2011, production efforts continued.

I hate to pick favorites from the activities I do, but canning definitely won this year because it's hard to beat delicious food and kitchen romance. Doesn't mean I entirely gave up my other endeavors... it's just that I wasn't quite as good.

Beer happened, and then I stopped for good reason.

• There was that ginger beer homebrew turned bomb... (drank about 10 bottles, 20 down the drain)
• Followed by an unpalatable home-brewed wormwood ale, bitter beyond reason. (30 bottles down the drain)

 So I thought knitting might be better. You be the judge.

Photos in no specific order

• Lace sock failure (nothing gained. I tore these apart)
• Rainbow striped knee-high socks, nearly lost into Lake Union (gifted)
• The 18 month pair of socks, because I just couldn't motivate. (gifted)
• I seamed the toes for my own socks, my first attempt with dpn's. Finally! 3 years in the making. 
• The Mariner Sweater, 1/4 finished and abandoned forever. Losing 30 pounds made this project entirely over sized for me and I am determined to knit sweaters for myself before anyone else.
• Pointelle, unfinished socks for myself, still on the first cuff. (it's getting some rest...)
•  Mock Cable Socks (gifted)
• The Fana Cap, a hat with color-work patterns made quickly for winter warmth, knitted to replace it's sister the Lusekofte Cap that I lost earlier this year. I wore this one 5 days and lost it too.
• Christmas Man Socks (gifted)
• Lady Socks, with one street-addled sock ruining its life in the gutter. (for me, knitting a 3rd sock now)
• Bumblebee Brass and Steam shawl, my first hand spun and hand knitted item. Love it.  

I tried my hand at spinning and found that even though I enjoyed using a spindle, a spinning wheel was needed to get what I really want (hint: more wool). I also made a goal to learn more about sheep breeds and try a variety of wools. Success! Blogging about it? Not so successful though I am pleased that more time was spent in action than writing.

Photos in no specific order

• Lincoln Longwool, my first adventure into long wools. Cutest animals.
•  Cat hair yarn. In progress. 
•  Unknown black and white sheep's wool, still in progress.
•  385 yards of Jacob wool.
• Masham wool. It almost felt spongy in my hands.
•  335 yards of *delicious* yak-merino blend yarn. So soft. 
•  238 yards of Merino-Bamboo blend. 
• The unknown purple wool. Feels like Merino, gifted to my sister.
• 331 yards of Polwarth wool.
• A fingering weight spindle-spun green Merino yarn, still in progress because who uses spindles once they have a spinning wheel?
• Another view of the black and white listed above.
• The gift of wool from Logan, perhaps Romney? 198 yards of spindle-spun beauty.

And lastly, I took classes because through all of this madness I was really searching for knowledge. How can I improve my technique? How can I make the life I want? Is there a way to take this thing I do and make it more fulfilling, better quality, more interesting? I took a 4 week class on mushroom identification, a two week spinning class from the Weaving Works, spent two full days in sewing classes with my mom, and attended a day-long workshop on dying wool with mushrooms.

I am calling those 2011 goals complete. And I hereby declare 2012 to be the Year of Clothing Production (plus even more canning). Get ready.