2019 In Review
- kniteweup
- Dec 31, 2019
- 5 min read
Every time another year closes, I find myself (along with many others) reflecting on the past year -- and, as the Instagram trend of the #bestnine proves, recalling the highlights of the last twelve months. I thought I'd also hop on the bandwagon and review my 2019 highlights instead of writing up a regular monthly review; although rather than sticking to my algorithmically-calculated nine (which is determined through "like" counts), I've decided to expand on my own personal favourites here...
(For the short version of this very lengthy post, skip on down to the end; otherwise, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane.)
Over the 2018 Christmas holiday I lighted upon a massive yarn sale and impulsively ordered a sweater-quantity of pale lavender alpaca wool. I had been working up the courage to foray into sweater knitting for over a year, but could never bring myself to commit to such a large order of beautiful yarn, thinking I would completely mess it all up and waste some woolly goodness. Hooray for yarn sales, or else I may not have bitten the bullet and tried it out! My very first sweater was a cozy No Frills Sweater by Petite Knit, and even though it's got mistakes, and even though my short-rows are pretty rubbish, I'm so proud of myself for completing the challenge. And it definitely kicked off my sweater-knitting obsession...
In March I travelled to Edinburgh to visit my lovely friend Alex (who is also a knitter!) and I convinced her to come with me to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival... What a way to be introduced to the yarny world! The festival was overwhelming, brimming with wool and fibre artists from around the world. It was beautiful! I had planned a shopping list in advance, to attempt to stop myself from going completely broke, but it was verrrrry tempting.
Also in March I started designing my first intricate pattern, the Minster Toque. While living abroad in York, England, one of my favourite havens was the Minster Cathedral. I could spend hours wandering through the nave, admiring the workmanship -- I felt like I found something new every time I visited. I wanted to commemorate this gorgeous church, as well as my experience of living abroad, and after a long period of trial and error (and so, so much math!) the Minster Toque was born.
In August, back home from the United Kingdom and feeling craftier than ever, I dusted off my sewing machine and some stashed fabric and got to work. I hadn't sewed (other than the occasional hem-fix) for around five years! I landed on the Demeter Dress, a pattern by Anna Allen Clothing, and rekindled my love for sewing.
In October, Alex and I joined forces once again and set off to explore Knit City, the annual fibre festival held in Vancouver, BC. It was such a joy to be among so many fellow fibre enthusiasts! While perusing the stalls, we met some absolutely lovely people: Alyssa (@thelavenderpurl), Tracie and Jodi (of @grocerygirlsknit), Candace (@transitory), and the one and only Andrea Mowry (@dreareneeknits). I'm hoping this becomes a tradition for many years to come!
While not an accomplishment, I feel I do have to mention a certain acquirement which is one-hundred-percent a highlight of the year -- my yarn swift and spinner set! I spent most of 2019 hand-caking my hand-dyed skeins on a nostepinne (okay, okay, just another knitting needle) and it was killing my wrist. I'm very lucky to be able to own this set, and so, so happy every time I bring it out! (You can see it in action on Instagram!)
At the start of 2019, I was determined to make serious headway on my Goodreads Challenge, after failing miserably the year previous. I almost made it! I managed to read a whopping 34 novels (of course not including the multitude of articles assigned in my university courses), nearly hitting my 40-book goal. Below are my top books read in 2019:
Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker -- This is an absolutely gorgeous book, and written so smoothly and eloquently. Tasker offers advice on everything from camera types to editing apps, finding inspiration to engaging with others online. It's a super enjoyable read and filled to the brim with Tasker's own beautiful photos.
Shakespeare on Toast: Getting a Taste for the Bard by Ben Crystal -- Being the nerd that I am, I had already some of Crystal's work, involving Original Pronunciation productions of Shakespeare's plays, way back in high school. This year I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Crystal at the University of York, which was absolutely amazing! I picked up his book afterwards (and nervously bumbled my way through a meet-and-greet -- he was so nice!) and I'm so glad I did! Crystal teaches you to break down the Bard's plays; to understand poetic metre; and to glean, through rhyme and rhythm, all of Shakespeare's "hidden" jokes. Unpretentious, funny, and easy-to-read, I absolutely loved Shakespeare on Toast.
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence -- Considered a part of Canada's literary canon, Laurence's novel is one of those can't-put-it-down reads. It's gorgeously written, bringing together vivid imagery with complex characters, and it's definitely a book I would read again.
A Mind Spread Out on the Ground by Alicia Elliott -- Part memoir, part non-fiction, Elliott's book made me feel deeply. I was at once angry, disheartened, buoyed, and hopeful. Elliott, questioning the treatment of Indigenous peoples in North America, covers everything from intergenerational trauma to political oppression, fusing personal experience with stories, news reports, and Indigenous practices. The margins of my copy are filled with scribbles.
Obasan by Joy Kogawa -- I knew from the first sentence that I would love this book. Kogawa's writing is so fluid, with beautiful turns-of-phrase and a rhythm that keeps you reading. It's hard to be concise with this novel, so I'll just say: please, go read it.
And now for a broader overview of the past year; if you've skipped ahead to this part, welcome!
Throughout 2019, I
~ read 34 books
~ attended 2 fibre festivals
~ released 6 knitting patterns on Ravelry
~ knit 25 projects (possibly more! It was a bit hard to track as I forgot to add all of them to Ravelry -- I'll do better this coming year!) -- of which 6 were sweaters and 4 were Ripple Bralettes (I am, after all, a creature of habit...)
~ knit approximately 7,610 yards of yarn
~ sewed 6 projects (and 3 matching bandanas for my sweet doggo Kirby!)
2019 felt like such a long year! I was thrown some curveballs, but looking back and reflecting on all the amazing opportunities I had, all the creative projects I completed, and the wonderful people I was so lucky to meet and get to know, makes me feel proud of everything I accomplished. So here's to a new year (and a new decade!) full of more knitting, more friends, and more reading!
I'll be sharing my most-liked #bestnine on Instagram, as well as my creative goals for 2020, so keep an eye on my stories and feed if you're interested! And let me know (in the comments, on Instagram, etc) what your 2019 highlights were, and what you're most looking forward to in the new year!
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