Thursday 31 December 2009

Bye, bye 2009



I've been looking back at all the things I've been making this year and in perspective, I think I've travelled a lot further than I thought. At the end of 2008, I had never knitted a sock, or a lace shawl, and the dust hadn't been blown off the spinning wheel:-) Now people think I'm good enough to test knit sock patterns for them - who would have thought?:-)) I have moved out of my toe-up sock comfort zone and knitted toe-up gussets with the bright orange stripey firestarters, and most recently knitted my flame red cornflower socks - a top down sock with heel flaps, complex twists and cables no less.

And I had the questionable pleasure of knitting with self striping Noro!! Some of you may recall my, ahem, perseverance with those darned stripey socks, here, here and here!! But, if I hadn't explored the world of self striped yarns, I wouldn't have started experimenting with dyeing my own sock yarns. And the latter half of 2009 has mostly been about dyeing and test knitting these yarns for my now finally opened Etsy Shop - Ultraviolet Yarns. The creative path has its twists and turns but I never thought I'd be an Indie yarnie! :-)))



I've had fun painting sock blanks and designing bigger scarf and shawl blanks too - although they still have to make an appearance in my shop.

So, what's the plan for 2010?

Well, shopwise, I would love to be able to make dyeing yarns into a realistic living! I know! but why not? Dream big:-)) More immediate shop plans include - if there is enough interest -painted sock and scarf blanks but maybe also some undyed ones for anyone who wants to try their hand at dyeing their own. I would like to get a larger range of obviously stripey yarns as well as the semi-solids and subtle variegateds too and that is my first plan of action in January.

This last month especially, I've been taking stock of  exactly where I am and just where I want to go. In the world of knitting, I would like to develop my ideas for designing patterns. I've only been tinkering so far but there has been interest on ravelry for some of my test knits so that is a good place to start. But in the larger creative picture, I'm at a bit of a crossroads.

The world of Ravelry, knitting and crochet, has been a haven for me to keep myself busy and active over the last two years when I've not been able to do much of my usual creative endeavours such as felting, weaving, collage, etc due to poor health. I'd like to think I am regaining enough stamina to at least start making some progress back into these other disciplines - if I am very careful and don't overdo it:-)) - but even if I start small, I'd like to at least set it as an ongoing goal for 2010.

So, as well as knitting and dyeing yarns, there may be a little collage or two popping into the blog now and again, and maybe this time next year, I can sit here as say 'Well, I didn't expect collage and textile art to hijack my blog quite so much.....' :-)))

5 comments:

  1. All the very best for the coming year. If you progress anything like you have in 2009, the sky will surely be the limit!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Fabulous progress a wonderful year..hope 2010 is even better
    HAPPY NEW YEAR
    Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to all to get it right.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A very happy new year. I was determined to use your yarn in 2009 and so I cast on the glorious green yarn and have started a clapotis scarf. We had planned to go to see fireworks for new year's eve, but they were canceled because of weather so we just stayed in, watched a movie and I got to work on the yarn. It is going to be fabulous!!

    I hope 2010 is all you hope for and much much more. It's been so nice to "meet" you this year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wishing you the best in 2110 and limitless possibilities in your creativity!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I just noticed that my mail to you thanking you for the stitch markers bounced back to me for some reason (maybe I used the wrong address that was pointed out)

    They are very cute - I love them. Hey everyone - go over and order some of Elaine's yarn and stitchmarkers. You won't be sorry!

    ReplyDelete

Hello and thanks for stopping by. Do stay a while and visit. Please do leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you and be inspired by all your blogs out there too:-) elaine xx

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails