I thought it would be fun to take a look back at everything I knit in 2020 and highlight my favorite projects. I’ve chosen my top five favorite projects that I knit this year and written a bit about each. Let’s dive in! ✨
You can click here to check out everything I finished in 2020 on Ravelry if you are so inclined.
#5: My Little Secret Crop
First up, coming in at the number five spot, we have My Little Secret Crop!
This was originally a mystery knit-along hosted by Jessie Mae of Jessie Maed Designs back in March. When I first cast on for this top, all I knew was that it was going to be a knitted crop top. There were no finished photos of this top available anywhere.
I used a single-ply wool/silk/mohair blend yarn that my partner bought for me on vacation in South Africa a couple years ago. It is soft and breathable, even on hot days.
I got a ton of wear out of this knit crop top this summer. I wore it for yoga classes, to pole dance, and just out and about! It’s really cute layered under things, or worn on its own. Since it has a low back, it’s also great for showing off fun bras that are meant to be seen.
The wide ribbing gives this knit crop top an excellent figure-hugging fit. It would be really easy to knit it longer to turn it into a tank top if you wanted, but I love it as a crop top.
Here is my project page for this on Ravelry. The pattern is available for purchase from Jessie Mae on Ravelry at this link.
#4: Soda Pop Top
My fourth-favorite knit of the year is my orange Soda Pop Top. This is a knitted cropped tee in fingering weight yarn, worked flat and seamed. It is inspired by 1950s sweater tops and it has bust darts for a killer fit.
You can view my project page for this one here on Ravelry. I actually designed this crop top myself and you can click here to purchase the pattern on my website, or click here to purchse it through Ravelry.
#3: Floof
Taking the bronze medal 🥉 for my favorite knits of 2020 is Floof by Skeindeer Knits!
Since finishing it in March, I have definitely worn Floof the most of any of my pullovers. This slightly-cropped knitted pullover is just so cozy with its fluffy mohair halo. I also love the fit of the faux set-in sleeves. The pattern has you construct them seamlessly using the top-down contiguous method.
This one also has some great memories knitted into it. I used La Bien Aimée Cashmerino and Mohair Silk that I bought on vacation in Paris in January 2020 (during the same trip as when I bought yarn for Smush). I actually hand-wound the first skeins of yarn on the back of a chair in my Paris Airbnb so I could cast it on during my trip.
Have you ever hand-wound lace weight mohair? Not fun! But worth it.
Back then, I had no idea Paris would be my last trip for a very long time due to the COVID pandemic. Now, whenever I wear this sweater, I think back to when things were “normal” and I can recall happy memories. 😊
You can click here to see more details about my project on Ravelry, or here to purchase the pattern from the Skeindeer Knits Ravelry shop.
#2: Handspun Socks
Any pair of handspun, handknit socks is going to be high up there on my list of favorite knits of all time. These socks are no exception as my second-favorite knit for all of 2020.
They started their lives as unspun fiber on June 27th and were socks by August!
I spun this gorgeous BFL combed top fiber by Greenwood Fiberworks, which I had bought on vacation in Moab, Utah in 2019. (Have you noticed that many of my favorite knits use souvenir yarn or fiber? I love it!)
I spun a three-ply opposing-ply sock yarn. That means one of the three strands that make up the yarn goes in the opposite direction of the other two, providing extra strength and elasticity.
I spun it all on drop spindles, but I did end up plying on my electric wheel (instead of on another spindle) to save a bit of time. In the end, I had 440 yards (402 meters) of 115 grams of yarn. Just about ideal for socks, if you ask me!
I had such a blast knitting these socks. They went so quickly that they practically knit themselves.
I used my Sock Pattern Generator for the cuff down heel flap and gusset pattern.
Here are the finished pair! I love them so much. After writing this, I’m feeling inspired to get a move on with my next sock spin so I can make more handspun socks. 🥰
Here is my Ravelry project page for the yarn, where you can find several more pictures of the spinning process. Or click here for my Ravelry project page for the socks themselves.
#1: Queen of Snakes
My number one most favorite knit of 2020 is my Queen of Snakes socks. 🤩
I knit these from a sock pattern I designed over the summer. It’s no secret that I love to pole dance and this pattern was inspired by one of my favorite dancers and her slinky style.
These cuff down socks feature a picot hem, undulating lace, beads, and a heel flap. I love the contrast of the gold against the sparkly purple yarn I chose.
Since I knit these over the summer, they didn’t get much wear right away. However, now that we are well into wooly sock season, these have been one of my go-to pairs.
I’m glad that I’m working from home these days so I don’t have to hide them in shoes when I wear them. I really like to look at them, okay? 😂
If you want to make your own Queen of Snakes socks, the pattern is available to purchase here on my website, or here on Ravelry. You can click here to check out my project page for these on Ravelry.
Conclusion
What were your favorite knits of 2020? Did you knit any of these projects this year? Let me know in the comments, or reach out on Instagram @arbortwist. ❤️ I would love to hear from you!