2009 In crafting review and a look to the future

The last finished object of the year for me was a shawlette/scarf item for my mother - The Dandy Neckerchief:

 

I totaled up what I knit this last year, and I shocked myself. ;-)
Legwarmers - 2 pairs
Hats - 10
Scarfs - 10
Mittens - 1 pair
Slippers - 1 pair
Socks - 11-1/2 pairs (short a full pair because it was a test/sample knit of a sock pattern)
Shawls - 4
Sweaters/tops - 8
Dishcloths - 3
Misc/Ornaments - 21
Toys - 2
Cranes - 16
Total = 93.5 items
Eleven of those items were test/sample/store display items for various people/places around town. I hope to have more in 2010. ;-)

There has been a lot of spinning with 30 skeins of yarns of varying sizes. According to the little tool I've spun over ten miles in yarn! (I'm finishing up a yarn, but don't have the yardage yet, so can't be exact.) I've worked with:

Cormo

Cormo/Silk

Shetland

Finn

Gottland

Norwegian

Icelandic

Camel

Blue Faced Leicester

Merino/Silk

Alpaca

Wensleydale

Corriedale

Corriedale-Finn-Ramboulliet

Yak/Merino

Merino

Wool/Flax

This doesn't include the purchase of fleeces and processing them from their raw off the animal state to something that could be turned into yarn. I bought or was given: alpaca - huacayas and suri, Icelandic, buffalo, and llama (there was also a lovely sample of navajo-churro that I cleaned, but haven't done anything with). Okay, the buffalo still needs to be cleaned, but its cool I have some! ;-) I look at this part of the fiber experience the real growth area - trying out other fleeces and taking them to yarn. I may be tempted to try out some dyeing in the future though I've been hesitant to jump into that arena. We have so many talented people in our area. I do have some natural handspun yarns though that I could see dye in their future after they have been knitted or before to finish a project.

There was canning and a quilt. Four jams - raspberry, peach-pepper, apricot-pepper and fig. A chutney - cranberry-apple and salsa. There were a few key lime pies and trying out making them with meringue tops and a batch of divinity.

I imagine 2010 to include more knitting and spinning and fiber preparation. I want to try out different fiber sources and there are plenty out there still to try! I also want to expand out into wood but in relation to fiber tools/decorations. If I can make it into something that also generates income, that would be beyond hopes.

Don't hate me, but I have the gifts I plan to give all planned out for next year. At least four pairs of socks, eight pairs of slippers, a scarf and shawlette, fingerless mittens, at least six dishcloths, a blanket, a holiday stocking, and at least one hat. I have a few people I'm not sure what to do for them, so they are high on my radar to find something for them. Now this is for Christmas, it doesn't include birthdays. I may not have wanted to remind myself of that! Oh dear.

There are a few unfinished items that need to get done or taken off the needles and become something else. I now have enough yarn for some sweaters or tops for myself, I'd actually like to get one or more of those done this year!