End of the YOP Year 13 Week 53/53

Well let's get started on the YOP year in review

This is what I had listed for my knitting aspirations for the year. I feel like I did accomplish quite a bit in my knitting life. There were only 4 items that I never even began. Two of the items on the list were either attempted or are at the finishing stages. An area not even listed in this was Charity knitting and I completed 5 bonus items in this category. Extra special bonus was teaching my DD to knit and seeing her fall in love with a new craft.

• 6 pairs of socks (actually I knit 7 pairs of socks)
• Finish the Naughty Sweater
• Finish the sweater for my sister
• Summer sweater knit (Vibes)
• cardigan for me (begun and almost complete)
• Stephen West project
• Row and Kates project
• Tifneilan project
• Petite Knits project
• Melissa K designs project
• Stephanie Lotven design project
• Joji Locatelli project (tried a scarf, but didn't like yarn/pattern combo so frogged)

I picked back up a long forgotten skill: Crochet. Because I had not really crocheted in many years I did not list many items. 2/3 projects were completed . I never even picked up the lace tablecloth (there is always next year). I crocheted an entire sweater (and almost have another cardigan completed - just working on the edgings). 2 charity items were completed. My Ravelry library has many new great crochet patterns in the list. I foresee lots more crocheting in the future (but let's be honest probably not the tablecloth).

• finish the lace tablecloth I began in 1997
• finish Sundance Throw
• Sophia dish towel

Cross stitch: I started out with a strong project completion. Really little to no movement on my mother's project. This project is large and comes with its own emotional issues. In cleaning out my craft room I found a few more embroidery kits I could complete.

• finish Tower of London card
• finish Mom project I began in 2000 (this will be the hardest to complete. I was working on this project when my mother passed away)

Cricut: The majority of the year I did quite well on using my Cricut. As my other crafting loves became more prominent I dropped off with using my Cricut. I still have lots of projects I want to complete with the machine - just need more time. A new love is making cards and that was so much fun. I have so many earrings that I stopped making quite so many as the year progressed. No balsa wood projects even capture my attention (oh, maybe earrings). I also completed a few other cross projects with the Cricut and sewing which were super fun and useful.

• 12 pairs of earrings 8/12 completed
• 2 engraving projects
• make 6 cards
• 1 balsa wood project
• 6 vinyl projects

Canning: This is an area where I did quite a bit, just not very much on the list. A few items on the list were exchanged for other recipes and I never even listed jam. Jams and jellies other than stock are the items I can the most. Some of the items I tried canning were not popular with my family so they will not reappear.

1. Vindaloo Curry
2. prok ribs
3. beef stew
4. beef stroganoff in a jar
5. corned beef & potatoes
6. white chicken chili
7. chicken gravy
8. chicken a la king
9. marinera sauce
10. can 5 pounds of sweet potatoes
11. pulled pork barbeque
12. Ham-Bean soup

Sewing: My sewing this year really improved and I am so happy with my growth. The fit of my items is improving with each new sew. I never even tried sewing a pair of pants this year. In some categories I exceeded my own projections 4 hoodies, 7 dresses and 8 bags.

• complete 2 hoodies
• sew 6 dresses
• sew 6 bags
• sew 4 pairs of pants
• sew 6 shirts
• sew 4 woven (fabric) patterns
• sew 4 knit (fabric) patterns

Overall Goal: I entered sewing, knitting and preserves in the my county fair. I was so pleased and proud that my efforts were recognized with praise and ribbons. This goal is going to be repeated.