2005 Knitting Awards

New granddaughter Sydney was the number one highlight of the year.

The Sweetest Knitting Memory Award goes to the three pair of Opal Handpainted socks worn by John, Anne, and Sydney Anne the day they left the hospital and went home together for the first time.

I didn't know they were going to do this, and, when I got the picture, I cried. What a perfect way to include a new grandma who had to be 2000 miles away on this momentous occasion.

More details here.

The Most Fun in Knitting Award goes to the Shetland Lace Workshop given by Liz Lovick on the EZasPi Yahoo List.

Most of the workshop happened while I was busy traveling to Idaho and suffering a mother board and harddrive replacement. I still found time to play around swatching the lace patterns, and ended up with a lovely, soft alpaca Shetland lace sampler scarf.

More details here.

The Most Useful Knitted Item Award goes to this ugly but soft and warm alpaca helmet hat I whipped up one day last autumn.

Even on nasty, snowy, cold days I walk the dogs a minimum of three times. This hat goes on first, before my Squall Parka. I pull the helmet chin up over my mouth and snuggle in for a comfortable stroll.

More details here.

Lastly, the Most Disappointing Yarn Award goes to this Lavold Silky Tweed for the reasons listed below the picture.

• I bought the yarn on impulse and paid full price for it. It wasn't cheap.
  
• The basketweave stitch is limp and not well defined at the gauge I used, 22 stitches/4 inchs.
  
• I had to watch my stitches constantly and knit slowly because the threads in the yarn separated as I was knitting. Every time I would knit at my normal speed, I would split stitches.
  
• There was little to none give to the yarn and it hurt my hands and wrists to knit with it.
  
• Now that the sweater is done (I finished it out of pure stubbornness), it is shedding those little pieces of tweed every time I wear it.
  
• Did I mention that this was the most expensive item I knit in 2005?

For more information on this project, go here.

Wishing all my readers a wonderful, fibery, healthy, happy 2006.