Here it is New Year's Eve, the typical time I review my knitting goals for the past year and decide how I did.  This was a hard year.  From January to December, it wasn't typical and it wasn't easy.  Let's take a look at my goals for the year and hope things went better than I fear. 

1.  My Year Of Selfish Knitting in 2017 was so successful that I decided to extend it to 2018.  This is an example of when a New Year's Resolution just becomes part of your life.  I live my knitting life with one focus:  knitting things that bring me joy.  Another way to put this is I only do "want to" knitting not "have to."  I can't tell you have important this was in 2018. From now on all of my years will be Years Of Selfish Knitting.

2.  I made 2018 The Year Of The Closer.  I was going to go through my tubs and when I found something unfinished I was either going to finish it or frog it.  Well, I did get a start.  AND, it got an article in Jocelyn Brown's Handmade column on reposing yarn. I didn't finish many things from my tubs BUT I did finish many things.  I also didn't leave things unfinished.   I guess it was successful since I did finish a lot of things.  

Malabrigo's Morton Linda's birthday present.  I loved this so much.  Since I am so near Knit 'N Purl, I may buy more Malabrigo for yet another Morton.   This is a great travel knitting pattern and amazing yarn.  It brings me joy.

The adorable Mermaid Tale for Evie's great granddaughter.  

Scarf for my dear friend Marcia. I purchased the yarn at Knit 'N Purl last January with no one special in mind for it.  As I finished it, it became obvious that it was perfect for Marcia.

My favorite Kauni.  For the first time I did an i-cord cast-on and bind-off.  Grueling! I will use them again and again because they make such a perfect edge.

An Olga Jazzy using Twisted Fiber Art. Two of my favorites: the pleated scarf pattern and TFA.  I feel the joy just looking at the picture.

Camino was amazing to knit.  I'm not sure I will do another because the first experience was so magical.  

The Unanticipated Mystery Knit Along.  I loved knitting this so much.  The yarn was amazing and the mystery was captivating.  I still have it.  It didn't cry out, "I want to go home with. . . "  Maybe next year.

I haven't even written about this yet so I will just say this is Frozen Lake.  In the next week or so I will tell you more.

I also haven't written about this yet but soon.

This was the beautiful Nashua octopus that went home with Thea for Christmas.  I will make this again.

Of course, there is my masterpiece Tetris.  This is the best thing I've ever knit. 

This Olga Jazzy is the last I'm going to do.  You get the idea.  I finished a lot of things.  Most were not out of my tubs BUT I did finish.  I must say this really lifted my spirits and made me ready to set my goals for 2019.  

I did have one last goal  for 2018 "Spontaneity."  I would say I was spontaneous this year if nothing else.  If success is measured by joy, I was very successful.  

I did notice something reading through past posts to prepare for this; in years past I have been more playful and humorous.  Maybe I'll work on that this year.  Well, here's to a new year.  May it be happy, joyous and spontaneous.  

It’s that time of the year when I Make the trip to the Stash Studio and let my treasures speak to me. All of those beautiful treasures who have brought me so much joy usually find new homes. But 2018 has been different than most years.  I have knit many beautiful things but I have given them away to thank people along the way for their friendship and support.  I do have many treasures still in the queue but. . .  Remember our flood Labor Day weekend?  The damage is fixed. Our whole basement has been painted and carpeted in every room but there is s small problem.  We haven't finished unpacking all of our boxes and many of the treasures are safe and sound in one of those boxes, somewhere.  

I did have some treasures which didn't get boxed, so I brought them out. As I looked at them few really send, "I want to go to Barb or Sally or Andi or Erin."  Nothing was exactly right.  Never have my treasures been so indecisive.  Three spoke to me.  So Let's see what they said.

Remember this, The Caprino Wrap? This was an amazing challenge. I love the dropped stitches which create the plaid effect. I love the tedious stretching that takes all of the messy loops and creates the plaid effect. This masterpiece which gave me so much joy went to the fabulous Carmen who tames my very stubborn hair.

This was easy!  This just looks like Carmen.  It is stylish and upbeat and out there.  Carmen opened it when she cut my hair last Wednesday and she loved it of course.

One last look with Lydia wearing Camino Wrap.  Stunning!

Do you remember this yarn?  I wrote about it early on in Knitting: A Love Story as one of my favorite yarns of all time.  It is a gorgeous Nashua which absolutely shimmers.  I found four balls as I was looking through my tubs and it screamed "THEA!"  I began looking for the perfect pattern which was no easy matter.  The pattern needed to be special but not detract from the beauty of this fabulous yarn.  I found it.

I don't remember the name of the pattern but I called it the octopus because of the tendrils on each end.  I love it.

I loved this so much that it almost never got to Thea.  But the Nashua just wanted to be with her.  I will make this scarf again for me.  

When I was in the Stash Studio, I ran across this cowl.. I guess it is a cowl. It has never said, "I want to go home with. . ." until this year.  I looked at it and it said "Kay!"  I had so much fun making this and I loved the yarn.  I just didn't think anyone could carry this off until this year.  This is my dear friend Kay.  If you remember, Kay, Barb, Sally and I come to the Coastal Condo in the fall to relax and play bridge.  Isn't this jus perfect for Kay!?!?!

Then of course, there's Linda's Tetris.  I love this more every time I look at it.  Pretty spectacular even if I do say so myself.

Dick, Tess and I are at the Coastal Condo until February 1.  Kathy and Ken are coming today for Christmas.  I am sure it will be followed by a trip to Knit 'N Purl (even though Kathy did major damage at Miss Babs during the customer appreciation sale.)  There is no such thing as too much yarn.  Over the next week, I will unveil my goals for 2019 and reflect on 2018.  Being at the Coastal Condo always makes in introspective.   

Here we are visiting Donn, Andi and Erin Parson AND the amazing Yarn Barn of Kansas. The YBOK has been one of my very favorite LYS for 35 years. I have added exponentially to The Stash Studio from this cornucopia of yummy yarns. I have had many firsts at the YBOK. I saw my first Knitter's magazine and for years it was my favorite.  Unfortunately, it is no more.  I saw my very first Valentina Devine design and got hooked on modular knitting.  I took a weaving class and learned I am a knitter not a weaver.

This was my first pick. I looked across the room and there it was calling my name. It’s a magnificent short row shawl made from a gradient set of Mountain Colors Hand-Painted Yarn. It is called S Curve Shawl.  I am going to let designer Becca Anderson tell you about it.  "The inspiration behind this design came from the coming together of ten West Michigan Yarn Shops for our annual Yarn Quest.  We had a custom color of Mountain Colors Yarns 'Twizzlefoot' dyed exclusively for our 2018 event.  Michigan Cool Waters is the name of this gorgeous yarn and pays omage to Lake Michigan, while the pattern design represents a stretch of US 131 as well as the curvy, winding back roads that make up West Michigan. . . our home.  My design also represents the journey of the quest. . . beginning with 10 lozenges, representing our ten stores, as your plan of attack.  You begin with Michigan Cool Waters, traveling through the pattern and through beautiful West Michigan to our ten different and amazing stores in a random but organized way and finally end up with Michigan Cool Waters to finish off the journey. . . back home.  The ending lozenges trail off slowly as you unpack your treasures and remember all the fun you had at each store."  S Curve Shawl is all packed and ready to make the trip with us to the Coastal Condo.

Next came this amazing fiber collection.  I can't tell you any more about it because it is already packed with our gifts to be shipped home.  I am sure no one would be happy if I suggested the box be unpacked.  It was like a jigsaw puzzle; every piece had its place.  Suffice it to say, it is beautiful, I love it and I will be knitting it in February.

I was just checking out when I spotted something beautiful on a shelf waiting to be steamed.  See that dark grey and color right in front?  That is it and this is what it looks like.

This will also go to the Coastal Condo and may be my next project after I finish the fabulous Frozen Lake.  I also bought two Interweave Knits magazines and in one is a mind blowing wrap which I will make this year. As you can see I had a very successful trip to Lawrence.  I will talk to you again when we get to the Coastal Condo.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I will update you on where my treasures chose to go for Christmas.

Monday about 6:57, Linda opened a package from Michigan. It was Tetris and she was happy. You’ve seen Tetris modeled by Lydia, now here is Tetris modeled by Linda.

I am a happy person and Linda is a happy person. This is what Christmas should feel like. Merry Christmas to my Knitting: A Love Soory Friends.