I finished up the year knitting

Since my last post I've been very busy with work but have managed to keep knitting in my little spare time.  I just haven't had the time to post here and just barely get pics taken of my finished works :-/  So I'm here to recap the last quarter of my knitting year...

I learned how to spin with a drop spindle!  I really enjoyed it and can't wait to try it again... this time I'll be less ambitious (I tried a 2-ply with black embroidery floss)

 I made a fairly simple hat for the DH using two yarns held together... it's really warm but the soft yarn just didn't take away all the itchiness of the wool.

 I made myself a hat using my homespun wool!  I didn't have enough for a whole hat so I had to supplement with some other yarn.  It can get itchy as wool does, but I grin and bear it because it's so colorful!

 Don't mind that woman in a mustache and beard, it's just a creative knit hat!  This was a special order and sure to look better on the recipient than me, but I needed to have a shot for my records :-)

 I did some gift knitting this year... These are fingerless knits for the MIL.  I made her a second pair in a lovely gray recycled yarn that had a beautiful cable on top, but don't seem to have a pic of those.  I like the pattern so much I have them on my mental list for myself.

 I also made some slipper socks for the FIL as a Christmas gift.  They took about 1 1/2 skeins so I used the left overs to make a quick hat.  I seem to have not taken pics of that either, but it's still around the house so maybe someday :-)

 I made another Dandy Neckerchief from Ravelry with a very pretty yarn I found at Tuesday Morning.  I believe I used 1 1/2 skeins and made a matching hat by modifying the stitch pattern.  Of course, I don't have a pic of that hat either...

 Probably the item I'm most happy with would be this lovely blanket I made for my mom for her birthday.  It's in colors to coordinate with her living room.  I really loved the stitch pattern and after repeating it 10 or 20 times I memorized it!  I can tell it's going to be warm because I stayed toasty as I knit.

I made a couple other gift knits that I don't have pics of (yet?  I'm hoping the recipients send me some!).  My sister received a loop scarf/cowl that I made with three color yarns held two together at varying intervals.  The blue, green and purple really do mimic a peacocks coloring if I do say so myself.  Each one of my children received a set of fingerless mitts and a simple winter hat in colors to match their winter coats.

I made another baby blanket (did I post about the first one here???) for a cousin who recently had a baby.  I found a really fitting but a bit complex pattern that included color work of farm characters.  It was my first real color work and I did not like how the back left hanging yarn that could get caught on little fingers or toes.  I ended up deciding to sew on a backing of blue gingham print cotton material.  I did takes pics of that but have not edited them yet so maybe next time...

Just before year's end I started a scarf that may or may not be for DH (depends on what he thinks of the final look) which I've still got on the needles as my standby, easy to travel with knit.  I also got to work on a little something for myself... a sweater!  I had some LBY Homespun from year(s?!?) ago that I made something with that I was not all that happy with anymore so I frogged it and got started.  I didn't really find an existing pattern that I really liked and thought would work.  I used the idea from several top down raglan style sweaters to get my stitch numbers and figure out where to increase.  From there it was all my own mind's idea.  I hope to write up a more official pattern and put it on Ravelry for free.

I was knitting my sweater as the countdown to 2012 began and finished it up first thing 1/1/12.  I've already soaked it and am blocking it now, hoping to wear it to the last holiday celebration tomorrow!

Even though I haven't had much time to keep up everywhere, I have been trying to make an effort to keep my Raverly project page up to date.  There are even some pics there (taken via camera phone) that I'm not posting here.  So go check it out sometime :-)