Taking stock of 2018, the year of many changes

Jan 25

Jan 25 Taking stock of 2018, the year of many changes

Was 2018 a success? While we were in the middle of it my answer would be a resounding no. But now, looking back and reflecting on it it was not the lost year we felt it was. Many, many things happened even as we felt like it all stood still. In this post I’m trying to reflect a little on the year past, in life and knits.

All the changes

At the end of 2017 I had quit my job in Barcelona and we had made the decicion to move to Norway. And at the end of March 2018 we went. Loaded up a truck, got on an airplane and went for it. Making up our minds to go was one thing, and it was not easy nor done lightly, but that we had actually moved the full weight of it started to settle down on us. We had of course tried to curb our expectations knowing full well it would be really hard to start again in a new place - but no matter how hard you know it will be nothing can prepare you feeling the real thing.

This past year has been so full of f***ing emotions I think there shouldn’t be any more left in me. I’ve been riding the roller coaster trying not to be freaking out all the time, and by the end of the year I had landed a job (albeit only a year-long contract) and we have bought a house in the exact spot by the fjord we imagined ourselves living. Objectively speaking not at all a bad year. Just an exhausting one!

The best knits

So, onto the knitting year! Ravelry tells me I finished a total of 16 projects, and seeing this makes me feel less like a failiure for not completing my make nine challenge of 2018 (I only completed one!). I mostly made things for myself, but did make time for some gifts for very well deserving people too. To knit things that I found enjoyble was very important this year, and I managed to complete several long languishing UFO’s during my unemployed spring/ summer.

Favourite knits of the year

Cast on May 18th and finished June 3rd. This pullover has been used a lot and I’m thrilled about the fit, how the fabric feels, how it keeps me warm (obviously) and other people seem to like it as well. I keep getting appreciative comments on it from random people whenever i venture out into the world. My version is knit up in Hillesvåg Sol lambswool in “Charcoal” for the main colour and Hillesvåg Tinde peltwool in their “Lime” colourway for the contrast colour yoke. Go check out all details and link to the pattern on my Ravelry project page.

Such a fun knit. It is one of those really fast, pretty and wearable knits that I am planning to make a second long-sleeved version of it at some point. Just so I can use it all through winter as well. This was an impulsive cast on and took me 10 days from start to finish. I had been planning the Humulus pullover, bought the yarn (Hillesvåg Tinde pelt wool, because of course), realised there was not as much contrast with the green as I would have liked for that pattern.. and as I was grumpily browsing Ravelry I came across this Caitlin Hunter pattern. Love at first glance, and the glow of the pelt wool really works well with the lace yoke and reverse stockinette texture. Gives it a nice lustre and rustic feel. I’ve dubbed this version “Blakken” which is a very common name given to a norwegian farm’s work horse - thought it fitting both pattern and yarn choice.

Hanging on by a thread

Knitting of course has been a lifeline for me and my mental well being, and all that time I was (and still am) worrying about our future, work prospects, money and general family happiness I grasped my neeldes and tried as well as I could to channel my excess emotion through that thread. I did knit quite a lot.

The inspirations and good feels gotten from watching brilliant knitting podcasts (I never knew there were so many!) motivated me to try and to do my own podcast and this blog. Podcast might have fallen a bit to the wayside after starting a full-time job and kicking of a house renovation project, but it’s there and I fully intent to continue. Meanwhile I do feel that writing blog posts might be a bit more managable so I will do that more and se how it develops.