Time to say Thank YOU!

Dear Friends, Customers, Crafters and the like,

One year ago, I was packing up my life and shedding some tears saying goodbye to Krochet Kids, some of the most amazing and brilliant women interns around, my great California family (CONGRATS ON GRADUATING, Michael Burke!), and life living a block from the ocean.  I was thinking, crap... what now? and dreading returning to an uncertain life plan.

BUT - the last year has been completely awesome.  I've been getting some really sweet and supportive comments on the latest patterns and realized the last time I said THANK YOU was far too long ago...

In the last year...

I finally got the hang of Tapestry Crochet and had a ton of fun making new patterns.  One of the tapestry crochet patterns was even featured in the recent release of Simply Crochet!

My very first book of patterns was released in November - Hooked on Hats II!  And it has actually been pretty popular!  (And my Grandma actually brags about it at her needlework groups - which is
kind of cool!)

The picture of the Beach Sweater that was taken my first week working at KKi and even appeared on the KKi intern blog recently appeared on the cover of Inspired Crochet magazine.  It captured a really fun pattern and a time in my life where I could actually walk to the beach!

A hat I made was worn by super star athlete Julia Mancuso in the Spotlinght on Skin Cancer  campaign - an issue close to the hearts of my pale skinned Irish family that has an affinity for sailing and the sun...

I have gotten to watch KKi slowly release each of the designs I helped work on during my time there.  I love (I MEAN REALLY LOVE) the idea that women on the other side of the world are making, with their own two hands, something I helped design and it is empowering them to rise above poverty.  It makes the world feel small and connected through craft, which is pretty fantastic!

I started graduate school and in my first semester got to work on a product development project for a nonprofit company called Aspen Pointe that works to help American veterans and their families.  And the products we made were entirely of recycled army parachutes- we made hammocks and camping gear... pretty cool, huh?  More than just a school project, we got to help people and learned a whole lot along the way.

And I sort of settled on my thesis research - which I'm sure you will read more about over the next two years - but I'm researching how craft contributes to community and belonging through a design line that is incorporating crochet designs (duh) and African craft and symbolism.  I think it has the potential to be pretty cool (and so much fun).

AND I started my no new clothes Clothing Challenge - and it is almost over.  I have made it almost one full year with no new clothes (OK, there were a couple exceptions in there...) BUT for the most part I've thrifted to sooth any shopping cravings.  I'll have to write more about this at a later time, but the whole experience has been tremendously awesome.

AND NONE of this would have been possible without the love, kindness, support, and words of encouragement from all of you.  I have loved all the experiences of the last year.  And most of all I have loved making things.  Thank you so much for sharing in this journey with me and making alongside me!  Crafters are truly incredible, and you all prove that to me everyday!

A very sincere thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Happy stitching!
Love,
Sara