Knitblog Favorites of 2004

The imminent end of the calendar year inspires the impulse to summarize the previous twelve months, often in list form.  Wendy has been posting links to good book lists, so I felt perhaps that it might be time to offer a couple of lists of my own. Maybe I'm jumping the gun here, because the turn of the year isn't for a couple more action packed weeks, but I have been thinking about what characterized this year as far as my knitting goes, and since this blog was so integral to whatever conclusion I might come to, I thought I'd parade my thoughts in front of you here, and then ask for your input.  I am curious about what you're thinking, and I could use a little help catching all the juicy stuff I might have missed in my rather limited reading ecxperience. I mean, geez, there are 600 knit blogs now?  How can I posssibly keep up with all of that and have a life?  So scroll to the bottom and point me and anyone else reading along in an interesting direction.

First, a few highlights from my personal knitting bag:

1. This was the year I learned finally how to make a sweater fit.  I still don't know how to predict how it will look on my body, but at least I've conquered the impulse to just make everything enormous. 

2. This was the year I learned to do all kinds of fiddly little knitty things like tubular cast -on, short-row shoulders, magic loops, and knitting backwards; skills I knew existed but never understood the practical applications for.  Now I know.

3. This was the year I learned to spin.  It was a reluctant lesson I submitted to only under the most intensive peer pressure, but like a novice sky-diver, I can't believe I ever doubted that it would be fun.
You look skeptical.  It was the sky-diving/ spinning simile, right?  Okay, I admit I lack the authority to cite sky-diving as a comparable experience, but I've seen the Amazing Race: the first thing all thos econtestants say once they touch down is "I want to do that again".  Same thing with spinning.  You just can't believe how much more satisfying making and working with your own yarn can be until you've flung yourself out of that plane.  Still skeptical?  Try it, then get back to me.

4. This was the year I found blogland.  I started reading in January, instantly became obsessed, and put my own two cents in by March.   Keeping a blog has helped keep me motivated to finish something once I'd grown weary of knitting it (see: linen drape sweater and/or neck down sweater).  If you are about to suggest that it looks from where you're sitting that I still have problems finishing things since there are currently six projects on the needles, then I would reply that you should have seen the pile of UFO's from this time last year.  Three of them are among the neglected six.  If you were not going to say such a thing at all because you too have about six things in your knitting basket and that would be the kettle calling the pot, then you, my dear, are my sister ! (or brother.  Hey, that would be cool.  I've never had a brother before).

So now that we are on the topic of blogs, and all things bloggy,  I have several favorite things from my reading of the blogs this past year to share with you. 

1.  All hail to all of us who knit with small children and keep them happy and safe.  Blogging helped me overcome my sense of isolation with my own little guy.  I don't know what I would have done otherwise; go to the playground more?  Yeah, well.  Who needs more swing pushing in their lives?

2. My favorite knit objects are many, including the menagerie of the zoo-along , Wendy's many many fair-isle sweaters, Mare's colour-saturated everything, the great gift of the Afghan-Along run by Kay and Ann, the many Charlotte's Webs that graced my screen in many hues from sunset to coral reef (all hail to Rob and Matt for their artful enabling) It was perhaps the most compelling thing for me this year, keeping up with all of the knitting going on. 

3. My favorite post of the year remains Stephanie's "I am a knitter" installment in her odyssey of knitting Ryan's Dublin Bay Socks, closely followed by her fantasies of running away with Prince. (it was a good week to be reading Yarn Harlot: go remind yourself, I'll wait).

4. The opening of Knit Happens and the re-opening of Threadbear.  I don't know exactly where they are,  somewhere near D.C., in a distant blue state called Michigan, but I loved reading about all the plans and the gnashing of teeth and the painting of spaces in preparation, because I think we all shared vicariously the fantasy of having our own yarn playground; And now I have two more items on my list of places to visit before I croak.

5.  New knitting buddies.  I used to have a couple of girlfriends in town with whom I got together to knit with every once in awhile, but this year thanks to the blogs I found two regular groups; one I never miss, and the knitsmiths who only have to put up with me every couple of months.  That I am thankful for, and also for people who stumble through here, regularly or not, because like an itinerant Ba'hai, I know that no matter where I go on this continent, or Paris for that matter, there would be someone I could meet for coffee and a row or two.  This is, I think, the greatest gift of the year.

Now, here's your chance to weigh in.  What was your favorite moment of the blog year?  Was it something someone said, knit, photographed?  Post it here--or write your own entry on your own blog and tell me about it so I can read it--and let's review the year as a community, because that's what we are! This isn't a competition (sorry, no prizes, only my esteem)  it's just a chance to recommend something I might have otherwise missed.  And Thanks!

Comments

[Julia]

One of my favorites is something rather recent, Cari Luna's tribute to Clapotis in the style of Wallace Stevens' Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird. You can find it here: http://dogsstealyarn.com/archives/000291.html
I am also enchanted that you mentioned the Ba'hai in your post. Their temple in Chicago remains one of my favorite places on earth and was the scene of my first date with Moxie. (Go here to see it live: http://www.us.bahai.org/how/webcam.htm )

Great idea for this post - I can't wait to see what it brings.

[margene]

Oh my! We started reading and then blogging at about the same time. It is nearly impossible to pick one or even two highlights. Of course the Harlot comes to mind but some of your posts can make one laugh out loud...fleece washed in the kitchen sink, for one. There are so many who have FO posts that are inventive, creative, artistic and so much fun to read. So many bloggers are witty, inteligent, homourous and prolific knitters. This has been an incredible experience.

[Norma]

Heckfire, I didn't know we were "classmates," and Margene, too. I thought you guys started blogging way before me. Favorites? There are so many, and they never stop. What DID I ever do before blogging (and blogreading), anyway? We must compile a list of "classmates." I think that would be fun. And start a new ring. How 'bout that? People who started reading blogs in Januaryish and started blogging in Marchish 2004. Sign up here, folks!

[Wendy]

My favorite moment of the blog year: Rachael of Yarn-a-go-go running the AIDS marathon . . . and of course the months of training that led up to it. I couldn't be prouder of her!

[claudia]

I would say the massive gathering of knitbloggers at Rhinebeck. Nothing like surfing your blogs in person.

;-)

[Margene]

http://www.yarnagogo.com/blog/
http://ma2ut.blogspot.com/
Here are two I read often that I really like. Both have interesting posts and Susan is full of great info. How's that!?

[LoriO]

Stitchy McYarnpants has become one of my favorite reads. The vintage knitting magazine pictures with commentary are histerical, and I love the fact that her cat has a blog too, and it's not at all cutesy wootsy.

I don't have kids, but I do work in an office by myself most of the time, and consider the blogging community a little like having co-workers to share stuff with.

[Colleen]

Julia,

In the spirit of this post, go to this website:

http://www.blogmechanics.com/bob/archives/2004/12/best_knittingcr.html

and go about 3/4ths of the way down the page. You might be pleasantly surprised :-)

[lisa b]

because i was new to the knitting community in 2004, i was too late to get in on the GSRP...but i took a guilty pleasure in blog-hopping to hear about the good, the bad and the ugly...does that make me a bad person :)

[melanie]

I'm going to have to go with Stitchy's Museum of Kitschy Stitches as my top fave as well. There are so many though, they truly make my day - every day (and therefore my recent blocked access to typepad has been quite troubling. Thank heavens for home comupters).

[mare]

http://www.skinnyrabbit.com/ fluffa is one i don't see mentioned so far. along with her amazing ablity as knitter, there is always a dancing shot of finished projects, and a fun list of links along the right side of the page that take you off on adventures.

can't think of my favorite read of the year. i like blogs that contain lists of blog links to go to, and going to the webrings main page to check out new blogs.

http://boogaj.typepad.com/knitting_blogs/

pictures remain my favorite, am very much looking forward to seeing your finished floral bag

[Ann]

OK, if blogland gives us all windows into worlds other than our own, I cannot forget Brainy Lady Alison's "A Canadian in Taipei" trip to buy a new brassiere. March 31 and April 1 are the entries:

http://brainylady.blogspot.com/2004_04_01_brainylady_archive.html

Still laughing, eight months later.

PS I found this by typing "lingerie by the pound Taipei" into Google.

[Mason-Dixon Ann]

OK, if blogland gives us all windows into worlds other than our own, I cannot forget Brainy Lady Alison's "A Canadian in Taipei" trip to buy a new brassiere. March 31 and April 1 are the entries:

http://brainylady.blogspot.com/2004_04_01_brainylady_archive.html

Still laughing, eight months later.

PS I found this by typing "lingerie by the pound Taipei" into Google.

[Anne]

My fav blog entry of the year was also from Ms. Harlot - her 'Dear John' letter to her Rhinebeck sweater. It was way over the top!