2015 in knitting

2015 was a funny old year for knitting. I thought about it often, made lots of plans, sought out many patterns and fondled much wool. However, in terms of knitting itself I wasn't able to do as much as normal and frankly, this has been a disaster! I have a very painful neck and shoulder which has been affecting my knitting capability for a while and towards the end third of 2015 I realised I really had better do something about it.

I was too scared to go to a Physio for a long time in case they told me that the only solution would be to stop knitting. I knit because I love it, I knit for pleasure, I knit because it means I can make what I want to wear, I knit because I love wool, I knit because it is my hobby, I knit because I love and collect vintage patterns, I knit because it is sociable, I knit because I love my knitting friends but I also knit because it does me enormous good in terms of my mental health and the thought of not being able to do so makes my mind go kind of fuzzy at the edges and I feel rather panicky.

So, finally, I stopped being an ostrich and made a physio appointment. She turned out to be marvellous and very understanding about the knitting situation, promising it wouldn't be banned, just maybe lessened for a while. I can just about cope with that. Sort of. So I am doing my exercises and am making progress and 2016 will be the year that my neck/shoulder fixes and I can knit all of the things all of the time again.

Despite the setbacks some things have come off my needles so I want to do a bit of a round up. They are not necessarily in chronological order as I often have several things on the go at once, a project that needs brain space, a simpler one for knitting groups and one that has queue jumped because some kind of occasion has sneaked up on me and I need to crack on with it.

I really enjoyed knitting this 1950's pixie hat as it just made me smile all the way through and the end result is such fun! I made it for the baby of a lovely blogging friend so it was a very happy project to do. It is knitted in Millamia 5-ply and the pattern is a Patons and Baldwin booklet.

This 1950's Marriners romper has a matching cardigan which is also completed. I started this in 2014 and it was meant to be a present for my niece's first birthday. I really hated the yarn I was using, a bamboo blend 4-ply and I kind of got cross with it when I couldn't knit the rabbit nicely. So I put it away for a bit and then realised I still couldn't face it. So, I wailed to my mum and she took it off my hands and finished knitting it up! Thanks Mum!! So my niece got it about 6 months late but as it was always going to be on the big side it still fitted. Phew!

This is a cardigan for me, knitted in Sublime Extra Fine Baby Cashmerino double knit from a 1951 Stitchcraft, which I previously blogged about here, when I had knitted up the back. I am so proud of this as it is quite a complicated stitch pattern and I had to learn how to crochet to make the button bands and neck band. It is long overdue it's own outfit post; I need to remedy that!

I knitted this cardigan for my cousin's new baby. It is knitted in Millamia 5-ply and the pattern is from a Paton and Baldwin's booklet from the 1950's. I really enjoyed the chain stitch yoke and using such a beautifully cheery bright colour. Apparently he liked the buttons so all is good!

I blogged about this cardigan here. It is a cabled cardigan from a 1950's Wendy pattern and I knitted it in Sublime Extra Fine Baby Cashmerino. I think I must have started it in 2014 and just finished it off in 2015. This is such a staple of my wardrobe, it is squishy and cosy to wear and I loved knitting all those cables.

Excuse the blurry second photo. This is a jumper knitted in Sublime Extra Fine Merino 4-ply from a 1941 Stitchcraft pattern. I really enjoy knitting rib so I didn't mind how much there was to do in this and I enjoyed the construction as it was fascinating seeing the rib change direction. This is another knit that is overdue an outfit post so I am adding it to the list!

I loved knitting this pretty little bolero, the little lace pattern was fun and it is really cute. I knitted it for my niece as a second birthday present and this year she actually got it in time! I knitted it in Millamia 5-ply from a 1950's Paton and Baldwin's booklet.

I don't have many photos of this cardigan that I am knitting for myself and the colour is not at all true here, it is really teal. I haven't finished this yet as it got overtaken by projects with pressing deadlines. I have completed the back, left front and both sleeves so there is not much left to do and I hope to be wearing it soon. It is knitted in Millamia 5-ply and it is from a 1950's Paton and Baldwin's booklet.

Sometimes, I do knit modern patterns and these four hats are knitted from a pattern written by the fabulous Helen from Ribbon Circus. It is called the Chamonix Ski Hat. I was asked to test knit the pattern which was such fun to do and I loved knitting it so much that I have now knitted five (one finished yesterday and yet to be photographed). The top two were birthday presents for friends, the third is mine and the last is a slouchier version for my sister for Christmas. They are knitted in a combination of Millamia Aran and Sublime Extra Fine Merino Worsted. Choosing the colours has been such a joy, I really recommend this pattern if you want a cosy, warm and cheerful hat.

This lovely double breasted jumper was a Christmas present for my niece. I saw her wearing it yesterday paired with an orange shift dress, stripey tights and fox socks. She looked lovely and I was so pleased to see it being worn. It was a really enjoyable knit, especially seeing the collar take shape. I think it is a 1950's Marriners pattern and I used Wendy Merino 4-ply which is a lovely yarn to work with.

So, that is the round up of 2015's knitting. I am looking forward to all the projects I have planned for this year, as long as my shoulder co-operates! I tend to post pictures of my knitting on Instagram so if you want to see projects as they progress you could take a look here.