2013 in knits (January and February)

I think 2013 has been my most productive year so far in terms of completed knitting projects. I started off the year with the intention of finishing a few stubborn WIPs and of trying my hand at something a little trickier.  I'm pretty pleased with what I have completed this year.

January

Avast

The first thing to be completed was Avast for Rich.  This is a pattern from knitty.  I started this one quite a while ago, possibly even as far back as 2011.  At the end of 2012, the project was close to completion and I finished it in the first week of January.  Rich likes it and it fits well but I don't think that the yarn (KP Wool of the Andes) will wear very well.  It is already a bit felted where his backpack rubs at the back. I should have used superwash.  

Sheep Carousel tea cosy

For people who drink as much tea as we do, we really should have a proper tea cosy.  And now we do. This pattern is designed by Kate Davies and in addition to being extremely cute, I chose it because I wanted to have a go at steeking and am too scared to try it on a larger project and I wanted to learn how to do vikkel braids.

Harvest Dew socks

A nice sock pattern with slipped stitches, which break up crazy (and not-so-crazy) variegated yarns very well.  I started this pair of socks in the summer of 2012 and finished in January 2013.  

February 

Lizard Ridge

Another knitty pattern.  I started this one about five years earlier and picked up a skein of yarn as and when I found them.  Quite a bit of this project was financed by birthday/Christmas gifts from my mother-in-law and father-in-law! Hooray for guilt free yarn purchases!

I really enjoyed knitting these squares and I love Noro Kureyon.  I like the thick-and-thin, slightly coarse nature of the yarn and of course, love the colours.  I gather that many people find that this yarn is itchy but I am not one of them.  If I had been able to buy Noro locally or had been rich enough to buy all the yarn at one time, I might have put more thought into the colours used but as it was, I just bought them as I saw them or needed them.

I finished knitting the pieces in January and did the seaming and edging in February. I do not love seaming.

Little Love

February's other FO was a quick knit for my cousin's little fella who arrived that month. The pattern is called Little Love and I used some baby friendly yarn from my stash. It turned out to be pretty cute.