Old Year / New Year

 

As much as I'd like to be able to look back and say something concrete about 2016 in my personal and professional life, I'm honestly still pretty confused by it. Not in a bad way - I just feel as though I'm nearing the edge of something meaningful, but I'm still far enough away that the path is spongey and lightless beneath my feet. I can feel the outline of it in the dark, but I really couldn't tell you whether it was a weasel or a bowl of fruit in front of me.

Which is a strange, untethered kind of feeling - and one that I'd prefer to leave behind in 2016, thanksverymuch.

So if I had to say, what was this year, for me?

2016 was a year that challenged me to say yes to things.

To my little schnoodle Charlie, who is the puppy love of my life. <3

To writing, when I started taking creative writing classes for the first time in 10 years, and connected with a dynamic, passionate, and inspiring teacher and workshop cohort.

To traveling, when I tagged along to London, Paris, and Hawaii with Blake - and met his awesome coworkers - during his company-sponsored work weeks.

To teaching workshops in local yarn shops, which basically introduces me to the most wonderful students and lets me dance around and throw metaphorical glitter at them while they practice jogless 2-row stripes.

TO SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS, WHICH WAS LITERALLY THE BEST THING I'VE EVER DONE

LIKE, I AM CRYING WITH HAPPINESS RIGHT NOW AND IT WAS A MONTH AGO, GEEZ, GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF ALREADY, CORY.

And 2016 was a year that challenged me to say no to things.

I said no to a lot of expectations about who I should be for other people, sometimes painfully.

I said no to this blog a lot.

I said no to a lot of my old ideas and belongings that didn't fit me anymore.

And probably even more than I said no, I said:

Yes, and... this is what I need.
Yes, and... this is what I'm worth.

(Which sent me into a blubbery pile of puppy snuggles and self-doubt, more often than a person should admit to in respectable company, but let's not dwell on that.)

At the end of the day, the important thing is that I made it through - and I'm gonna give myself a Liz-Lemon-style, self-high-five to that.

And while we're at it, in 2016 I also made this:

     

1 // Lelia Mitts for The Fiber Gallery at Madrona 2016  2 // Pow! shawl collaboration with Noriko, Ariel, and Stitchjones

3 // Chiral cowl  4 // Lelia Hat  5 // Cloudburst Hat for the 2016 Northwest LYS Tour

6 // Gilia legwarmers for Stranded Mag Mild Weather Issue 2016 (photo copyright Andi Satterlund)
7 // Jardiniere shawl, an exclusive collaboration with Black Wolf Ranch 

8 // Folded Lotus pattern update  9 // Spectral Lines shawl collaboration with Blissful Knits

I also vended at Knit Fit! as a standalone booth for the first time in November of 2016, which was an incredible opportunity, and one of the highlights of my year.

I am pretty fucking proud of the design and teaching work I've done in 2016. I've worked with some amazing companies, and pushed myself and grown as a creative in some really exciting ways:

Hello, first exclusive design featured by a Stitches Midwest vendor (Jardiniere!)

Hello, first 30-minute start-to-finish design proposal (Spectral Lines!)

Hello, first design in a publication (Gilia!)

Hello, first design that passed 1000 likes on Ravelry (Cloudburst Hat!)

And on a teaching note, I developed several pamphlets and class plans for informative, inspiring workshops for knitters - something that has taken me out of my comfort zone, and helped me realize how passionate I am about teaching others about creativity and self-expression.

(Maggie hat by Noriko Ho & Zara top by Dianna Walla, both finished recently and tragically unblogged as of yet!)

And lastly, all of the cool things I've been able to do in 2016 have been made possible by the folks that I count as friends, family, and community - so many of you that I tried to write a list and it got, like, wayyyy too long. I can't express how lucky and loved that makes me feel.

You all are my sparkle-makers; my confidants and supporters; the wellspring of my woolly heart. Thank you.

I can't wait to see what we create in 2017. Happy New Year.

Much love,

Cory