
There’s always something surprising to me whenever I look back through what I’ve made in a given year. This year it’s the fact that I made things! For some reason, I don’t feel like I did, and it may be because this is the first year I knitted more for others than for myself. I also sewed more than I knitted (more on that tomorrow), which is easy to do — especially when you’re as simple a sewer as me — but it turns out I did, in fact, knit this year. And I even crocheted.
For me, I knitted only three things, above, but I’m well pleased with them: my smock vest (improvised), my toffee-colored cable pullover (Grace pattern by Denise Bayron), and the little black kerchief (modified from a Purl Soho pattern) that is my constant companion these days.

I knitted four things for tiny nieces: The little colorwork cardigan being shared by Misses M and T; the bobble beret for their big sister R; the sunny cardigan for their new baby sister E; and the keepsake cardigan in memory of their baby cousin.

And then there are the two slight disappointments. The cable hat for Bob is a thing of beauty but the yarn has no recovery whatsoever and so isn’t well suited to this particular task. He gave it back to me and I’ve been wearing it on the trail, and need to knit him another one in a more elastic yarn. Similarly, the summer hat I crocheted for myself has sort of … wilted. I need to try it again at the nice tight gauge the pattern calls for.
All in all, a pretty successful knitting year — especially given how much those girls loved their gifts.
Please note that each of these things is linked to the original blog post about it where you can find further photos, links and details on patterns, yarn, modifications and so on — please click through to find out more! And if I left anything out, feel free to ask.
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PREVIOUSLY in FOs: Matilda’s cardigan
All lovely and quite an accomplishment in my book! If you decide to write the sock vest pattern, you have at least one taker. 🤗 Happy New Year, Karen. May it be filled with light, joy, and peace. 🙏🏻
Thank you, Jenn, and same to you!
Save Bob’s hat. I had the same problem. Went to Walmart and bought a navy velour headband. Cut the small cinch it had in the middle and sewed it inside my son’s hat. Not only did it provide elasticity, but added a layer of warmth and softness.
That would be the smock vest!
Big vote here for a future Smock Vest Pattern. Happy sigh… such beautiful knitting, all of it! I LOVE knitting!
Thank you, Mary Jo!
Mungo was an excellent choice for the vest. It just WORKS.
*Sits back and waits patiently for the sewing re-cap post.*
There’s definitely more Mungo in my future.