what lies ahead in 2018 ...

With the end of 2017 looming I have found myself reminiscing about my achievements this year, and also my goals for 2018. It helps me to see what has worked well and what hasn't, so I can better prepare for what comes next.

I have published 15 designs since my first pattern came out in November 2016. My goal has been to churn out an average of one new design per month, so I am actually now a little ahead of myself - which I count as a bonus and is the way I would like to keep things. It's been quite an intense year in other areas though, and looking back I am rather amazed that I actually managed this. But also very happy! I now have all my designs, bar one (yet to be sorted) for sale on six different online platforms. Keeping up with the admin is my least favourite pastime, I can tell you!

That is why I can think of at least 7 projects I also completed this year from the designs of others - both knitting and crochet - which I enjoy working on because they are not mine and which have now become my relaxation projects! I generally like to work on something that doesn't tax my brain before I work out the details of new designs. And like many of you - I fidget if I don't have a project, so the designs of others really keep me going! I intend to elaborate on some of my other projects next year.

I started my website mid 2017 and to date I have written 25 weekly blog posts, not including the one you are reading. Challenging, but like the design goals made, I decided that a weekly post was a goal I might realistically be able to aim for. I don't know how people write more often than that unless of course they write for a living and get paid to do so! All my designs are now written about separately on this site, so that goal has been achieved. The challenge now of course, is to come up with interesting posts for the weeks when I don't have new designs to fill you in on.

I also started my facebook page this year, and just before Christmas decided it might be time to start a facebook group which is exclusively for purchasers of my designs and intended as a fun area as well as pattern support. The timing for this wasn't really the greatest, I know - but at least it's up and running now! Please feel free to submit a join request if you have purchased any of my designs.

To look forward and plan for 2018 affords an opportunity for new and different, as well as (perhaps) more of the same, and I am so ready to embrace it all! I have this week placed an order for an Addi Express King Size Knitting Machine! Not an impulse buy, but a carefully researched one - for at least a couple of days! (YouTube is a wonderful tool!) I won't say what I plan to do with it just yet, but I will be sure to document any interesting progress I make with it in 2018 or ... 2019, haha! Having seen what it is capable of though, I really am quite excited.

I have purchased some lovely yarn from indie dyers this year with which I plan to design some items, and another result of those purchases is that I have also started seriously researching the ins and outs of dying, with a view to one day perhaps having a go at it myself. The research will be ongoing in 2018, before I decide whether or not it is something I really want to commit to. I also have some new knitting and crochet techniques I want to try and to that end the facebook group, Knitting & Crochet Knowledge Bank (the group I started and administrate) is also fast becoming my own reference library in a sense, because naturally I tend to share the things that interest me most in the Files contained there. Information contained in the Files provide a quick reference for me - and anyone else who is a member of course!

Also next year ... I am planning an adventure with a friend, which if everything goes according to plan, will see us visiting Yarndale 2018 and the Knitting and Stitching Show in London. My friend told me she was planning the latter. I was well and truly reeled in! And after it was settled that she couldn't go to London without me, I told her about Yarndale - so now of course, we are now planning to do both. Very exciting! Of course, that does also mean that the pressure to crank out some designs to make sure I don't fall behind, is now on!

So dear friends, it will be 2018 when we meet again! I really look forward to seeing and interacting with you again in the New Year. Watch THIS space!