Now that 2020 is almost over, I wanted to reflect on all of the knitting I’ve done this year! I had some ambitious goals at the start of the year — here’s a look back at what my plan was, what I actually made, what my favorites were, and a sneak peek at what’s on my needles now:
KNITTING BACKGROUND
I learned the basics of knitting when I was younger, but I didn’t really try to make anything until last year — when I knit my first pair of socks. After a few other small projects, I fell in love with knitting. I wanted to learn all the different stitches and really challenge myself in 2020.
2020 Knitting Project Plan + Changes
At the beginning of the year, I shared all of my knitting project plans. I made most of those items, but I ended up making some changes throughout the year.
Marled Magic Sweater
I was so excited for my very first project of the year: the Marled Magic Sweater by Stephen West.
This sweater was so much fun to make. I had just learned how to knit two-color brioche and was so excited to modify the pattern to incorporate it. This sweater taught me a lot of new techniques and I had the most beautiful yarn color palette from @sweetnesting. I loved all of the different stitch sections and knitting with fingering held double.
I’ve learned so much since making this sweater; it’s fun to look back at my knitting experience post and see how new it was to me then. If I were to re-make this sweater, I would do my I-cord bind off a little looser and I would make one with more faded marling throughout.
Read my Marled Magic Knitting Experience here.
Tundra Jumper
I made myself a Tundra Jumper by the Petite Knitter next.
I had already knit this pattern for my husband, but I wanted my own in a cuter color way. This colorwork sweater is exactly what I think of when I think of a “classic” knit sweater — this or cables.
This sweater is all stockinette until the yoke which is stranded colorwork. I loved how my colors from Camilla Vad came together. I blocked this sweater which really gave it a finished look.
Read my Tundra Jumper Knitting Experience here.
Briochevron Blanket
Once I’d finished my Tundra, I started my Briochevron Blanket by Stephen West.
This blanket was a huge project. I had such perfect colors from @SprinkledFibers and I really looked forward to getting to that next color change.
This blanket was really repetitive and I felt a little annoyed at how basic the pattern was since I was so impressed with the detail of the Marled Magic’s pattern for the same price.
With this blanket, I learned how to drop down and fix a mistake in brioche. It was pretty stressful, but now I feel confident that I can fix any mistakes in brioche.
After working on brioche for so long, I deviated from my original project plan and shared my revised plan.
Read my Briochevron Blanket Knitting Experience here.
Magnolia Little
I knit the Magnolia Little by Camilla Vad for my niece.
This sweater had bobbles and lace detailing which was a nice change from all the brioche in my blanket. I didn’t have all the yarn I needed to complete this project properly, so my niece has cute three-quarters length sleeves on her Magnolia Little.
I had never knit lace or bobbles, or sewn on buttons before and this sweater was a great way to learn. I would like to knit this sweater again with the right amount of yarn in a fun, bright color.
Read my Magnolia Little Knitting Experience here.
Favo Sweater
Next, I made the Favo Sweater by Fiber Tales.
This is probably my favorite sweater/knit of the year. The Favo has it all — cables, bobbles, and honeycomb brioche. The design is amazing, and I made it in my favorite colorway from La Bien Aimee — peanut butter and jelly.
I learned the German twisted cast on (which I now use all the time), honeycomb brioche, and my first cables. This sweater was a lot of fun and it has so many beautiful design elements. I also learned mattress stitch from this knit which is so neat. I love this sweater so much.
Read my Favo Sweater Knitting Experience here.
Happiness Cardigan
I knit the Happiness Cardigan by MYPZ next.
This pattern looked like a similar sweater I’d seen online from Maiami that I wanted to recreate. This sweater also used mattress stitch, but the construction was a little strange to me.
I think it’s a pretty good dupe to the Maiami sweater though and I love how snuggly and oversized it is. I love that I could recreate it for a fraction of the price.
Read my Happiness Cardigan Knitting Experience here.
Astraeus + Moonbeam Sweaters
I had other planned knits for the year, but once I saw the Moonbeam and Astraeus Sweaters by Meghan Regan, I knew I had to make them immediately.
I love the colorwork in these sweaters and I think my Madeline Tosh yarn really captured the celestial vibe I was going for.
I had some issues with this pattern, but I was really impressed with the designer making all the corrections/updates. With this sweater, I researched the jogless join and learned helical knitting.
I wear my sweater all the time, and my niece looks so cute in hers. I really liked how the colorwork patterns were different between the two sweaters; it gives them each their own style.
Read my Astraeus and Moonbeam Knitting Experience here.
Flax Sweater
The Flax Sweater by Tin Can Knits was the first sweater I ever knit, so it was really fun to knit another one after having learned so much more about knitting.
I loved the Malabrigo Rios yarn I used for this project. There is so much depth and variegation in each skein that I had to alternate skeins throughout for a smoother transition.
The revised pattern had an option for a sturdier collar and neck shaping which I chose to do. I think those changes gave a more polished look and I was happy to try something new with a familiar pattern.
Read a highlight of my experience knitting the Flax Sweater here.
Favorite Projects
Each of my knits taught me something — a new stitch, technique, how to think about colors, or just reading new charts/patterns. I am really happy with the things I’ve created, and proud of all I’ve learned.
Of all my projects this year, my favorite is definitely the Favo Sweater. I love the look and texture of the design and the yarn I chose. This was my first introduction to cables and seaming a sweater, and I learned so much.
My second favorite knit is my Marled Magic Sweater. Like the Favo Sweater, I learned so much from this project — like the three-needle bind off, center-pull yarn winding, different marling techniques, and so many new stitches. I also really love the bright yarn I used. This is probably my most-worn knit.
WHAT I LEARNED IN 2020
Aside from learning so many new stitches and knitting techniques this year, I also learned a lot about what types of projects I like to knit, the colors I prefer to knit with, and how to relax and enjoy the process of knitting more.
I learned to identify projects that I will actually use/wear. This seems obvious, but sometimes I was more in love with the idea of a project than the actual finished object. I enjoyed knitting all of my projects and I learned so much from making them — but I realize that I prefer colorful, fun knits over most traditional/ “classic” styles/colors. I wear/use them more and get more joy from creating them. I want to be more mindful of the projects I take on in the future.
I have become a lot more comfortable with different knitting techniques and reading patterns/charts. I am more relaxed when working on a project now because I learned knitting is not a race. I can enjoy the process of creating and experimenting without rushing to complete the project.
I also learned that I enjoy knitting multiple projects at a time. I used to only knit one project to completion before starting the next because I didn’t want to be overwhelmed with so many unfinished projects. But now, I am okay with having three different projects at a time as long as they each fill one of my categories — a challenging project, a fun project, and an easy project. It gives me some variety and keeps each project feeling fresh.
WIPs
I started out on my knitting journey only knitting one project at a time. However, during the year, I ended up casting on a project that was more challenging than I was ready for, so I took a break and cast on a second project. Then, other interesting patterns and gift projects came up — all while those other two projects were still on the needles.
I’m okay with having a few projects going at once now. I like to switch between the different projects depending on my mood that day. I think it’s good to have a variety of projects to work on — a challenging project, a fun project (maybe with patterns/colors/etc), and an easy project (a quick win/something small, or something familiar).
Currently, I am knitting a Honeycomb Aran sweater, a Fantastitch shawl, and Perle Cottage socks — which I think fit in each of my categories.
What I’m Knitting Next
I’ll be posting my entire knitting plan for 2021 soon, which hopefully can inspire you if you’re looking for some new projects. Also check out my Ravelry Project Page for all my latest projects!
