Ever ready for a party involving yarn, I've joined two groups this year. The first is very informal. In fact, there is no planning or shopping required. Mary, of America's Knitting, has made a suggestion/challenge to use 2013 to complete some of our many WIP's and UFO's. (Works In Progress and UnFinished Objects) She's calling it 12 in 12. (12 in 12 months, not 12 in '12. I guess that would then be 12 in '13!) At the end of each month we are to choose the WIP for the next month. From the first to the last day of the new month we are to try to complete the project, finally. One of the first questions asked of Mary was along the lines of, "But what if I see another project, or some yarn I'd like to buy during this time? I need stash!" No problemo, replied Mary. You may buy, cast on other projects, jump back and forth between projects. Just try to complete the chosen WIP.
So much to choose from. About six years ago I bought a sweater kit from Arnhild Hillesland of Arnhild's Knitting Studio. This year I've signed up to attend my first of her annual retreats in Ames, Iowa. The retreat scheduled for the first weekend in March. I'd love to have this sweater complete by then. Plus, I'm no dummy. There are 31 days in January which makes it a much better choice than February!
Here is 6 years' work:
The second group is almost as informal as the first. No signing up, no paying a fee. Kristen of Jimmy Beans Wool has designed a Mystery KAL (Knit A-Long) to use Lorna's Laces special color for December 2012, Christmas at Downton. I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey, shown on PBS, as many others obviously are. Lorna's Laces has sold a record number of this colorway. In fact, this color in Sportmate, the yarn being used for the KAL, is now completely sold out. Any other sport-weight yarn (200-270 yards) may be substituted. And actually, I was ordering mine before they could process the second batch, so I ended up buying Shepherd Sport instead.
To join this group simply go to the Jimmy Beans Wool page on Ravelry and follow the thread for the Downton Abbey Mystery KAL.
I hope to "see" you at one of these gala affairs!
Happy New Year!
-Lynn Anne
