Right Back on Track

So as I was saying...last year. Sigh! I can't believe that I let a year go by without writing. Well, I can. And it's not like I can say that nothing has happened in the last year to write about. Mostly, I guess, I just keep saying, "I'll write about that tomorrow, at Tara." (How many people get that reference now do you suppose? One of the many things that remind me of how old I really am. Oh, and how old you are too, so stop laughing)
I read several knitting blogs on a regular basis and become upset when they don't write as often as I want them to, so it's funny that I don't put more pressure on myself to write in my own blog. Of course, no one actually reads this one, but anyway. During the past year I have gone on an amazing vacation to Scotland and have had my only son become engaged to be married next year, and most importantly done a lot of really beautiful knitting. (Tongue completely in cheek!) Well, knitting is what I do the most: I think a lot about patterns and yarns, I plot and dither about which project needs the most attention RIGHT NOW. Walking the dog, making a meal, and even planning a vacation are worked around my knitting schedule.
One of the biggest events of my past year was going to Stitches West in February with my friend Barb. We went down for two days sniffed the yarn fumes (you know that contact high) and hung out with our peeps. We also took a class this time: it was called something like How Do Your Socks Get Color? with Elise Duvekot. She wrote the Knit One Below Book. We learned the knit one below knitting style for socks and had a great time by making what someone in the class called "turbo-sized Barbie socks" with contrasting vertical stripes.
(Oh and I also bought a little yarn. However, and I did point to out to both Barb and my husband, each year that I've gone (this is my third year) I have purchased less yarn than the year before. If I just keep going for about thirty years, I won't buy any at all. Hah!)
I did buy enough yarn to make my first sweater which I am currently working on. It's one of the simplest patterns I could find: knitting from the top down with ragglan sleeves, no seaming, and a wrap-style front. How much simpler can you get? I got this recommendation from the Yarn Harlot in her blog (told you I read a lot of blogs) when she was asked about her favorite sweater pattern: Knitting Pure & Simple #263. I'm using Dream in Color Classy in Absolute Magenta. I've had help from my LYS Yarns on First here in Napa, since I can't hold the sweater and measure myself at the same time; not enough hands. I'm past the point of putting the sleeves on waste yarn (yay!) and working my way down the body.

Finally, I've done some more Test Knitting for Anne Hanson (knitspot) which is always exciting and leaves me a little breathless. She had started a sock with an intriguing twisting boxy pattern that I really liked, so I wrote to her about it. She asked if I would like to test knit it, and, of course, I said I would love to. The finished pattern is called Chicklets; I knitted them in Blue Moon STR mediumweight colorway Dragon Dance. Anne was pleased with them and I was too; it's a great pattern and a very quick knit. You should check her shop for it as well as her other sock patterns, if you haven't already (what are you waiting for?).
Have I overwhelmed you enough for now? I really, really promise to write again (this year!)