BritSpin 2020 ✅ team assembled! We came 5th out of 12 teams. Individual results. Team results. (Spun my 1st gradient & single, superfine silk, BFL nylon, Portland and my hand dyed Border Leicester.)
• 🆕 Spin a fractal ✅ week 19
• 🆕️ Spin yak and silk ✅ week 50
• Spin some sock yarn (BFL & Sea Cell) (Started YOP9 year) ✅ Whilst I haven’t finished spinning all the fibre, I do have enough for a pair of socks, which was my aim.
• Spin John Arbon Harvest Hues fibre to make a sweater ✳️ (Started YOP9 year!!!) OK this is going to be my main focus for Tour de Fleece this year and I am determined to finish it! Determined do you hear me! In the meantime it will be carried over to YOP11.
• 🆕 start breed project (spinning ~25g of lots of breeds to make a project with) ✳️ Started washing fleeces week 39, started spinning week 43 When I need a break from spinning the John Arbon above (long draw) then I will fit some breeds in during Tour de Fleece…see how I’m already finding ways to not finish the John Arbon spinning. 🤣
• Spin some yarn to make Christmas stocking garland.❗ I already have the Smitten Garland I did and don’t want the clutter of a second.

Technique Learning

• 🆕 Learn Mosaic crochet ✅ week 5 and mastered doing Havana.
• Learn Mosaic knitting ✅ week 13. My bricks and mortar cowl
• Improve continental knitting ✅ practiced on Litmus Cowl although my tension and speed isn’t as good.
• 🆕 Master long draw spinning ➡️ When I spin the John Arbon fibre I get practice on this, definitely not a master yet though.
• 🆕 Complete Kelly Casanova’s weaving course before subscription ends. I have renewed my membership but I’ve already done more than half the courses.
• 🆕 Learn Braided join I can’t remember why I added this and what it is used for but if I remember then I may carry it over to next year.
• Learn Intarsia Knitting ➡️ I haven’t seen a pattern yet I like to bother learning this yet.
• Master Fair Isle/Colourwork knitting ➡️ I frogged my only fair isle project as it was too loose, I may re-knit the same hat again.
• 🆕 Get confident with supported spindle ➡️ I’ll have another go during Tour de Fleece challenge days
• Learn Double Knitting ❗️

Weaving

I don’t know why I can’t just knuckle down and get my loom warped, I have yarn and patterns to do and just find other things to distract me rather than warp it. Once it is warped I’m fine, there should be a warping service people could offer hahaha. And I only have a 32″ rigid heddle…reminder to myself…I must NEVER buy a floor or table loom!

• 🆕 Wide handtowels ✅ 1st week 4
• 🆕 Gift scarf ✅ week 7 but no image until week 18
• 🆕 Diamond Stripes towels ✅ week 30 ❤❤
• 🆕 Garden Path shawl ✅ week 41 ❤❤❤
• Houndstooth project using Wensleydale Longwool ✅ week 44
• Wide dish towels ➡️
• Scarf with homespun yarns ➡️
• Set of placements ➡️
• Home-dyed yarn in interesting pattern (tbc) ➡️
• Borrow a pin loom from Guild to make some squares ➡️
• Gradient patterned scarf/shawl for myself ❗️

Wood

• New bowl ➡️ Covid scuppered my plans for more wood turning but fingers crossed I’ll have another go
• Platter ➡️

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Well now it’s time to pick out some favourites. You will have seen I popped some ❤ for items I am particularly fond of. To pick out some items that made me smile most they’d be my crocheted Minion, my Reyna shawl in my handspun baby camel/silk yarn, my Garden Path woven scarf and the Diamond Stripes towels.

This group has brought me friends around the world, a community to belong to and I have been inspired by, and admire the achievements of all my fellow YOPers. During a year of lockdowns and zoom meetings it has been a pleasure to take quiet moments to catch up each week on the others’ posts.

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I appreciate this is a long post but this is also a record for myself and acts as an Index for the year and makes it easy for me to find the relevant posts or patterns. You probably think I spent hours drafting it, but in truth this is drafted throughout the year. Here’s what I do:

• At the start of the YOP year I create and publish a YOP Page with my original list. Each week I update the page with the tick icons and links to the relevant week’s post.
• Also at the start of the year I create a draft final Post. This just has the headings and throughout the year I add in photos of finished objects.
• At the end of the YOP year I combine the notes from the Page with the photos in the draft Post and then I just need to add any comments.

Link to find out more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry.