1.31.2016

sooo, here's the first blogpost in a series called "things i've made last year but haven't posted yet" ;) 
 
 
i really needed a new pair of mittens as my kochoran mittens were completely worn out after 5 years of good use. i mended the thumb several times, which is fine, but they were starting to get thinner and thinner, and too cold for winter. i ordered some Drops Nepal online (to get free shipping on the yarn winder i wanted to buy, we all know how that goes), in a gorgeous grey-blue-ish colour.

for the mittens i used the staff mittens pattern, because i loved the cable/seed-stitch combinaton. i really liked this pattern, although i would use a different thumb inset if i were to knit them again. i knit them a bit too big so there was room for a fleece lining.
 next up was a hat. i wanted something that matched the cable/seed-stitch from the mittens. i considered several patterns but decided on the Peasleeville hat, which had an interesting construnction (you knit the cabled headband first, then pick up stitches for the hat), and a more complex cable pattern... 
 
 to make sure i wouldn't have to frog or start over, i worked with life lines after each cable repeat. the cable part was the hardest part, obviously, and after that i finished it in a couple of evenings. 
   i made the hat a bit longer to get a slouchy effect, which hides my bun a bit. and, for extra warmth, i also hand-sewed a fleece lining in the hat. the color of the fleece is not exact, but who cares? :)
 
 i must say, i'm not 100% convinced of how the hat looks on me. it's just not entirely "my style"... i think i have yet to find the perfect hat pattern for me and my ever-lasting bun. i'm tempted to give headbands a try but i'm afraid my head will be cold. has anyone got any experience with that?

but, all in all, i'm still very pleased with how this set turned out. :)

1.07.2016

as usual, i want to start the new year by looking back on the previous year. :) i was quite productive in 2015 if i may say so myself. i wasn't the most active blogger the last year, so there are some things you haven't seen yet..
in 2015 i made lots of baby things, because i became an aunt and good friends of ours had their first baby and i wanted to give handmade presents. because of those, i rediscovered how much i like sewing which resulted in 2 other projects: the beginning of a hexagon english paper piecing quilt with fabric scraps (pictured in the upper right corner) and my first handmade dress *ever* (pictured in the last corner). i also finally finished my crochet hexagon blanket, by participating the Cherry Heart blanket-a-long on instagram! that's one big WIP tackled!!  i also made mittens and a matching hat, and 2 pairs of socks. and some other small things like baby hats, scarves, a teenie tiny cardigan and a baby bib.

as for my creative goals for 2016, i'm not going to set big or hard goals. all i really want to do is finally finish my stashbusting picnic blanket. 2016 is looking like a promising, but busy year, so i just want to go with the flow and see what happens. although it would be good if i work up some of my fabric stash with some smaller projects (not to mention i already bought fabric for a new dress and 2 t-shirts, woops). :)

what are your crafty plans for 2016? i'd love to hear!
i also want to wish you all the best for 2016, and say thank you for your support.
may your year be happy & crafty!

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