How's your new year so far? It always feels so good to put the lid on the old year and crack open a fresh new one, doesn't it?
Last year at this time I took a moment to reflect on what-the-heck happened in the previous year. It's like the year gains momentum as you go along and you end up speeding through the last few months and then WHOOSH! It's over and you don't know where it went. I particularly feel that way about 2010. And while listing out what I've accomplished feels a little self-indulgent, I do feel that looking back at where I've been definitely helps me to plan and dream about where to go next. (Both
Anna Maria's and
Marisa's post reminded me so!)
Ok, in 2010, in no particular order....
* I launched my own
sewing pattern line, Make New or Make Do™, which now consists of 8 patterns! (I've yet to show you 2 of them)
* I attended the International Quilt Market (twice!) for the first time to promote my new sewing patterns
* I taught workshops in
Virginia,
Minnesota and
Nebraska as well as 2 online workshops
* I did a huge revamp of my studio space for photography for an upcoming book feature
* We survived 2 February
blizzards in a city that craters when there is more than a flurry of snow
* I've
knitted up a storm (
one as a result of the blizzards!)
* I've added a few
new prints to my organic fabric collection (look for more in 2011!)
* For the 4th year running I participated in the Soho plush show "Luv-able and Hug-able" at
gallery hanahou* I decided that Facebook was not for me and deleted my account. (Why? Read
Marisa's post as we have the same feelings regarding FB)
* I offered 7 new free tutorials on my blog (will be updating the list in my sidebar shortly!)
* I've had a few nice magazine features, including
Stitch and
Make, and 2 book features:
Sew Retro and
Mini Quilts.
* I appeared (twice!) on the TV show
Cultivating Life and the radio show
FaveCrafts* We've been camping a few times with the Cub Scouts and just as a family (my fave!).
* Myself, plus two other moms and a teacher, worked together to find a recycling solution for our elementary school's poly-styrene tray problem. That's about 4000 trays rescued from the county incinerator
a week! (very proud of this)
* I opened a second etsy shop called "
betz bitz" as a venue for selling off fabric and trims from my stash (more coming as I clean out the stash!)
* Hmmm, what am I forgetting?
Looks like 2010 has been a pretty good year. My little business is churning along and I am discovering more about what works and what doesn't. There are things missing from the list that I had hoped to make happen, there were disappointments and there were bright spots. Now, as I look forward to the new year ahead, I am making lists, sketching sketches and dreaming dreams. 2011 is slowly coming into view.
I've read recently that instead of resolutions, some people choose a word to define their year. A touchstone or a mantra to remember as inspiration and guidance as the year unfolds. Something that reminds you how you want to "be" and not just what you want to "do". Have you done that? What word did you choose?
The Cashmere Ruffle Scarf: 2 delicious layers of super soft cashmere, shirred together to create a flounce of ruffles that gently moves and twists as you wear it. Sublime!
The Cashmere Curly Scarf: Similar to the Ruffle Scarf but with curly-girly edges for maximum ruffliness. Soft. Feminine. Cool.
The Cashmere Chain Link Cowl: One continuous loop of luxury! Wear it looped once or wrapped twice for a snug hug around your neck.
:: texture ::
:: color ::
:: warmth ::
:: style ::
My week has been filled with snowy days, coughing kids, boot puddles on the floor and cocoa rings on the counter. My solution? Sewing with cashmere. And a lot of it!
Here's a sneaky peeky for you of my new design I've been playing with. I'm really excited about it! These luxurious little somethings will be filling my shop next week! Just in time for Valentine's gifts or a treat for yourself.
Got some more knitting to share with you! I needed a new pair of slippers and I found this free pattern called "Duffers" on Ravelry. I've had these skeins of orange and brown Cascade 220 Wool in my stash for a few years, waiting to become slippers. This yarn had been knit into half a slipper several times but I always ended up ripping them out for one reason or another.
Fortunately for my feet, I shall rip no more! They are toasty warm in these babies. This pattern was fast and fun and I love how they turned out. They are knit with a double strand of yarn and there is minimal seaming (just one down the center of the sole!). After knitting, I tossed them into the washer for a hot bath and out they came, felted just perfectly.
I love the 2 color option. I call them my *keen slippers* because the toe looks like Keen shoes to me. I've worn them so much (hmm, all day, every day) that my big toe started to wear through the sole of one...oops! No worries, they are easy enough to mend with a little yarn or needle felting.
image courtesy of Amanda Oaks of Kind Over Matter
I recently finished knitting this sweater by Jane Richmond called the Cozy Bolero. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn. I love this green...it's kind of a bright pea soup color. The sweater was a fast knit: big needles and big yarn! You know how much I love big fat yarn.
For the button I followed Susan Anderson's recommendation and got this beautiful wood button from the shop Wooden Treasures. The great part is that you don't even need to knit a button hole because the stitches are big enough to push the button through any ol' place.
In a bit of a serendipitous moment, I discovered that my friend Lisa Leonard designed a new necklace called Word of the Year (inspired by Ali Edward's One Little Word). We had been in contact for a while planning a give-away, right here for my readers. When I saw this design, I knew immediately that this was the ticket!
Isn't it beautiful? I love my word. It makes me feel like my goals are achievable if I am willing to go for it. What word would you like to have beautifully swinging around your neck, inspiring you, reminding you that life is what you make it?
This pattern includes instructions to make 3 different pairs of animal character slippers:
Of course I love to create things out of felted wool sweaters, but if you are looking for an alternative to wool, other suitable fabrics include medium-heavy weight knit fabrics including poly fleece, sherpa, etc.
The patterns are sized for Kids sizes 8-13, Youth sizes 1-6 and Women's sizes 5-9. (Due to safety reasons and small parts, these slippers are not meant for children ages 3 years and younger.) The mouse tail shown above is made from a length of knitted I-cord but any braid will do!
Here are two pairs of Forest Friends in action: my son's raccoons and his cousin's mice (both youth size 3/4) during the holidays. I tried to photograph them together but you know how third graders can be. This is the closest I could get them to stand next to each other. :)
I had fun using a striped sweater for these mousies. I think they turned out really fun. The tail shown here is made with a rolled strip of felt. The mouse ears and racoon details are all made from wool blend craft felt.
I'm dying to make the hedgehogs for someone...maybe myself! They remind me of little fringed moccasins. By the way, do these characters remind you of anybody? That's right! These little guys were inspired by my pals Squeak and Spike!
I made this fresh felty fish for my brother's 50th birthday using Mimi Kirchner's pattern. I had been dying to make one ever since I first saw hers a few months ago. I made him out of felted wool sweater scraps. (Check out Mimi's etsy shop, she's an amazing talent!)
Last year at this time I took a moment to reflect on what-the-heck happened in the previous year. It's like the year gains momentum as you go along and you end up speeding through the last few months and then WHOOSH! It's over and you don't know where it went. I particularly feel that way about 2010. And while listing out what I've accomplished feels a little self-indulgent, I do feel that looking back at where I've been definitely helps me to plan and dream about where to go next. (Both Anna Maria's and Marisa's post reminded me so!)
