Decision Made.

As you may have noticed, my one week in hiding turned out to be more like two months... Apologies.

2014 has crept up on me somewhat and with it, for my little patch of cyber space, comes a change.

Although knitting is, and will probably always be, my chosen and most loved craft, I have decided against chasing a career in the yarn industry. I suppose this must seem quite a contradiction, considering my previous mission statement but I retain my right to change my mind! 

The silence that proceeded this entry was a side effect of a couple "future altering" decisions being made, all of which I took my time coming to. 

After spending the most part of last year investing much of my time and available cash on making hand knitted items to sell, I have come to realise that profiting from knitting is something that brings me no joy. For me, the pleasure I get from my hobby does not lie in making a monetary profit (or not making a monetary profit in my case!). Knitting the same pattern several times to put on a shelf to be picked up by an anonymous, faceless buyer brings me absolutely no satisfaction and furthermore, I did not receive any kind of rush from the little amount I did earn. In fact, I spent most of the time feeling stressed and miserable, pining for the freedom to cave into my Startitus and impulses to make fibre based purchases.

No, the warm fuzzy feeling that keeps us knitters knitting comes to me in the process of choosing a pattern and yarn that is just right for the friend or family member in mind, imagining them enjoying it with every completed row and finally... finally presenting it to them. Nothing beats it.

This Christmas, the fuzzy feeling came in the shape of a fair-isle Christmas stocking I made for my Dad and his partner. I finished it on the eve of Christmas and, in my haste, neglected to take a photo... Doh!

I will try and get one for you next time I visit. 

I cannot lie, my enjoyment of the craft is not entirely selfless. I don't think any aspect of the hobby excites me more than designing and knitting up a jumper, scarf, pair of dungarees just for me! What? I'm allowed some indulgences, don't look at me like that!

So, with the decision made, I have finished my final order, wrapped it and will deliver it tomorrow. I know I have said it before but knitting is my favourite, favourite, favourite thing and from now on nothing is going to spoil it.   

So here we go with another year, I am stepping into 2014 with new aims (see the list below) and with that my blog will have a whole new focus.

Things To Do:

• Complete a PGCE at Colchester Institute
• Make a throw and cushions for the futon
• Turn our little flat into a home
• Find storage solutions(!!!)
• Join the Colchester WIGirls
• Lose weight (at least 1 and a half stones)
• Build a mini vegetable patch on the balcony
• Be good
• Make more lists
• Etc...