Greetings dear Unravelers! We have arrived at the very last Unraveled post of 2024!
Winter is a season of recovery and preparation. — Paul Theroux
Welcome to my 2024 Knitting Making Review… and yes, that quote is perfect for remembering what I made this year and for doing some preparation for how I want to go next year.
I had some significant failures in my knitting this year… particularly Sweater Failure… not once, but twice. This has made me “knit-shy” when I contemplate trying to knit another sweater. At least I learned to stop with the second sweater failure rather than completely forging ahead and getting further along in the process… but knitting failure is not enjoyable at any stage of knitting. And yet… there must be a spark of Sweater Hope inside me because I have not been able to stop thinking about this sweater. I even bought the yarn to make it… but I can’t even bring myself to begin the swatching process. I think a bit more recovery time is needed… and I have a bit of penance to complete with the two sweaters awaiting “frogging” … sigh. But I feel this is a necessity because those yarns deserve to become something wearable!
But I did have some successes… 2024 was the year of socks for me and although I lost my “sock steam” with the arrival of a new puppy, I did manage to add 8 pairs of socks to our house! This is the most socks I have ever knit in a year and I really enjoyed having a “sock in process” it made it easy at the end of the day to have a project that did not require much thinking, just familiar knitting… round and round and round. In other words, a habit I need to get back to!
Of course, I knit more Gnomes this year! I even knit a couple of Gnome Trees to perk up the Gnome House for The Gnome Season of Love (FYI this is much longer than a day in February… Gnomes think love is the most important thing ever and celebrate the Season of Love year around!) I close out the year with five new gnomes for The Great Blue Cupboard and two that will hold space on the mantle, and one that is in process… slowly becoming. The Mantel Duo… have become my favorites despite not caring for Gnock (the mystery gnome) much at all when he was in process. However, since his finish he has very much grown on me! He is the OIG (the Original Introvert Gnome) and he much prefers his own company to any others, but he has found joy in quiet evenings reading a cozy mystery out loud as he smokes his pipe. Gnock has a ready audience with Gnelson (the marled gnome) who having spent the day fishing is happy to just sit quietly, listening to Gnock read. Gnelson savors the sweet smell of cherry tobacco as it burns slowly from Gnock’s pipe! Although he occasionally does drift off as he thinks about the fish that got away, he mostly is attentive! I have hopes to make him a worthy fishing creel and soon. But I love his chop stick turned fishing pole! I think he also needs a couple of “flies” tucked in the knots at the top of his cap! And there are months of inspiration in Sarah Schirra’s book, The Gnomes of Grimblewood… and while I have not “jumped” on the bandwagon for another Year of Gnomes, I will absolutely be knitting more because Steve’s mom has asked if she could grow her collection…
I knit with handspun yarn… not once but four times! A pair of socks (which have not held up well and have had heel repairs x2… sigh), two Honey Cowl’s – which I wear on the regular, and a sweater for Frankie! I would like to think that I will do more spinning in 2025, but I am not sure I will follow through on that… at least for the time being spinning is on the shelf.
I knit a Christmas gift with a brand new yarn. (No images of this gift until after Christmas… but the yarn is one of the nicest yarns! I even have some inspiration for another project using this yarn and what fantastic inspiration it is!)

What do you mean, it’s time to get in bed… I am in bed!
Speaking of Frankie… I knit him a starter sweater, which he rapidly outgrew…but looking at how little he was when he came here is just too funny. He has rapidly outgrown his puppy shyness and his personality is just so fun to watch develop. My favorite time of the day is when he “asks to snuggle” in the morning and “whispers” softly in my cheek. He owns my heart and I am just so happy he came to live with us.

Carole asked how big Frankie is getting… 24″ IKEA pillow for scale… Frankie is about 18″ long from his nose to his backside, tail not included! Haha!
Stitching was a big part of my year again… and it will remain so in 2025. I absolutely love my daily stitching and I have found a way to work it in around Frankie’s puppy busy-ness! I am doing something different this year, I am following Karen Turner’s suggestion this year of a whole-cloth versus 12 individual pieces… and I am excited to get the year “set up”… the tracing will begin soon and likely will happen in spurts between now and the new year!
I also am keeping my membership with Ann Wood’s stitchy group. She is leading another 100 Day Stitching project, which was truly the best thing I made all year! I am excited to begin another 100 day book… especially with the things I learned while doing the last one! (and yes, I still have my Fall book to finish… which will happen, I promise!)
I took advantage of an online class in 2024… and I plan to keep utilizing online classes as an inspiration in 2025. The class I took with Cecelia Campochiaro was the best knitting class I have ever taken… hands down. I think her genius of color theory paired with a simply repeating pattern sequence to be the thing that made me realize that sometimes, simple is best (Fail Sweaters, I am looking directly at you!) I did not get my scarf completed, but I am well past the half way point and I think with some focused time this winter, I could have it done in time for spring!
One thing I miss… desperately… is painting and I need to get back to it… I just need to figure out how it can work in my day. I am hopeful that once wee Frankie has the “snip” he will calm down a bit… right now he has energy – on steroids! HA! There is no middle for him right now, he is either sleeping or going full speed! It makes painting impossible right now. But, my hope is that in the first quarter of next year, I find a way to ease painting back in!
Now for a bit of housekeeping, there will not be an Unraveled Wednesday next week… but I wish you all the happiest holiday… whatever you celebrate! There will be a New Year’s Day Unraveled and, if you want to join me, I will be sharing my 2024 Reading… and it was a very good year!
As always, if you have a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
Oh look at the size of those feet, Gnock is a very fine gnome with a very sturdy looking body and the most fantabulous hat. His maker should be proud of the fact he is ‘one of a kind’.
This is a great post Kat, setting out your thoughts on your year of making. I’ve never done that, maybe I should look back and consider whether I used my time to my advantage. But I’m very much an impulsive knitter, who just turns to something else if the ‘making’ is not going the way I want
Thanks for hosting, sharing your thoughts and hopes….providing a little inspiration for others who wonder if they are able to tackle different crafts and how they would feel if things didn’t go the way they thought they should. I try to get the word out to others (bloggers) but it seems they’re too shy to share elsewhere
What a year Kat! It sounds so full (especially with Franklin!) and also fun. Despite your sweater “issues” you accomplished so much! I’ll be curious to see your skirt in Jane and I love the sweater pattern you have chosen to try next (what color yarn?). I’m happy to hear you will be continuing to stitch (daily) and also make more Gnomes!! Thank you so much for hosting Unraveled Wednesday – it is such a wonderful gathering place!
I predict that in the year to come, you will find more time available to you for crafting and creating as Frankie matures and has more downtime. I also hope you will not give up on sweater knitting! Your gnomes always inspire me, so I am glad to hear that there will be more of them — and more stitching! I’d like to get out my needles and thread more next year.
Thank you for hosting our link-up for another year — it’s my favorite blogging day!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable review post, Kat! You have had a great making year, and the sweater glitches have taught you some things for the future. I also love that Bolin cardigan, especially Kay’s with the gorgeous cable down the sleeve. My favorites are The Mantel Duo. They may inspire me to knit a gnome of my own in 2025, and also try to add the delightful and detailed personality like you do so well. You’ve had a wonderful year of making and I hope 2025 is full of more knitting and stitching (and maybe even painting) enjoyment. Thank you for your Unraveled Wednesday hosting; I look forward to this wonderful group every week and really appreciate it!
What a great review, Kat. You had great success with your making – from my vantage point, at least. Even if those sweaters didn’t work out the way you’d hoped, it doesn’t mean they were “failures.” You probably enjoyed the stitching while it was happening, and I’ll bet you learned a few things along the way. I think you’d be wise to embrace ALL of your stitching – even the “failures.” (Making things . . . should not be “judged.” We are not in 4-H.) (I remind myself of that all the time.) Personally, I can’t wait to see your stitching project for 2025! It sounds EPIC. XO
And one more thing . . . Thank you for hosting these weekly Unraveled posts. What a wonderful thing you offer to strengthen the bond of this great knitting and making community! XO
Wow, the last one of the year already??? What a great year you’ve had (including failures… we learn from those, right?), and FRANKLIN! Gosh, he steals the whole show. 😉
I have just followed the link to Karen Turner. Oh my! her landscape course looks to be just what I need to get started again on creative embroidery. Thank you so much. And I may have to buy the gnome book- after all it is Christmas! And happy one to you and the family, and big thank you for hosting this link up.
Frankie! These are the most darling puppy faces EVER!
I always admire your making, in all its ways. What bowls me over, though, is your sheer volume of gnomes. Your focus and creativity are so inspiring–and the collection has brought so many smiles to your readers since its inception!
Wishing you and yours the veriest merriest. (Really can’t believe it’s one week from today?!?)
I think reviewing of this sort is really important. You’re taking stock about what worked and what didn’t, what brought you joy and what frustrated you, and what you want more of for next year. Thanks for the details on Frankie, he sure is a cutie!
Love the Gnomes. I have yarn sets for a bunch of them and really need to organize them with their pattern match.
I enjoy your unraveled Wednesday especially as I haven’t been knitting a lot at all this year.
The pup is such a cutie!
Have a great Holiday!
My year of knitting was a mixed bag, I purposefully knitted less so as to avoid hand pain and succeeded. I also am drawn to simple knitting more so now than ever, who knows why but that is the season I am in. Also, I am into hat knitting!! Love seeing F a joy to behold.
I do love your gnomes and the stories that go with them. Sweater knitting is such a mixed bag – some hits and some misses. I enjoyed your review of your “making” this year. I so admire you for trying some new things and taking classes.