Happy New Year to you all!
Like most years, 2016 came and went with ups and downs, but was, for the most part a great year! Time for the annual look back.
I started the year releasing the January pattern for the Bag of the Month Club, the Backgammon Bag. Such a fun bag to make with much potential for personalization. I really enjoyed seeing the bags that club members made as well as non-members that have purchased the pattern independently.
The Seneca Creek Bag Sew-along was a fun event here on the blog in February, then in the Spring I celebrated my 10 year blogiversary with a “Cupcake Party”!
My Penny Pincher Pattern was released along with a video tutorial for installing flex-frames.
In May I had the honor of creating my first commissioned yarn-bombing for Old Town Alexandria, VA in front of the yarn shop, Fibre Space! I knit 6 lampposts using my bulky gauge knitting machine. What a fun experience!
My first fabric collection with Riley Blake, Dutch Treat, made it’s way into the world and it was fantastic to see all of the beautiful things people sewed with my fabrics. I even released 2 new embroidery patterns to coordinate.
Late summer I collaborated with Blair and Mandy to bring The Banner Year Project to the School of Wool Facebook Group. (The Autumn Mandala Banner was the most “liked” post on my Instagram feed for 2016!)
The Bag of the Month Club had a second session for 2016 and my Highline Tote pattern was released to club members in September. (FYI, it will be available for individual purchase in my shop March 1st)
I also expanded my knits collection, Betz White Studio Knits, to include a brand new product, Eco-throws! This was a super big dream come true and turning it into a reality was probably my biggest accomplishment this year.
In the Fall I taught my Field Study Tote to a wonderful group of women and the Modern Stitching Affair in Madison WI. I also brought back the Holiday Stitch-along Ornament Club, this year with a (limited) option to purchase a supply kit
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In November I had another opportunity to do a large yarn-art piece! This time I knit a 7-foot-long Christmas stocking and 3 giant gift boxes for the holiday window display at Fibre Space.
In December I participated in the Baltimore Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap Show, selling my knit accessories and throws to an enthusiastic crowd of holiday shoppers. It was a fantastic way to end the year on an upbeat note.
What’s in store for 2017?
While I’m still working on mapping out my year and setting goals, I do have a few things to share!
• I will be attending the New York Now trade show in NYC as an “Emerging Designer” in early February with Betz White Studio Knits! I have new designs being sampled as we speak and I can’t wait to share them. One goal this year is to grow my knits business to include wholesale accounts, so I’m hoping that this show will increase my audience.
• I’m slated as the April pattern designer for the 2017 Bag of the Month Club, so look for a new design coming in a few months!
• The Banner Year project continues this winter with Mandy’s Winter Mandala Banner followed by Blair’s spring banner releasing in early February!
• I’ve got an exciting new fabric collection coming out this spring that I can’t wait to share with you! I’ve got some really fun ideas for embroideries and other projects that will coordinate with the collection. Yay!
What do you have in store for a creative and productive 2017? What can I do to help you in your creative endeavors? What do you like seeing most on my blog?
I wish you the all best for the new year!