2021: A knitting year in review

Each year, I enjoy glancing back and making note of what knitting projects I worked on and completed throughout the year, noticing trends or patterns in my making. I've noticed that my creativity or how my creative pursuits "serve" me in a given season can vary widely depending on life circumstances.

I've listed all my 2021 projects (those finished in 2021, that is), sorted by type and recipient demographic (kids vs adults). All links take you to either a blog post or ravelry page with more details and photos of the given project.

Adult sweaters

• Nurtured sweater
• Lodge sweater

Adult accessories

• Speckled align mitts for my grandma

Adult hats

• Cable hat for my grandma
• Musselburgh hat for my dad

Baby/kid accessories and baby gifts

• striped toddler socks
• toddler Ryelight socks
• tiny chicken
• baby size classic cuffed hat for baby Ella
• kid size classic cuffed hat for Coop for Christmas
• knitted bunny for Cooper's stocking (no project page, not blogged)

Socks

• Striped garter rib socks for my dad
• Self-striping socks for me with special birthday yarn
• rustic Elgin socks for Nicholas
• light pink crunckled socks
• Mid-century socks
• Blueberry waffle DK socks
• summer self-striping socks for Nicholas
• Cyril socks
• navy gradient 7x2 ribbed socks for Nicholas
• DK-weight marled ribbed socks

Neckwear (shawls and cowls)

• Color craze shawl
• Fichu bleu shawl

General trends in my knitting this year

• Looking back at my knitting goals/intentions for 2021, I completed a lot of the projects that I intended to, including using a sweater's quantity of marled yarn for my Lodge sweater and knitting a larger, scrappy project using up leftovers in my stash.
• I participated in Summer Sock Camp this summer (June-August) and truly enjoyed the camaraderie of a knit-a-long, and ultimately, knit more socks this year than last year.
• I knit the Cyril socks beginning the day after I miscarried for a second time, in June. It was a special yarn, a cashmere blend in a beautiful color that I'd been saving for a rainy day. Something about the combination of the yarn and knitting a repeated pattern (for me) that made these incredibly soothing. And when I wear them (often), I am reminded of that little life.
• Over time, I've noticed that I tend to drag my feet on garment projects or larger projects in general, especially at the beginning. And then, at a certain point, I transition to monogamous knitting and manage to finish them.
• I brought two projects into the new year with me, including a pair of socks for Nicholas (now finished) and a cardigan for Cooper.
• I experience bursts of knitting inspiration throughout the year, and I tend to be rather prolific in the colder months, with the warmer months reserved for smaller projects and sock knitting, generally speaking. I'm guessing this is pretty typical for most knitters.
• Most of my knitting time as mama to a toddler is after bedtime, with little pockets sprinkled throughout the day. A stitch here and there does add up! Sometimes I knit next time while he plays as well, and there were a few times when he brought me my knitting and said, "Mama, knit."

I will put together a few thoughts in regards to my making plans for 2022 into a post soon. And in the meanwhile, I'm over here knitting multiple Scarf No.1s and socks, in addition to a little gift knitting.