It is time once again to make a few ambitious goals for the new year. First, a review of my 2016 resolutions
“Go through all 21 patterns…” was an insane resolution. there was no way I was getting through even one of them. That book is a little intimidating, so I will adjust my resolution to learning five new patterns from the book, Crochet to Calm. This book was a gift for Christmas and the projects are small, simple, and colorful.
“Take one class…” should have been an easy task. I found a lot of the classes offered take place during work hours. Very recently, I walked into a Michaels craft store and found they offer some classes on Monday evenings. That being said, this resolution will stay on the table!
“Open up an Etsy store…” is actually in progress. Although I didn’t make any sales online, I did sell my products through close networks. I am currently tweaking patterns and adding a personal touch. I am hoping to have all the kinks smoothed out so my Etsy shop has a smooth launch.
“Post … once a week” simply didn’t happen. I don’t think I gave myself a realistic goal given my time constraints. Going into 2017, I will post once a month.
A quick review:
- Learn 5 new patterns from Crochet to Calm.
- Take one class.
- Open the Etsy store.
- Blog once a month.
Let’s be honest, I didn’t technically complete any of my resolutions. After reflecting on them, I am still confident that I am making progress. I am very excited to start creating, learning, and selling more in 2017. Thank you to everyone who supported me last year.
My find wasn’t nearly as famous, but still was very much worth the trip. I wanted to find a local yarn shop, and that’s exactly what I did. I wish I had taken more pictures of the store, but I was so preoccupied by the yarn. As I walked in, I was greeted by the shop owner, Kelly Sadler, and there were a couple ladies there working on their own projects. I felt she knew I was from out of town based on my Packer jersey, so we chatted for a little bit and she showed me around.
This yarn shop provided me with a lot of good conversation, ideas, and of course yarn! When I return to the area, I am bound to visit them again. I need to find some great projects to use the yarn before I head back. If you have any ideas, please leave them in the comments.
As I mentioned in my last post, I got a crochet book for Christmas with new techniques and stitches. There are 21 patterns in the book to apply skills to, some of them aren’t really up my alley and I might skip over them, but the first one is interesting.
Long time, no see! With the holidays and a recent vacation, I’ve definitely fallen behind on crochet projects and the blog. I made a mad dash to finish my first afghan and two sets of washcloths which all had to be done for Christmas. Since then, I’ve only started a set of fingerless gloves and that’s about it. This week for the blog, I decided to reflect on the holidays and make new goals for the year. For Christmas, I got a few things that I can’t wait to use. Mom gave me a full set of Boyce hooks so I no longer have to run out and buy hooks for new projects (unless it’s something crazy obscure). I also won’t have to mark my stitches with a paperclip anymore because I have a set of stitch markers as well. My boyfriend got me a great crochet book with references to the stitches I already know and new ones I haven’t heard of yet. There are several projects to apply new techniques, so I’ll be posting my progress as I get through them.
I have always wanted to try crochet with bulky yarn. I figured I could make an easy project quickly. I wasn’t completely wrong. I did end up with a cool bulky cowl, but it was my first time using a giant yarn and hook so it took longer than I had hoped. I found the perfect opportunity when I went to the store a couple weeks ago and the Bernat Mega Bulky yarn was on sale. I grabbed a couple skeins of grey and one in a really cool mustard yellow along with an S hook. When I got home, I found the cowl pattern I was looking for on the Yarnspirations website. If you haven’t been on that site, it’s really helpful if you have yarn and don’t know what to do with it. You can search for projects by the brand, what you would like to make, or skill level. I found the 
One of my favorite things about crochet is how portable it is. I can pick it up and take it anywhere, all you really need is some yarn and a hook. When I started crochet, I got myself a Thirty-one bag and filled it with some added essentials.
oldballnchain 