What a "year" it has been! I have been writing on this page for only 9 months and well, it is madness sometimes to see how many eyes have visited this page! I am absolutely loving this blog, it is a pleasure to write down stuff, get creative, make up new things, and swing my hook. It has been a great lesson to me.
In the 9 months of its existence, a few posts are very popular and are definately my highlights of 2012!
Over 11.000 sets of eyes have read my posts, and the most popular posts have been seen by hundreds, yes you read it right, hundreds of people. Absolutely amazing. I actually held a small party when my statistics for the Setting Sun shawl hit 1000. It was mindblowing.
These are the Top Five Most Visited Posts of 2012:
1. Setting Sun
This blog started in March and got its first gigantuous peak in June, when I released the Setting Sun Shawl that I made to comfort my mother-in-law after the loss of her partner. The response was overwhelming as I looked at the statistics. Up till now 9 shawls have been added to the Ravelry project page and it is great to see what kind of yarn they chose and how their finished objects turn out. And, more important, to read the feedback.
Also in June I released the Daisy Doll Blanket Square, my first photo tutorial. It is still a hit, and it is such a lovely little Blanket. Perfect for little girls with motherly feelings! It has been the most repinned pin from my own designs. Such an honour.
My first self written pattern, ever. My first ever written pattern in Dutch crochet terms! This pattern was the start of wanting to understand both English and Dutch patterns. I crocheted for three years just using English terms, and just had NO knowledge of how everything was called in Dutch. Feeding this feeling was also the conversation I had with the owner of a LYS (local yarn store, Woool in The Hague actually) that there were so little patterns in Dutch with some quality. That is why I want to publish all my patterns in both English and Dutch. This was a start. I think I got some great excercise and developed some skills in pattern writing if you would compare the Skinny Scarf pattern with a more recent pattern.
4. Learn to Crochet Simple Style Part 8: Double Crochet
During summer break I worked on other ideas, and started in September with my "Learn to Crochet Simple Style" series. I absolutely loved working on it. It was hectic, it was sometimes a true challenge because of the writing, picture taking and pattern making. I wanted to make a course with each part featuring a stitch and with a pattern featuring that same stitch. I worked hard on those parts, but I love the results. The last lesson, Part 8, is still very often visited and sits on position number four! It featured the colourful Hair Toy Basket, which I use to store Little Ladies' combs, clips and elastics.
5. Pinwheel Oval Rug
My latest pattern for a Pinwheel Oval Rug made with a super super bulky yarn called Zpagetti shot like a rocket into the Top Five Most Visited Posts. I released it mid December and made a post about it on the Zpagetti Facebook page. They liked it and featured the rug on their wall. Lots of people popped in to look at the pattern on the blog!
Up till now there are 10 free patterns available on my blog, and one paid pattern in my Ravely Store. There are definately coming more patterns. Absolutely!
Three crafts are featured on my blog in 2012: crochet, knitting and a bit of sewing. More crafts are to follow very soon!
One course I have made for you, and more lessons will be added. Also I have plans for a new course in the same style as "Learn to Crochet Simple Style"! I guarantee you, it will be fun!
In the coming weeks I will try to freshen up my blog, rearrange things, and get some smoking hooky work done to give you a few new patterns. I am so excited, a New Year is coming. Plans are bubbling away in my head, just need to find the time to work on it.
I am frequenting Pinterest more and more, so if you want to, it would be fun to follow one of my boards.
I am also trying to update my Facebook page more frequently, so please take a look and like my page!
More posts will be about my home life, my work as a teacher and about nature and biology. I like to talk about those subjects, showing you how "ordinary" days or "Zomaar Een Dag" can be beautiful in its simplicity.
I want to thank you so much for your visits, and I would love to get to know you, dear visitor, in 2013. But most of all, I want to thank Big Man for helping out when I needed two extra hands and one extra set of brains for thinking about ideas. Thank you dear.
The last day of the Old Year, I am so ready for 2013, are you?
I wish you:
