2006 Knitting & Blogging in Review

What a year this has been! Knitting on the Internet just gets more interesting by the day...

I began thinking I'd never participate in another Secret Pal-type exchange - I'd done one, and while I was treated well by the person who got me to spoil, my spoilee was, well to put it nicely, a tad ungrateful. It colored the entire experience and I thought I wouldn't participate again. (If there's one thing that makes me crazy these days, it's the lack of consideration people have for others...)

I then did a couple of exchanges (Coffee, Tea, Chocolate! just a few of my favorite things...) and the results were more positive. I got up my nerve and did...Sockret Pal (all these links are over in my sidebar, for more info). I have been having so much fun spoiling my pal (but I've got to get cracking on knitting that pair of socks!). And then, my pal who was to spoil me, seemed to be non-existent. I heard from her once, at the very beginning. Several chances were given by the "Moms-in-Charge." And today, an angel was called in. I've already heard from her, and I feel a lot better. My deepest thanks go to the Moms, and to my angel.

In blogdom, I've watched a lot of my favorite bloggers abandon Blogger for other services. I, on the other hand, am hanging in a bit longer. Part of the reason is cost. And part of it is understandability. I don't have a lot of time to start a new blogging learning curve. I'd much rather spend those minutes I have free sitting with my knitting. Better the devil you know...

So I'll be here for now.

But how have I grown as a knitter this year? Socks. Lace. Both of which were on my list of "plans" for 2006. I learned to knit toe up socks and I will NEVER stop! I love wearing them. And my lace skills have developed exponentially over last year. So while there is still one UFO from 2005 OTN (see the sidebar listing over there ---->) and a few from 2006, I've managed to complete a lot of things (there's a sidebar listing of 2006 completed items, too!). I'm embarassed to say that my DGS#3's baby blanket is still OTN. He's four months old now. (sigh) The older two boys don't have theirs yet either.

As usual, I have a lot of things on my plate - many, many KAL's and Yahoo groups I'm either participating in or trying to manage (or co-manage). I'll eventually finish up the FO's. And I cannot thank you all for visiting me here, and at Nana Sadie's Place all year...

Tomorrow, I'll post about my plans for 2007. Will I scale back? Is my name Knitnana? And can you imagine Knitnana without too many irons in the fire? I may have the best of intentions, but my basic nature is to try to do it all...even while I know that's not possible...

One thing (totally off-topic) that I want to acknowledge tonight: the late President Gerald Ford was a man I admired. I don't usually blog about anything political, and tonight won't be any different. But President Ford had an incredible sense of integrity, a basic decency. He was a man of honor.

We could use a lot more like him in this country. I'm so glad he lived a long and blessed life. May he rest in peace. And I will be saying a prayer for comfort to his family in their grief.