2016: A (knitting) year in review

What we do with our time says a lot about who we are. What I can say for myself is that my knitting hints at several things: my love of a balance between beauty and utility, my need for a creative outlet and a challenge, my enjoyment of rhythm and repetition, and my desire to make nice things for those I love. I also enjoy lists of most any kind, including a brief summary of my creative endeavors, and I thought you might too! 2016 was a more knit-productive year for me than 2015, although many of the projects were knitting familiar patterns for the second (or third!) times and/or were simple in shape and pattern. Beginning first with all the non-Christmas knits (with links to blog posts or their respective Ravelry pages):

• A simple market bag
• Antarktis shawl for Jessica
• Strathcona scarf
• Anna vest
• Cabin on the Knik shawl
• Nick cowl #2 (modified for worsted yarn)
• Brass and Steam shawl for Grandma Donna
• Sydänmaa Mittens for Grandma Friend

And then there were the Christmas knits, otherwise known as the top-secret, better not blog about them projects. These were all projects I enjoyed immensely, even as I knit them as fast as possible ;)

Align mitts for my mom:

Imposter's Shawl for my mother-in-law, Karen:

Ribbed family hat for my dad:

Tread hat for my sister-in-law, Katelyn:

Tolt hat for Nicholas:

Whew. My hands feel tired just thinking about all of that! To wrap up the 2016 knits, I technically have two current WIPs (works in progress): a newly started, big and smooshy cowl in a gold tweed yarn and a soon-to-be-revisited pair of gold socks.  And just today, I found an unmarked package in the mailbox, with the most perfect personalized stamp. It makes my heart so happy! I'll figure out who sent it soon*, but in the meanwhile, thank you! It's yet another reason to knit, knit, knit. Here's to another year of knitting, another year of learning, another year of making items of beauty, another year of warming those I love.

*Thank you, Liz! You were immediately the first person I thought of when I wondered, Who sent this? Thank you, and I love you!