Where did 2016 go? Other than some massive life shifts, a formal career change, finishing a new book, raising James through the first year of his life while caring for a 4 year old, then taking that family trip to England and Spain, and a side order of some knitting, I’m not too sure what I did with myself.
Oh wait… that’s where the year went.
A year-in-review post is my standard fare for this time of year, where I round up the things I’ve knit and designed the past year, comment as to what worked and what didn’t, and then I make some general plans for the coming year that I’ve long forgotten by April. So I’m going to do something I don’t normally do, but that I think we should ALL do- reflect on the big things that happened in 2016 in our own lives.
January- April: James was 4 weeks old, and not nursing well- I had many nursing specialist appointments. Also had to have several follow up appointments with another specialist, this one for ‘granulated scar tissue’ repairs after James’s birth. Do you know, with all our modern medicine, how doctors fix granulated scar tissue? They burn it off with a stick of silver nitrate and I’m not even kidding. They don’t numb or freeze you first either. The only other thing I can recall doing during these months is watching all of Scandal and working on Lady Crawford with my editor. I’m pretty sure there was a deadline in there somewhere.
May – July: I think I did some knitting! Was finally better enough to start going for big walks with the baby. Guy formally registered his own business, and we popped the cork on some champagne!
July – September: Took Lila out of daycare thinking it would be a great idea, and it turned out to be a total fail. I will never under estimate the power of a small child’s need for friends ever again. I also realized it was totally possible to pursue my big dream of writing, if we stayed in our tiny home. I took the leap! We popped another bottle of champagne. Also Guy and I brought the wee ones to England and Spain– we survived, possibly even thrived! The very next day after we returned, Lila started her first day of kindergarten. She loves school!
October – December: In October, James started daycare, I turned my attention to working part time for Stitchcraft Marketing, launched my poetry book Lady Crawford. Then everyone in our house got a horrible stomach flu one after the other, but Lena Dunham told the internet that she was reading my book and that was pretty awesome. December was a flurry of gatherings and then James, Guy and I got a stomach bug again the week before Christmas, and James was sick all through Christmas and into the New Year.
While it felt like the world was becoming a darker place with anger and fear calling the shots all over, 2016 was a year of revolution for me and my family. Maybe because things seemed more frightening in other countries in the world, it was easier to see what was important to me, to us. To make choices that I’m fortunate enough to be able to make.
I didn’t get as much knitting done this year as I would typically like, but this was a hectic year, as you know. Here are the knitting projects I did complete! There is also the Harebell Cardigan that I finished on December 31st, but I need to get the buttons and a proper photo shoot will follow. Here’s what I finished knitting in 2016:
Top Row, left to right: Scottish Mist, Perfect Striped Mitts, Animal Pot Cozies (also double as coffee sleeves), Arika Cowl, and Fudge the Puppy.
Second Row, Left to Right: Golden Rose Cowl, Rocky Joggers for James, Wood Elf for Lila, Delineate Tank, Griffon Hoodie.
Third Row, Left to Right: Kveta Shawl, Offhand Lace, Made Up Shawl in a Ball, Garter Ear Flap Hat, Mini Stocking Advent Calendar.
There was also this one random made up knit. Lila wanted me to knit a rainbow jacket for this stuffed dog, so I did- I knit it in the car on the way to my parent’s place. And once it was done, she was totally over both the dog and the rainbow jacket. Sigh. But it also fits the elf doll in the above collection, so I think that the jacket might get more play in the future.
While I was not focused on designing at all this year, I did update the Fairy Mist pattern to include laceweight, fingering weight, DK, Aran and Bulky. I designed three small free patterns, too- animal themed pot cozies that double as mug sleeves, super easy (really, really, REALLY easy) slipped stitch fingerless mitts, and a stranded hat pattern that comes in child and adult sizes. The last two were for a Stitchcraft client! I’m someone who works well with external deadlines and commitments, so it was great to have the motivation to create a couple of new patterns at the end of the year.
Top Left: Fairy Mist (shown in Bulky) Top Right: Animal Pot Cozies / Coffee Sleeves
Bottom Left: Slipped Stitch Handwarmers Bottom Right: Hobium Colorwork Hat
To celebrate the end of 2016 and welcome in 2017, Here is a coupon code for 60% any of my not-free patterns – good until this Saturday (January 7th).
amazing2017
Lots of perfect winter accessories, like Pemba, Hyperballad Cowl, Xanadu, or Fairy Mist!
I don’t know what 2017 will bring, but in my knitting I want to focus on more garments, and more full mittens. I feel like with all the big shifts in my life in 2016, I need to find a new normal for 2017, and I’m excited to map out that new path.
So, here’s to new ground in 2017. Here’s to doing the hard work to build the kind of future we’ve always wanted. I want wonderful, amazing things for each and every one of you this year. Let’s make 2017 incredible!
