just a quick blogpost to share my joy: i finally finished Paulie! :)

i'm definitely experiencing a "knitters high", i couldn't be more thrilled about this. my very first knit garment!! it's far from flawless but it fits and i can't wait to have it ready and start wearing it!

Paulie taught me so much: the construction of a (seamless)cardigan, picking up stitches, i-cord bind-off (genious!!), making button holes... Paulie definitely brought my knitting skills to the whole next level, and made me more confident as a knitter! if i can knit Paulie, why wouldn't i be able to knit Miette or Benedetta, or finally try stranded knitting with Dot The I!

but: i'm not finished yet!

to do next: some more tedious tasks (for me, at least, i always find it hard to actually FINISH things when the knitting-part is over): weaving in the ends, blocking and sewing on the buttons.

any advice on how to handle this? how do you block your hand knit garments? what to do or not to do? i'm gonna read some blogposts about blocking anyway, but i could sure use some advice! :) 

i can't imagine a better way to start the new blog-year with a review of my crafty year 2013. i love seeing all your review posts coming up, so inspiring!!

in 2013 i made 3,5 pair of socks, 1 cowl, 1 shawl, 1 hat, 1 baby cardigan, 25 tiny hats, 2 birth presents, 1 pair of handwarmers, a cutlery roll and a lot of hexagons. i was obsessed by scraps (scrap socks, scrap blanket, magic ball blanket, hexagon blanket) and knitting. i knit my first baby and adult cardigan (paulie!!), and made my first knit hat ever. i received a bunch of free yarn and taught a crochet workshop at the last Maakdag.

and i'm totally ready for another handmade year!