New Year Knitting Progress

I am so happy that today I learned to do the Norwegian Purl!  It's going to speed up my knitting--and make it a lot less fiddly.
These socks have 4k, 1p ribbing; I'm trying to develop some proficiency in continental knitting, but I didn't have a way to make purling efficient.

Before Christmas I ordered some yarn in worsted weight to match a shawl/scarf that I already have.
Sweet Teen saw it and asked me to make a hat for her--so I knit this beret, Stella, a Ravelry free pattern.

top

 underside--inside

With that experience,  I knit myself one in  bulky yarn in my own pattern. 

 I do realize a lot of people like bulky yarn  because of how fast they can stitch things up.  I used size 8 or 9 needles for the ribbing and size 11 for the rest of the hat.  I found the thick yarn and thick needles cumbersome, and I think each stitch took me about three times as long.  That means that for me, at least, bulky yarn didn't provide much of an advantage.

One of my goals for this year is to learn knit some colorwork and textured stitches.

I'm also trying to finish these socks--and I've made some progress.  Although I like the design that separates the columns of stockinette stitch, I don't much like stitching it.

We are having a pajama day--which is nice to have when it's not enforced by a winter storm.  I did carry out the trash this morning and have done a minimal amount of housework; we're eating lovely leftovers unless I get inspired to cook.  I'm trying to get in some hours of knitting practice so that I become more proficient--which translates to wanting to be speedier!  I head back to work on Monday--although Sweet Teen doesn't return to college until the 11th.  I love, love, love these days at home!

Linking to Judy Laquidara's On the Needles report so you can go check out the progress of others.

Happy quiltmaking--and knitting,