Goodbye 2018

What a year it has been! I would like to first and foremost say a big THANK YOU to all of you for following me throughout 2018. It is seeing the creations that you make from my designs what makes me want to keep on coming up with new ones, aside from my brain not really stopping with all the possibilities that could be turned into crochet.

Let’s go back to the start of the year (it’s ok, I’ll do a quick wrap-up of it) to where I decided designing a flower every day for a whole year would be fun… and also overwhelming, time consuming and in the end be too much for one person lol. BUT the crochet community came together and formed ‘The Crochet Hook Up’ where flowers are designed and published by the lovely people in the group. One of my all time favourite photos of the flowers is by Charlotta Wadman from In the Yarn Garden. 

After handing the reigns over (which was quite a relief, after 93 designs, it was time lol), the next pattern I designed (well, that I could share at the time) was Jane’s Love! I wanted to do something for Jane, to show her we supported, cared and loved her and wanting to help her get her special chair that would help her in her everyday life. The response was amazing. And seeing everyone buy the pattern (all monies raised go directly to Jane) just blew my mind. The beautiful colours, the overall finished pieces and the love from the crochet community was and still is AMAZING. Here is a link to the hashtag on Instagram. The creativity of all of you fills my heart. And if you’d like to help support Jane still, click the link here to the Love Crochet website where it is sold.

One of the most monumental things this year has definitely been being asked to teach on a crochet cruise! Crochet cruise? What! So people actually go on a big ship and crochet all day? YEP pretty much lol. Cruise Express offers these amazing packages and they are beyond anything you can imagine. 5 star cruising on a 5 star ship and I’ve been asked to do it again next year, this time to Hobart and New Zealand. If you’d like to come onboard and meet new friends, crochet with 5 star yarns, and make 5 star designs, eat the most yummy food, relax by the pool, visit New Zealand during the specially arranged tours (YARNY tours) then click the link to head to Cruise Express and find out more.

Another first for the year was designing a pattern for Crate Crochet in May. Whispers of Serenity was/is a two-in-one pattern where you can make the small or large size mandala. People have asked me “What do you do with them?” Well I usually attach them to a ring and hang them on my wall or use them as centrepiece or something similar. You could even make a cushion from it 🙂

I’m not going to mention every single design I made this year (that’s what Instagram is for lol) but one of my favourite ones from this year would have to be my Elysian Shawl and Shawlette. Both made from Stylecraft Yarns in Batik, they have such a beautiful soft drape and feel divine. I went out of my usual green/blue comfort zone (although the photo above of my mandala says otherwise) lol and used pinks/reds etc for the shawlette and kinda fell in love with it (yes you can love material things, especially when they are crochet or crocheted).

Another wonderful thing happened this year. I was asked to become and brand ambassador for Nurturing Fibres. The most beautiful naturally hand dyed yarn from South Africa. Not only does it look and feel absolutely divine, but it smells lovely too. I designed a free pattern called Nurturing Octagons with Eco-Cotton. With such a large colour range, you’ll have a hard time choosing which ones to use.

Oooh almost there hahah. There are designs that I made this year that I still haven’t written up the patterns for….looks like next year is already starting with a ‘finish-list’ heheh whoopsie.

The latest design that I have actually released is the Salutations Mandala. The perfect piece for using up your cotton or cotton/blend stash (or just an excuse to buy more really). This pattern was one of patterns I designed for the crochet cruise. An overlay pattern full of texture and colour.

I’m just about finished. I love looking more a photos than reading all the gobbly-de-goop stuff. So how about I wrap it up using photos and their captions…. sounds good to me! BUT it doesn’t mean it’s not as good as all the other stuff that has happened this year! Just easier to read sometimes.

So I’m going to finish this wrap up with one pattern that I know is going to be released next year! My next and new Crochet Along (CAL). I have loved this from day one and know you will too. I’m working on yarn packs with Stylecraft which will be available in a couple of different colourways and yarns. I’m super excited about this and cannot wait to share with you the finished piece.