"Skill + 1UP" - KnitCroBlo week- Day two

The excitement continues. Today we have to look over our projects for the last year and talk about any new skills we have acquired. Nearly every pattern I do now teaches me a new skill. Here are just a few. Most of them are not really complicated but they are new to me.

This is a Homin Shawl by the Shetland Trader. I loved knitting this, when I got the hang of the pattern and it uses yarn over at the edge of the pattern band to use to pick up the stitches for the main part of the shawl. Both this and the Scroll Lace Scarf taught me to wrap and turn. Also they both used a strip of lacy pattern that is then picked up along one edge and knitted. A new skill to me. And provisional cast on. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the finished Homin Shawl before I gave it as a present.

This is my first pair of gloves ever. They are Texel Gloves. I had only knitted socks on dpn's before so this was a new experience for me. And knitting the fingers was quite fiddly.

Here are some stranded mittens. They are Vector Mittens. This was my first attempt at mittens and stranded colourwork. The pattern was great. I think my tension was a bit wrong because it creased up a bit. It didn't block out either. What's that about? I tried this doing one colour the 'usual' way and one the continental way.

This is a sock I knitted and I was able to to cabling without a cable needle. And I was successful. Ta Dah! The pattern is Stonemason. I was determined to cable with a needle because that was what I had always done. It was just too fiddly for me. I even tried cabling with a matchstick! I then watched a you tube video and cracked it. I am really pleased.

There are two skills that I have acquired this year that have really made me wonder how I got on without them. One is blocking. I never blocked anything before. I got some spongy flooring squares from the early learning centre and had a go. It makes such a difference.

The other skill is using Ravelry. I have been on it for a while but wasn't really sure how to navigate my way through. I am still not 100% on it but I am getting there. I have started adding projects and stash, joining some groups and actually making friends. Result.

I am determined to keep pushing myself with knitting. I have just started a Betty Jean McNeil cardigan. I saw it on Roobeedoo's blog and completely fell in love with it. I cast on the other night and have managed two rows. Hardly storming ahead. As you can see, this pattern involves colourwork! Gulp. And, wait for it, steeking! Silently screams. Lots of new skills to learn this year too.