Here we are at the end of the latest Year of Projects year. This was the Group’s 12th Year (YOP12), but my 5th Year. You’ll notice a lot of ↪️ symbols…these were items I’d carried forward from an earlier YOP year. One of my main aims for this year was to complete/achieve all those carried forward items! Well I won’t give any spoilers on how I did.

This is a loooong post, as I like to refer back to my links and thoughts on things, so feel free to scan read or skip sections that hold no interest.

Key:
↪️ carried over from a previous YOP year
✳️ started
✅ finished ❎ technically a fail of original target
🆕 added to list after week 1
⁉️ fell at a hurdle but back on track
‼️ abandoned
🐸 frogged

NB. There are links to the Ravelry pattern, yarn or project page. My comments about the items on my list are in bold italics. I update these throughout the year.

Acquisitions/Stash Management

• ↪️ ❎ No new superwash knitting yarns (My stash has enough to make socks for many years.)
  • Q1 – I bought 2 skeins of sw DK BFL/Silk at Highland Meet the Makers and 1 skein of sw 4ply merino/silk to have a project to knit on in Wisconsin.
  • Q2 – I bought a Zauberball in Copenhagen, but it was for the Alaska hat but now I realise it’s not right yarn for that. I also bought some sock yarn to knit a pair of socks for my husband for Christmas.
  • Q3 – no superwash yarn bought! 😀
  • Q4 – 2 DK sock skeins and 2 skeins of sw merino/yak/silk bought. Then 5 skeins of Malabrigo Rios!
    • Total = 14 skeins of superwash bought 🤦‍♀️
• ↪️ ❎ Contain my stash! (Limit stash to only what will fit in existing containers (2 x Kallax unit, rainbow drawers and weaving shelves) and have no overflow containers or bags, only exception to be hand processed Shetland X fleece.).
  • By week 18 this was a big fail, I have easily another drawer I could fill with new yarn I bought from New Lanark and in Copenhagen oops!
  • With some juggling, by week 30 all yarns fit (not all fibre though!).
  • By week 46 it was overflowing again because of the fibre a friend gave me.
  • Overflow is gifted fibre and fleeces I’ve washed so that’s a small achievement.
• ↪️ ‼️ Buy yarn for a larger Havana only once I have made space for it! This is hopefully going to keep me motivated to use existing stash for everything else. ‼️
  • This is on hold for the foreseeable future…one day though, maybe YOP20!
• 🆕 ✅ Use loom waste and other random small skeins/leftovers or throw them away/donate.
  • Pom-poms made week 26, crocheted dish scrubbies with loom waste and a mat using random skein during week 26
  • Over the year I’ve used some as ties for handspun and attaching labels.
• 🆕 ✅ Put all yarns I am not sure I will ever use into one drawer and de-stash at the end of the year if no use or plan is found for them.
  • Drawer filled week 26, some given away to a requester from Ravelry.
  • Week 48 I have given away all acrylic and the lace wool/cotton yarn.
  • The majority has now gone, I’ve kept some mercerised cotton as may use this on my Inkle loom.

Crochet

• ‼️ Havana blanket (once I have enough room in Kallax to store the yarn!) ‼️
  • This will be on a future list possibly, but at the moment we have enough blankets.

Dyeing

• ↪️ Dye more locks for fairies’ hair
• ✅ Experiment with microwave dyeing.
  • Dyeing fun day with the Guild included microwaving acid dyes and using some fibre reactive and solar reactive dyes. Week 46

Felting

• ↪️ ✳️ Needle felted Ylva (Started YOP9!)
• ↪️ ✳️ Needle felted Highland Cow (Started YOP9!)
• ↪️ ✳️ Make a handbag using the felting ball (Started YOP11 week 24 fibres weighed and test felt)
• ✅ Pictures and products to sell/gift/keep.
  • Fairies – August x 1 (gift), October x 9, February x 4
  • Lampshades 20cm – November x 7, March x 3
  • Lampshades 25cm – December x 4, June x 2
  • Lampshades 35cm – ‼️
  • Lampshades 40cm – August x 1
  • Tomte – October x 2, November x 7
  • Baubles – November x 7, December x 1, March x 4 (3 to sell, 1 to keep), June x 2
  • Wreaths – ‼️
  • Waste paper bin – August x 1
  • Sewing bin – March x 1
• ↪️ Make plant pot covers

My felting mojo has been significantly lower this YOP year, only 56 items made, last YOP year I made 78.

Fibre Prep

• ↪️ ✳️ Finish washing BFL/Shetland X (from Katharine) started washing and using it YOP 9.
• ↪️ ✳️ Finish washing Shetland X (from Serena) started washing YOP11 week 1
• ✅ Practice combing wool fibre I did do some combing week 42.

I failed miserably on these targets, processing raw fleece to combed or carded fibre isn’t something I enjoy. I did however make some carded batts and rolags and used some fibre scraps in some baubles as Christmas decorations.

Knitting

Accessories

• ❎ Knit using existing stashed yarn or handspun only ❗️*oops I bought some new yarns:
  • 🆕️ ✅ March Hat by Meghan Babin using Juniper Moon Herriot alpaca yarn* started week 12, finished week 14.
    • Lovely soft hat yarns two colours held together, bobble is a little heavy, would have been better being bigger but less dense so I’ve removed it since.
  • 🆕 ✅ The Shift by Andrea Mowry using handspun, Border Leicester and Cochrane leftovers started week 7, finished week 20.
    • I wear this a lot and think I’ll make another at some point that is slightly thicker.
  • 🆕 ✅ Urth to Major Tom by Michele Meadows using Rowan Big Wool and Rowan Big Wool Colour started and finished week 27
    • Super warm hat with two chunky yarns held together.
  • ✅ Design (for my own use only) a new pair of colourwork mitts using Hastings Mitts by Tracie Millar as a template in New Lanark DK yarn from Alissa, started week 33 finished week 38, but with different yarn than planned.
    • *I used Isager Yarn Jensen which I bought in Copenhagen. I’m not sure the adaptation to the design worked as well as hoped.
  • ‼️🐸Alaska hat (if I find a non-superwash kit I like at Wisconsin Wool Festival). Update: I couldn’t find non-superwash so I am going to use a zauberball* and existing stash. started week 21 frogged week 28.
    • The yarns aren’t right and I’m not buying new, I may make some handspun for it one day.
  • 🆕 ‼️🐸Fair Isle Advent MKALendar by Susanna Winter using Jamieson’s of Shetland Spindrift started week 23.
    • I may come back to this pattern in the future.
  • A colour-work project using Black Isle yarns Gotland wool.
    • I haven’t found the right pattern for this yarn but will keep looking.

Jumpers/cardigans

• ✅ Knit 3 garments:
  • ↪️ ✅ Sunday Sweater by Petite Knits started YOP11 week 43, finished week 3, altered neck week 21.
    • I love this lightweight jumper since I added the turtle neck.
  • ↪️ ✅ Such a Winter’s Day jumper #2 by Heidi Kirrmaier in New Lanark Aran Bramble started YOP11 week 42, finished week 18, lengthened arms week 21.
    • Its a great pattern, one day I may may make a third!
  • 🆕 ✅ Turtle Dove #3 by Espace Tricot in Bliss (pink) WYS Re:Treat yarn. started week 28, finished week 32.
    • My 3rd in the same yarn. I haven’t worn it yet but it will get worn in winter for sure.
  • ‼️ Turtle Dove II by Espace Tricot in my handdyed Shetland Aran yarn or New Lanark Aran yarn! ‼️
    • I’m going to use this yarn for a colour-work jumper instead.

Shawls

• ✅ Frog any sock yarn shawls I don’t wear.
  • I frogged Lintilla and a Hitchhiker week 6
• 🆕 ✅ Easy Goes It DK shawl by Finicky Creations in handspun Baby Camel and Silk #4 started week 30, finished week 41.
  • It’s not been worn yet as it is very cosy and needs colder weather.
• 🐸 ‼️ Celtic Myths Shawl by Asita Krebs in Baa Ram Ewe Dovestone DK ‼️ started week 1 and frogged week 21.
  • I’m going to weave with the yarn instead.
• ❎ A summer weight shawl.
  • I’ll carry this forward…although may weave one instead of knitting it.

Socks

• ✅ Knit Sweet and Tartan socks by Tracie Millar 1️⃣ started week 8 and finished week 9. I used Ripples Crafts blue, Cookston Crafts Crathie (incl. some alpaca) and heels in my hand-dyed turquoise BFL/nylon.
  • Update: they shrunk in the wash week 30 😭
• ✅ Knit more pairs of these socks ❎ with stashed yarn (# indicates order they were started):
  • Adaptations of Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lauder
    • ✅2️⃣ adapted version using HoneyGold Acres merino/silk started week 11 finished week 13.
      • I ruined the feel of these socks washing them in the washing machine, they still fit but it was not suitable for washing in the machine 😦
    • ✅4️⃣ using sock blank started week 38, finished week 40.
      • If I didn’t already have a mountain of sock yarn, I would buy more sock blanks to knit from.
  • 🆕 ✅3️⃣ How I make my socks by Susan B Anderson socks for husband using Regia yarn, cast on week 23, finished week 25.
  • ✅ Adaptation of (or original) Rose City Rollers (RCR) by Mara Catherine Bryner.
    • ✅5️⃣ ribbed cuff using remaining sock blank started week 41 finished week 45.
    • ✅ 8️⃣ original pattern using leftover gothic rainbow and dusty pink 4 ply, started week 48 finished week 49.
    • ✅ 9️⃣ original pattern using gothic rainbow on heels and toe and rest dusky pink, started week 50, finished week 51.
      • This is a great pattern for quick shortie socks; I will definitely be making more next YOP year.
  • 🆕️ ✅ Deb’s Super Simple DK Socks using yarn from a frogged hat that I think is DK!
    • ✅ 6️⃣Started week 45 finished week 46.
    • ✅ 7️⃣ another pair started week 46 finished week 47.
      • Such a simple and quick pattern it will be interesting to see how they wear.
• ↪️ ‼️ Knit at least one pair of socks with homespun yarn. ‼️
  • After I had the incident of my Sweet and Tartan socks shrinking, I’ve decided I won’t make socks with my handspun yarns.

Other/household

• ✅ Dolores van Hoofen by Franklin Habit in Valley Yarns Aran (started week 11, finished week 28).
  • I love her, she’s so cute sitting on the table next to where I knit.
• ✅ Dolores Transatlantic Travel Ensemble by Fiona Ellis in Valley Yarns 4 ply and Tahki Yarns Donegal Tweed started week 14 finished week 28.
  • I don’t feel I need other outfits for her as she looks so fabulous in this ensemble.
• ↪️ ✳️ Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart using scrap 4 ply. (started YOP 10 week 45)
  • Some additional rows added with latest scrap 4 ply yarn week 41 (and onwards).
• ‼️ Gansey Afghan by Lena Skvagerson using Isle of Auskerry/North Ronaldsay yarn
  • I don’t think I’ll make this now, certainly not this YOP year. I don’t need another blanket.
• ‼️ Dish cloths as required. ‼️
  • I don’t need any more at the moment, but will add it to next year’s list as some are starting to fall apart.

Painting & Drawing

• ↪️ ❎ Do a new watercolour painting
• ❎ Do a new pastel drawing

I’m going to keep my eye out for art classes, next YOP year, to see if that brings back my mojo.

Sewing

• 🆕 ✅ Juniper Bucket project bag week 16
• ✅ Make top (test version) with fabric in stash, started week 44 and finished week 46.
  • Not really an enjoyable process, I enjoyed making the bag much more.
• ↪️‼️ Make a project using denim from old jeans ‼️
  • I have plenty of project bags already, I donated the jeans or recycled them.
• ‼️ Make actual top with handwoven cotton fabric I make ‼️
  • I’m not convinced sewing garments is for me. Maybe I’ll re-add it in a future year, but certainly not something I’m currently keen on doing any more.
• ‼️ Make something else with handwoven wool fabric I make ‼️
  • I’ll reconsider this in a future year, but for this year I’m abandoning this plan.
• ❎ Make play suit/jumpsuit with fabric in stash.
  • I’ll carry forward as I have the pattern, fabric etc.
• ❎ Make trousers with fabric in stash.
  • I’ll carry these forward too.

Spinning

• ↪️ ✅ Baby camel and silk colour #4. ( started YOP11 week 14, finished YOP12 week 2)
• ↪️ ✅ BFL/Shetland Parma violets ( started YOP11 week 52, finished YOP12 week 2)
• 🆕️ ✅ US Rambouillet 1️⃣✅ started week 13, finished week 15. 2️⃣ ✅ started week 20, finished week 22.
• ↪️ ✅ Finish spinning John Arbon Harvest Hues fibre (Started YOP9! Finished YOP12 week 21!!)
• 🆕 ✅ Superfine merino hand dyed by me in YOP11 (autumn colours) started and finished week 30
• 🆕️ ✅ Merino/silk/flax started week 3, finished week 40
• 🆕 ✅ BFL/Alpaca/Seacell fibre from Hilltop Cloud started week 37, finished week 40
• 🆕 ✅ Shetland (hand dyed by me in 2022) started week 36 finished week 44
• ↪️ ✳️ Finish spinning 25g breed project (Started YOP10)
  • Progressing well with Beltex, Soay, Masham, Manx Loaghtan, Herdwick, Norwegian, Cheviot, Texel, Corriedale, Southdown, Suffolk, Hill Radnor, Romney, Gotland, Swaledale spun in YOP12). During TDF in July ’23 I should get a lot more spun but I’m over half way now, so pleased with progress.
• ✳️ Spin 2021 baby camel and silk advent fibres started week 28.
  • I have only spun a couple of the days during this YOP year, if I identify a pattern to make first, that may help me progress.

Weaving

Dorset buttons

Dorset buttons weren’t on my list for YOP 12 but they are fun to make around Christmas. These are just a few of the ones I made in YOP12.

Rigid heddle loom

• ✅ Make a selection of wide hand/dish towels 1️⃣✅ started 2 green hand towels week 2, finished week 3.
• ↪️ ✅ Make a woven project using handspun yarns, started and finished week 41.
  • Small scarf woven using handspun merino, silk, flax fibre that I had dyed.
• ↪️‼️ Make fabric to sew at least one garment. ‼️
  • Abandoned idea, see sewing section for me details.
• ❎ Midnight Shawl by Kelly Casanova
  • I have bought this pattern but it’s not going to get done this YOP year.
• 🆕 ❎ Make a patterned shawl with WYS Exquisite merino/silk yarn.
  • I procrastinated too much about which pattern to make and so ended up not making anything else.

Inkle loom

• ✳️ Make some inkle bands from the book my sister gave me for Christmas
  • Monk’s belt sample started week 22. I will finish it.
• ❎ Make a Minion inkle tablet weaving band
• ❎ Try another tablet card weaving pattern.

It takes a long time to do even an inch but I will make more.

Tapestry

• 🆕✅ tapestry weaving course…small landscape finished week 41

Year of Projects Group on Ravelry. 

Other News

I went to visit my friend Norah on the Isle of Skye on Friday, just for the day. We went to Dunvegan Castle and gardens and had a lovely day. It only takes 2 hours, from where I live (on the east coast), to get to Skye (off the west coast), but takes another hour to drive across the island to her.

I am going to be starting a part time job mid-July which will mean I won’t have as much for crafting. It’s just 15 hours a week and close enough to walk to when it’s nice weather. I shall still be making lampshades, baubles and fairies in my spare time to sell in the gallery though.

Wish me luck! It’s 6 years since I went on sabbatical and then resigned.