It’s the 4th of January already. I can’t believe it’s taken me this many days to get back to the computer. (or get dressed, or attend to my personal grooming). I have really been enjoying life in my pyjamas. It’s like the previous post…how do you deal when everything coming to a grinding hault?

It was a quiet new year’s eve. We had an amazing dinner at Stone Grill overlooking Granville Island. Simple food. Raw meat that you cook yourself on a super heated lava rock. Even more simple for someone who likes her meat blue.

Since we were the last seating, they ran out of menu dessert and I ended up with the most divine tiramisu cake. John’s was over the top chocolate. It didn’t even catch my attention. That slice of cake was worth waiting a year for. And it will probably take me the next year to burn it off. C’est la vie!

New Year’s Day was a brunch at our place for our french friends. (it just worked out that way). It was such a soft and gentle introduction into the new year. A clean house and a full table and wonderful conversation.

And to cap off the day, a 5 hour marathon on the Space Channel…..Torchwood, Children of the Earth. What better option for someone who wants to spend the rest of the day on the couch knitting. I was covered in a sea of beautiful wool and circular needles, knitting swatches and graphing out my first new design of the year. Hint, a children’s sweater in the chunky hand dyed merino. Yippee.

I didn’t set out to change the nature of my business last year and yet things seemed to morph and the business took on a life of it’s own. Two patterns were published, much yarn was dyed. I cut down the number of shows I did and opened the studio for lessons.

I blogged a lot, and then not at all. John and I canoed with friends and enjoyed all that Whistler had to offer. The market was blessed with very few rain days, so much so that I did not have a tent for the last 8 weeks of the market.

I swore not to take on custom orders and yet I found myself intrigued by customers wonderful ideas and was thrilled to help make them a reality.

I started teaching, even while having so much to learn. It didn’t take long to realize that this experience was transendant above all others. I was meant to teach. I feel it in my bones. I’ve always done small “teachy” things for customers, showing a technique here or there(Trying to convince people that the cable cast on is by far the BEST way to cast on. And now I have a regular gig at Birkeland teaching beginning spinning, advanced spinning, crochet and a drop in spinning group. I promise to add a margin to the side of the blog with my list of classes for the year. And there will be things going on at my studio as well.

Yes, the studio. It has been an intriguing year having the space. . What it has done for my designs, my inspiration and my friendships. Having that creative space gave many of us a crazy place to knit, spin, drink lots of coffee and just bounce ideas off of each other. Or bail water!

Even during the great flood, nothing could slow down my enjoyment of the space. Alive and giving, organic and addictive.

John took on a larger role in the business. Pearl and Toni were above and beyond and near the end of the year Nancy stepped in to lend a hand. The craft gods were kind. Joan and I continued to collaborate by incorporating her lovely buttons into the designs and sharing markets here and on the Island and even one day in Whistler. She is now a permanent fixture with her own space in the “cave”.

I fell flat when it came to filling out paperwork and find the new year in a sea of forms and paperwork. It will get done.

Do I have any resolutions? A few.

I will speak with more value and less entertainment and I will speak with a softer voice. I will start earlier in the year to help Mariegold with her wonderful yarn bombing project providing accessories for the DTES. I will work less and ride my bike to the studio more often.

I will drink more water (which means having to put the knitting down once in a while). I will seam less, having finally being convinced after 20 plus years to embrace circulars and double points.

I wish everyone a new year filled with many completed projects and even though I sell yarn, I beg those of you with giant stashes, to knit, trade or give away some of your stash. It will make you feel good, I swear.

I leave you with warm wishes and one final pic of the finished thrummed mitts.

Oh, and of interest to very few, the prequel to Battlestar Gallactica will be debuting in a week. I expect abundant Caprica knitting.