Welcome to the first KCACO.UK blog post for 2023! I’d like to wishing you all a very Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful and woolly festive break.
I umm’d and ahh’d about doing an end of year review but I decided that I actually forget so much that I’ve done that it can be rather nice to take a bit of time to look back at the year in this way.
Apparently I released 49 patterns in 2022; which seems a little bonkers when it’s added up like that. I’m so often going straight to the next project, after finishing the last, so I don’t realise just how much crochet I’ve managed to squeeze in! 49 patterns seemed a bit excessive to recap though so I thought I’d just share some of my personal highlights or favourites projects of the year!
January / February 2022
At the start of the year I was delighted to share some designs in Happily Hooked Magazine, I Like Crochet Magazine and Crochet Now. There was a moose, a hat, scarf, purse and three wraps in amongst the designs, but I have to say that one of my favourites was the Chevron Spectrum Wrap from Happily Hooked Issue 94 – and I’ve had such positive feedback about it that it seemed to be a favourite with you too.
Now that the pattern rights have come back to me for this one it’s definitely on the list as an early release for 2023 (so watch this space!)
March / April 2022
In March / April I re-released some patterns including two bunnies and a dragon, and I worked with Crochet Now Magazine again with the Flora Filet wrap design, and a bit of a highlight, an Official Clangers pattern for a baby mobile for Issue 79. There were also the three free patterns working in collaboration with Anchor Yarns to create some jewellery designs – they were fun. I also released my first mini crochet kit, for a hanging heart ornament, which I thoroughly enjoyed creating.
But I have to say that one of my favourite designs was another rainbow inspired design (because I do so love a rainbow!) again for Happily Hooked Magazine (Issue 96) and that was the Colour Wheel Cowl.
I actually really want to recreate this design in some hand-dyed mini’s that I’ve got – don’t you think that could be an great project?
May / June 2022
In May and June I had the pleasure of working with Happily Hooked Magazine on a wrap and a doll, Crochet Now Magazine on a wrap, a shawl and an amigurumi, Simply Crochet magazine on a cassette purse and Lets Get Crafting on a squirrel and mobile.
I was also delighted to be one of the guest designers for The Crochet Society subscription box 35. The Argon Triangular Scarf actually was my favourite makes of the year, I loved how it turned out – that texture still really makes me smile!
And I’m going to sneak in a couple of additional favourite designs, because the lovely Kitey (aka The Yarn Whisperer) and I collaborated on our summer make-along at this time too. The Dragonfly River Cowl is a pattern I LOVED designing – it’s always a delight to create something with beautiful yarn and accessories!
We already have some ideas lined up for summer (and winter) which are some of the things I’m looking forward to in 2023.
May was also the month that I released Flynn the Fox with Dear Ewe which launched when I exhibited at Wool@Jct13 Yarn Show. I love how sweet this little amigurumi fox turned out, he’s definitely on my list of favourite makes for the year.
I’m going to be back exhibiting with Wool@Jct13 again in May 2023 (it’s in Staffordshire if fancy coming along), with (fingers crossed) a brand new amigurumi kit design – something else I’m looking forward too.
July / August 2022
In July and August there were some more amigurumi’s with Crochet Now Magazine, including one of my favourite collections, for some official Care Bear Patterns (in Issue 84). As a child of the 80’s it was rather special to have the opportunity to work on those simply because they were CARE BEARS!
I was delighted to also be included in the Simply Crochet magazine Granny Square day festivities with two new granny square designs, I re-released a puppy for charity, and released a free bee keyring. I also created a blanket and a wrap for I Like Crochet Magazine, the latter of which, The Sandstone Shawl, was another of my favourite designs of the year.
I love, love, LOVE how it turned out and I’m still in love with all slubby textured yarns as a consequence I think! Maybe more of that sort of yarn this year.
September / October 2022
There were ponies and re-released life-sized pumpkins. and bird baubles, monsters, and free blocks like the Isaz Afghan Block I think I had a couple of favourites again during this period. I released another mini crochet kit, The Teeny Tiny Pumpkins, which I thoroughly enjoyed – there’s just something so satisfactory about making a load of pumpkins!
I really do enjoy creating these tiny crochet kits, so I’m certain they’ll be some more of these on the cards for 2023.
I also really loved making The Acorn Gnomes for Crochet Now magazine (Issue 86), these little characters really just came alive when I made them, I love walks in the woods, and loved imagining these little guys into being!
November / December 2022
The end of the year saw Pickles the Puppy for Crochet Now and The Winter Rambles scarf for Inside Crochet (issue 152) and two new mini crochet kits, the Vintage Snowman and the Reindeer Tree Ornament, the latter of which sold out! I’ll be restocking that one soon now that I’ve re-opened the shops after Christmas this week.
And of course I can’t forget the winter make along for The Peppermint Pageant MAL with Kitey – but as that’s still on going (until 26 January) I won’t share all the details on that just yet. But needless to say the yarn was a delight to work with and the accessories by Mrs G Makes were perfection as always.
As well as that lot I also managed to some how squeeze in hooking up some patterns by some other designers including The Juniper Cowl by TL Yarn Crafts, The Samhain Beanie and the Tree Skirt by The Crochet Sanctuary ladies, a Wednesday doll by Nivia Souza for my niece (which she loved), some crocheted vegetables (Carrot and Artichoke), The Harford Mittens from a TOFT kit and the Winter Flora Cushion by Catherine Crochets – I’ll probably write up a blog post about some of these projects soon.
I’ve loved being involved in all the designs I’ve worked on this year, it’s all been rather creative! And of course there’s more to look forward to in 2023 from me, we’ve got the new Crochet Along for 2023, The Enchanted Wood, starting in a couple of weeks (squee!) and there’s some more amigurumi, home decor items and accessories that I’ll be sharing with you throughout the year, I’ve got plenty to keep my hooks busy!
I’d love to here about what you’ve finished in 2023, or what you are looking forward to making in 2023 – drop me a comment below.
Until next time; keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
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