Newfie Hat & A Proclamation

I told you I was casting on asap!  Every night I knit what seems like a thousand rows, and I have about half a hat so far.  It's going to be a warm hat.  That I know.   I pray that 220 yards of wool will be enough.

I've been thinking of a project to work on this year, and given that we are now a month in, I have procrastinated the sufficient amount that is just my style.   I am going to knit 12 Elizabeth Zimmermann patterns.  Although it works out to be one a month, some patterns might only take a few days tops; whereas, a sweater is going to keep me busy for longer than a month, so it should even out quite nicely.  I am not going to make this a tricky project for I am lazy, and I truly believe it's cruel to set up anyone for failure - with me being at the top of the list.   That being said, I am also up for trying lots of new techniques however ugly this might get.  I stayed up late last night thinking of my 12 projects, and I have a list, but I have not yet determined the exact pattern for each project.

• Baby Surprise Jacket (this should be no surprise - it's her most famous pattern)
• Child Tomten Modular Jacket - for the Bumblebee
• Seamless Yoke Sweater
• Last Minute Sweater
• Nether Garments (I never thought I'd consider these in a million years, but yeah . . . )
• Mittens
• A Shawl
• A Blanket
• Something Aran
• Seamless Hybrid
• Heart Elbow Patch/Hat
• A Vest

Rules or what I prefer to call "Best Practices"

•  Knit from the stash.  EZ makes it hard for you to make up excuse not to knit from the stash 'cause she writes the majority of her patterns to work with any weight.  Dang it.
•  Must knit twelve PATTERNS, not projects - meaning I can knit the same pattern twelve times and call it a day.  No repeaties!
• At least one pattern must include steeking.
• At least one pattern must include gads of fairisle.
• Must knit gauge swatches. (I'm going to be honest.  This one is going to be the hardest rule to abide.)
• Must finish by December 31, 2010.
• Completely allowable to knit patterns, I've previously knit.  This could be the lifesaver.  These patterns include the February Baby Sweater, the Practice Fairisle Hat, the 36-Stitch Mittens, the Ganomy Hat, and the Christmas Fiddle Faddle.
• Must blog my evidence that I am indeed making progress on "the project".

I may have wrangled Kat to join along (I gave her some pills), but I would welcome more company in what I believe could only be a barrel of fun.  Anyone else in?

N