I am going to be focusing on color work and steeking.

For example the Setesdal Sweater and other Norwegian designs.

I want to try a Fair Isle vest or sweater as well.

I might as well toss in some Selbu Mittens once I get this Latvian mitten off my needles.

Anyone else trying to learn or improve a (some) skill(s) or technique(s) this year?

Gee whiz, Nancy, it looks like no one is trying anything new! Everyone who reads the Master's thread knows that Argyle is on my "to do" list.

Well, I've been working on level 3, which means I've undertaken entrelac, intarsia, fair isle, mosaic, slip-stitch, and bavarian traveling stitches. After that, I'm just not feeling all that adventurous.:-) Besides, when level 3 is done (I'm ripping out the sweater again!! Arrghh!) I'm probably going to concentrate on my spinning, which has been a little neglected this winter.

I would like to learn to knit with my toes.

I've been learning to make my own yarn: spinning on a handspindle. (Wheels do not interest me at the moment.)

It's like knitting in the sense that getting started is very easy. All you need to learn is to insert twist into a handful of fluff and draw it out into yarn. But getting good at it can take a lifetime of learning.

It's also like knitting in that you can either use the simplest equipment -- a spindle made from a CD and a dowel and bobbins made from toilet paper cores -- or get caught up in buying wonderfully-crafted tools by woodworkers like journeywheel.com and goldingfibertool.com

It's different from knitting in that it involves more muscle memory and less thinking. So I find that spinning relaxes my brain more than knitting after a hard day, but the repetitive motions of knitting relax my body. Nice combination. My current objective is to spin a big bag of black-and-white fleece from a Shetland sheep named Francis into enough DK yarn for a vest.

I was wondering if we had all learned what we needed to learn or had given up on learning! Glad to see some of us are admitting we have something still to learn.

Interesting new learning going on out there.

Dance please let us know when you get toe knitting mastered!

This is the year I will learn to incorporate beads in my knitting projects.

I don't know if any of this is 'new', but I do have some plans for the coming year.

1. I plan to knit my son a thickly-cabled vest. That's the easy part, then I will have to sew a divided zipper in all the way down the front. I have sewn a zipper into a baby sleeper, but that was 20+ years ago, so I think I will have some 're-learning' to do for this project.

2. I am doing some beadwork also, I have made a couple and plan to make more intricated beaded evening bags that will hopefully sell at the upcoming Farmer's Market.

3. I am planning to re-make/downsize my halter top for sale as well at the same Market.

4. I am debating attempting to knit/crochet a swimsuit or bikini. This will definitely be new as I have never possessed the figure or interest to do this for myself, but I believe some of the young college crowd may go for it.

As far as knitting with my toes, I would love to invent some way to hook wires/rods from my knitting hands to a second pair of artificial hands so that they exactly mimic my every movement. In this way I would be able to get two sweaters knit at the same time. I have been dreaming of this for a long time so it isn't a 'new' idea, but maybe this will be the year I finally perfect and patent it!!!

This year I'm going to make an argyle vest, designing it pretty much on my own. Haven't got the materials yet for it, but I'm getting there. This will be my first Intarsia project. I also have an idea for a double-knit hooded scarf (basically two scarves knit together at the ends and sewn down the middle to make it hooded), and a ribbed sweater.

By the way, if any of you could help me with the sweater, I'd really appreciate it!

I am new to some knitting terms: what is steeking?

BaaBaa, I find spinning on a wheel provides both types of relaxation. It's very "zen." (I didn't work with a spindle for long--just long enough to get hooked on spinning and exasperated by the spindling process--so it may be different for those with more expertise.)

Steeking is generally a feature of stranded-color knitting (fair isle, norwegian) where you knit a tube in the round and then cut armholes in the tube. The steeks are extra stitches you work across the armholes while you're knitting the tube; you then cut through the middle stitches of the extra and fold back the steek as a facing. Steeks can be reinforced or unreinforced. If you're interested in the technique, Eunny Jang has a several-part article on it; just google steeking +jang.

thanks

The improvement on steeking is called "fully-fashioned" which superceeded steeking even before I was born.

Those who have read this forum for a number of years know that I a committed anti-steeker. Of course I tried once it gagainst my grandmother's good advice when I was a youngster, but I have seen more tears and upsets over steeking than any other out-moded aspect of the craft.

Out-moded because spinners and manufacturers these days can make a whole ball of yarn without joins. These yarns are longlasting, and can be recycled at a later date assuming you have not chopped it into useless 4-yard lengths. Out-moded because pattern-writing and communication skills have developed so that instructions for fully-fashioned pieces can be stored and retrieved easily.

I know there are men [not me I hasten to add] who lament the passing of ladies' stockings with seams up the calves, but most women soon preferred fully fashioned hose. One method of manufacture disappeared, and an improvement took over. That is the way with crafts.

There we are! That's off my chest again!

Best wishes, John

For anyone who is new here . . . you will all get to know John and he has wonderful advice. I knew he would respond with his anti-steeking message! :-)

Do listen to him as his knitting is wonderful and I have lace book marker from him. I was lucky to get a piece from a knitting exchange.