This Year In Stitches

Before I'll take you on a summary of my 2014 I'd like to share a little preview with you. Because - for the first time in my life, I daresay! - I have made a couple of new year's resolutions. Crocheting, creating, exploring new techniques, connecting with other creatives, photographing and blogging makes me happy. So I will reorganise some things in my life which should enable me to spend more time to do these things. I really hope to pop by here more often, share more patterns, start making tutorials even. And I'd like to take more time - quality time ;-) - to say hello on all those lovely blogs out there.

Well, let's see in December 2015 if I've kept that promise... (Or threat - depending on your point of view of course, hahaha.)

This year started for me with a period of travelling (hooray!). After that it has been a hectic year, and that shows in the numbers of posts this year. Only 32, this being the 33th. The lowest number since I started blogging mid-2012. Nevertheless, there has been a steady growth in the number of visitors - and I'm thankful for each and every of your kind visits! Most visitors are from the United States, followed by the UK and The Netherlands.

Okay, time for a chronological recap of some my favourite projects of last year. Below each (set of) photograph(s) you'll find the link that brings you to the original post.

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I made this sample for a blanket in Thailand. I decided it was not a suitable project while travelling: too much weaving in, too many colour changes, all in all too fiddly. Nevertheless: I really like it, so I would still love to make a blanket with this pattern someday. The sample lives its life as a doily now.


Click here for the original post.

So I decided on another, less fiddly project: conveniently called my Travel Blanket. Easy and portable. Loved every minute making of it. When I see it now I remember all the places where I sat crocheting the squares: under a tree near a temple, on a terrace overlooking the Mekong, in one of my favourite vegetarian restaurants while enjoying a coconut smoothie, in an old, traditional wooden house... And piecing it together on my small terrace overlooking the mountains... Memories I'll hope to treasure for always.



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Okay, so these are not stitches, but a glimpse of two pieces that inspired me while in Thailand - and still continue to inspire me. Although different from each other, I love the compositions and colours combinations in both.



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And while travelling I took you with me on something of a queest to good local yarn... I still remember how deep blue my fingers were when I worked with this indigo hemp yarn. ;-)

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I loved how you'll see crochet everywhere in Thailand. This shop was a lovely example...
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Of course there were doilies this year...

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Back home I was happy with my new rug. Basically a blow-up version of a doily.
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And although we had a lovely spring I couldn't resist making these mittens from a Japanese crochet book.

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More Japanese influences... I made a post inspired by Japanese styling. (I can't help it but I l-o-v-e this bunny.)



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I realised my biggest granny square so far! It measures 2.5 x 2.5 meter. Started as a stash busting project, but - as the rounds grew bigger and bigger - I ended up (of course...) getting new yarn. Love how comfortable this blanket turned out.

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Moments like this were far too few this year...
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There were more pastels. Like the three hangers I made for Mollie Makes!

Another pastel doily...

And you could see me in action... Well, sort of.

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More doilies... I took this pattern from one of the many Japanese crochet books I bought in Thailand.

Same pattern, different yarn...

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Pom poms take over the world - to begin with my craft room. And do you spot the doilies in the background? ;-)

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After that colour explosion I needed to get the balance right with an 'All Natural' post - which had actually an interesting follow up. I'll go into that in a whole new post soon... *teaser alert*

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When I was too occupied otherwise to finish a crocheted project, I popped by here to share my happy stack of blankets.

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But then - hooray! unbelievable! trumpets please! - I actually began and finished a project. I'm in love with this cape, the pattern - again - is from a Japanese crochet book. In the original post you'll find the information about that book. It's definitely a cape that attracts attention when you wear it. I'm especially happy with how I tweaked the pattern by crocheting the neck cowl, in stead of knitting it (which the original pattern calls for).



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I'm not proud to say that since I became a crocheter, I became a hoarder as well. Yarn and hooks. Do I need to say more? (I'll actually do a post or two about that in the next year...) This autumn, in my insatiable hunger for new crochet tools, I came across the handmade wooden crochet hooks by Henk: www.houtenhaaknaalden.nl. So of course I had to order a hook. ;-) He made me this gorgeous hook for me from an old bench (recycled, I like that!). I haven't used it a lot yet, because I've been working on projects that required another size, but I will definitely use it more often in the future. I'll write more about it next year. For now I'll say that he has many more types of hooks and he can make them fitted to your hand. (This is not a commercial, I'm just enthusiastic about such a beautiful craft!)

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Meanwhile my Travel Blanket found itself a spot in our house.

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Early this month I shared my Fifties Cowl with you and was swept away by your kind comments. In a second post I wrote down the pattern.

Click here for the original, picture heavy post.
Click here for the pattern.

Looking back, I think my year could quite accurately be summarized as Year Of The Works-in-Progress. (I omitted the wips and several other projects from this summary.) Quite a few of them still unfinished...Mmm, I feel another resolution coming up, haha.

I would like to end this post with expressing my sincere happiness with your visits, kind comments, inspiration and support. The online craft community it just wonderful.

Thanks for everything and I wish you a happy, creative, inspirational 2015!
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