When I think back to a year ago, I remember quite distinctly wanting to take things a bit slower. In all honesty I believe that I have taken my foot slightly off the crafting peddle. This wonderful little haven of yarn and nonsense is really only just a slice of my/our lives. There are other slightly more serious things in the background and they deserve and need concentration. However, I do so love to drop in to this space, to make, share and discuss.
Let’s talk about highlights. The publishing of my book ‘How to Crochet’ was pretty fabulous. I am very happy with how it turned out and I am so glad that the publishers let me have my voice within the text, so it feels very much my book. I was also really glad that I had some projects published in the Dorling Kindersley book Crochet.
Other highlights included:
My lecture at Manchester Art Gallery on Crochet
The publishing of the Gawthorpe Hall patterns
Book-signings and appearances at various yarn shops
The Mystery scarf for Inside Crochet magazine
These are all great fun things and they are probably marked by being a unique opportunity, but held in equal weight are the little projects of love made for my nearest and dearest. The ‘ugly’ blanket made for Little B, the Elsa and Anna Frozen hats and the chocolate orange cosies made for Christmas. I don’t make things to sell, mostly I like to design new patterns. Right at the very foundation of the ‘making’ is the joy of weaving love and prayers into the gift – that never goes away – I just get more discerning about who I make for.
So what for next year? Well there are a few designs and projects in the pipeline that I am excited about. I know, I know I can’t tell you about those things, but they are very pretty and very cute…
I will continue to record each project I make. I did this last year, a year which I thought would be the height of my productivity, but actually this year I made about 20 more items and the total number of things made crept into a 3 figure number…that is just silly.
I expect that I will make fewer things for magazines this year. I don’t have a book in progress, but I do have an idea for one. I want to do more gardening and more cooking. When I design I would like to take more time in the development stage, rushing is where stress is found. Most of all I would like to stay faithful to my little blog. I have ventured into more social media this year, but as most bloggers can testify, social media can dilute your time and ideas. So I think I might like to stay faithful to my blog spot and my joyful blog readers.
Whatever your goals and dreams are for 2015, I hope you have the time, inspiration and peace to fulfil them. Happy New Year.
Beautiful!!!