A new year begins

Hello and thank you so much for stopping by today. I hope that you had a good time over the holidays, even if your celebrations weren't quite what you'd hoped for. Usually at the start of a new year, I look back on everything that I've achieved over the past 12 months and see if I've managed to achieve all my goals. My only hope last year was that 2020 would be the year that I managed to get my myositis under control. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened, despite 12 weeks of chemotherapy treatment and also starting to take a new immunosuppressant. I have appointments with both of my consultants (locally and in London) at the beginning of February, and I'll hopefully find out what their plans are. Fingers crossed that my appointments don't get cancelled because of Covid. I'm looking forward to getting the vaccination and for a gradual return to a more normal way of life. I've spent three quarters of last year at home, shielding and am looking forward to being able to go to the beach and eat a bag of chips with plenty of salt and vinegar on them!

Knitting and crochet has definitely helped me to keep sane over the last twelve months, and I've tried to set myself goals for each month to keep me focussed and also to give my days some structure. I had a sock pattern in Simply Knitting magazine at the start of 2020, and managed to release four more sock designs over the year. In case you can't remember them, here they are, along with links to the patterns in my Ravelry store ...

Squeezebox Socks

Rainbow Ripples

Mermaids' Playtime

Give and Take socks

It's Seagull o'clock

My fundraising for Myositis UK has been really important over the last year, and the yarn raffles and proceeds from my designing have managed to raise over £11,000 so far. Fundraising gives me something positive to concentrate on each week and I feel proud of what I've done so far. I'm carrying on with the weekly raffles throughout 2021 and have set a new target of £20,000. Let's see what happens! Thank you to everyone who has supported my fundraising by donating a prize or buying virtual raffle tickets! 

This year, I'm hoping to knit some more jumpers for myself so decided to create a 'Make 9' grid. There are three jumpers - Susurrus by Joji Locatelli, Bubbly Sweater by Isabell Kraemer and Pavement by Veera Valimaki. I already have the yarn for each of these projects, so shall feel very virtuous knitting from stash. There's one shawl - Nightshift by Andrea Mowry - and again, I have the yarn for this, gifted to me by my lovely friend Kim. I'm planning to take part in the Rainbow Chronicles year long project, which is a collaboration between Kelly Lay and Sew Sweet Violet. At the end of 2021, I should have twelve pairs of socks, the colours of the rainbow! The Habitation throw by Curious Handmade has also made it onto my list. I have no need for any more blankets, but I do love this design. Then there are three projects that I'm hoping to design. I have ideas bubbling away in the background and am looking forward to having a play with some yarn. As well as knitting, I will also be doing some crochet and some embroidery, and I hope to sew a few garments for myself too. So some exciting plans for the year which will definitely keep me out of mischief! What plans have you made for 2021? Is there a new knitting skill you'd like to accomplish? Please do leave me a comment telling me. Stay safe and well and I'll catch up with you again soon. xxx