Knitting Update and Personal Challenges

Since summer is typically for planning the coming year (in school terms at least); I decided to set aside some time to determine what I want to challenge myself with this year. Part of this is because of a group I belong to on Ravelry called Sock Knitters Anonymous (SKA) which focuses on challenging yourself and broadening your horizons through sock-knitting. However, I'm expanding this out to all knitting challenges since I like to knit other things as well.

But first, an Update! Having languished in a box for years, and sat sad and confused in a closet, I'm happy to say that I finally rediscovered my Soliel shell sweater. The poor thing has been a work in progress since May 2006. It is almost complete. I've learned a valuable lesson from this: row upon row of stocking stitch is boring. On the plus side, I'm truly happy to see this near completion, and hope that I'll have it done by my birthday. This isn't the first time I've said this. This time, I mean it!

On to knitting challenges:
So what do I want to challenge myself with this year? Colorwork? Lace? Another sweater project? Yes!

Hopeful Knits list:

1. Lace wrap/stole. I've been fascinated by lace recently. I'm not very good at it though. This year, I want to try at least a lace wrap or maybe a scarf to start with. I know I want to knit a lace scarf for my mom in true laceweight yarn. I need to start this soon to have it done by Christmas.
2. Colorwork. Colorwork scares me. More than lace. Just the thought of playing with more than one strand of yarn at a time is enough to make me pause and truly decide if I want to knit the item. However, I've been wanting to make this really cute vest. I have the yarn, I have the pattern, I just need to give it a shot.
3. Cables. I have some bulky weight yarn that is just begging to big some big cozy oversized sweater that you snuggle into when temp dips to low. Considering how cold it got this past winter, this is getting moved up the queue!

So there are the knitting hopes for this year! Here's hoping for some finished projects!