January Wrap-Up: Project Queue 2022

It's the end of January, and I'm ready to jump back into knitting with something old, something new, and something technically challenging.

In the past two years, I've completed eight knitting projects. While colorful, none have been particularly challenging, and I'm feeling my ambition creeping back in to take on more enchanting and engaging knits.

I saw an Instagram post from Little Knits, a Seattle-based yarn shop, showcasing Earl Price's Kaleidoscope Hexagons (Ravelry) blanket pattern, and I have to say I've got hearts in my eyes. This is going to have to be a heavily planned out knit, so it's not on the front burner just yet.

However, I'm putting a goal in place to cast it on during 2022. In fact, I'm setting a goal to cast on all 10 patterns currently in my queue this year – nine knit, one crochet.

That's not to say I can't add new projects throughout the year, but I want to work toward the productivity level I once had. Cranking out projects keeps me engaged and inspires me to try new things, and it keeps my queue from looming over me like a reminder of all the things I said I'd do.

Note: Currently I'm still using Ravelry's queue feature, but I'm working toward moving to a personal notekeeping system whether digital or on paper. Trello might be a good interim place to keep projects and notes, as I'm already familiar with and enjoy the interface, but I haven't committed to anything just yet. If I am linking to a pattern, I will prioritize an off-Rav link, and if I must use a Rav link I will include "(Ravelry)" after the pattern name.

 

With all that said, let's run down the list!

 

1) Umaro by Jared Flood

Date Queued: September 26, 2020

This one is embarrassing. I've been planning to knit my cousin and his husband a big, fluffy, cozy wedding blanket since I found out they were getting married. 

They've been married for over two years now.

You can tell me I've been busy all you want, but the yarn is still staring at me from the shelf, and I've knit other things in the meantime. This one is a priority. It needs to get knit, washed, blocked, packed up in some fancy tissue paper with a bow, and sent across the country. 

Last year I could have hand delivered it!

For this project, I have 10 skeins of Cloudborn Fibers Superwash Wool Worsted in the Marine Heather colorway. It will be wonderfully warm and squishy and machine washable. Now it just needs to get made.

2) Fallston (Ravelry) by Dee O'Keefe

Date Queued: November 17, 2017

Yikes. Are we starting to see the problem here? 

I've had this gorgeous shawl queued since 2017, and I've had the yarn for it since 2018! 

Since queuing this pattern, I have moved across an ocean, to the city where the designer lives, and subsequently moved clear across the country away from her. 

This is also one of the very few patterns I have purchased with the intention of knitting with nearly the same colors it was designed for. While not the exact yarn it was designed for, I have a full skein of Qing Fibre Merino Single in Promise and a partial skein of Malabrigo Mechita in Paris Night set aside for it. 

 

3) Briquette by Alicia Plummer

Date Queued: September 29, 2016

Oh, Briquette. Briquette, briquette, briquette. This is the single oldest pattern in my Ravelry queue. It's a cozy, solid color hoodie with an interesting reverse stockinette section for texture.

I want to wear this hoodie so bad, and I have the yarn for it: Crystal Palace Yarns Allegro DK in Mahogany. It'll be earthy and autumn-toned and wonderful, and I have no idea whatsoever why it hasn't hit my needles yet. 

4) Phrase Top by Anna Krzyżak

Date Queued: January 4, 2022

This is a recent addition to the queue! 

I've been working on being more comfortable in my own skin, and in doing so I've been exploring more cropped and/or sleeveless tops. I came across this pattern and thought it would be a delightful layering addition to my wardrobe, and if it comes out thick enough it could be worn on its own. 

I currently have two options set aside for this, and they're the same two options I have set aside for the next pattern, so we can take a look at them after the next entry.

 

5) Argil by Clare Lakewood

Date Queued: July 7, 2019

I know it may be hard to believe, but I actually purchased this copy of  Pom Pom Quarterly in person, in print, in a Barnes & Noble. I flipped through in the store, and decided there were enough patterns I found interesting to buy the whole thing. 

Continuing on the crop top wavelength, Argil is a cropped and tied sleeveless top that wears very well over jeans or a skirt. I like versatile pieces, and I like jeans and skirts, so it should be a very wearable addition to my wardrobe. 

I've gone through several iterations of what yarns to use for this project, and I still haven't quite decided yet. Here are the options for both the Phrase Top listed above and the Argil top: Less Traveled Yarn Tweed Me Sock in Merlot and Kathryn Frank Fiber Arts (now known as Wandering Fiber Co.) Petal in Poinsettia (contrast color not yet chosen).

6) Fox Isle Socks by Ksenia Naidyon – FREE

Date Queued: February 1, 2021

I only queue patterns that I have the yarn/fiber for, or am planning to purchase within the next couple of weeks, and I broke that rule when I queued this pattern. 

But!  

They're so cute, and in theory they could be made with complementary leftovers. That notion hasn't gotten me very far, and I think I'll end up purchasing yarn for these, but they're staying in the queue because I'd like to make them this year. 

 

7)  Foliage by Alexis Sixel

Date Queued: September 20, 2021 

Back in September, I made my first mosaic crochet project. It's a pretty little Halloween wall hanging, and while it's not perfect I'm really happy with how it turned out. Knowing I wanted to make more mosaic crochet patterns, I queued up Foliage, another pattern by the same designer. I highly recommend checking her out for all your spooky and non-spooky home decor crochet needs.

I have one lonely throw pillow that's without a cover, and I think Foliage will be a good solution for that.

A few years back I was gifted some Yllet Gotlandsgarn 2 from Sweden, one beautiful brown and one lush green. I'm thinking about holding each one doubled to make roughly a DK weight yarn to use for this pattern, brown for the background, green for the foliage. 

 

8) Stormy Sky Shawl by Ksenia Naidyon – FREE

Date Queued: April 15, 2021 

This pattern is the final choice of what to make with my Shunklies Merino and sari silk spin. I've queued and deleted patterns for this yarn several times over, and Stormy Sky is the final answer. 

It also looks like it will be an easy, airy knit, while also having a lot of interesting stitch changes throughout to make recording progress easy and fun!

9) Classic Ribbed Beanie by Purl Soho – FREE

Date Queued: January 24, 2021

In fall 2019, my husband went yarn shopping with me and picked out yarn for a hat. I've looked for patterns off and on since, and finally decided that it just need to be a simple beanie. I didn't want it to be a simple beanie, but it needs to be, because...

This is Cozy Color Works Superwash Merino in Party Time!

 

10) Kaleidoscope Hexagons (Ravelry) by Earl Price

Date Queued: January 24, 2021

To bring us full circle, we're back at the kaleidoscope blanket from the start of the post. This is the most ambitious item in my queue by far, and I have no illusions of being able to finish it this year.

I do want to start it this year, though. 

The pattern calls for Knit Picks Chroma and Palette, and those are solid options for this kind of colorwork. I haven't made a decision yet, but it will likely be either those two or just Palette in a few chosen colors.

 

With all of these projects fleshed out and a goal in mind, I'm excited to see where I am in all of my creative endeavors by the end of the year – to include personal knitting and crochet projects, weaving and dyeing for the shop, and broadcasting on Twitch. It's been a solid start to the year and I'm feeling good about the future.

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For those of you who follow my Twitch channel, you'll know I recently spoke about wanting to do this blog but feeling woefully incompetent and having writer's block of a sort. I'm going to post here when I feel inspired to do so, in hopes that it keeps the gears turning and that I improve my blogging through practice. 

There may be long stretches of time between posts, and I'm not going to set a schedule right now.

If you're still reading this, thank you for being here.💗

On that note, I have some handspun to soak and set. Happy Tuesday, and I'll see you next time. :)