Verb: pootle
poo-t(u)l To move in a leisurely unhurried way,
with no real purpose


Sunday 4 January 2015

A quick glance over my shoulder ...

  
It's that time again ... that time for a little reminisce ...
that time of the year where lots of bloggers put together a
look back through their last years makes.
I so enjoy looking at these posts
and there's something very pleasing about putting one together isn't there ?
 
Maybe its that sense of achievement, possibly even a little surprise,
 that in amongst the busyness of daily life there has still been time for lots of crafting.
For me, looking back at my 2014 makes has shown me that maybe I'm
not just a boring one colour blanket person after all, and that,
infact, you could almost say that I have dipped my toe into 'colourful' in this past year.
 Ok, so not exactly rainbow bright colours, but colours nevertheless !
 
And also that having convinced myself that I'm not a lover of small crochet projects
 I have kind of proved myself wrong on this too,
as I have loved working on projects that are small and quick.
For this I have to totally thank all of you other lovely bloggers
who have opened my eyes to the endless yarny possibilities that are out there
with all the wonderful inspiration and encouragement your blogs give.
 
Aaaanyway .... enough of the words, we need pictures !
So, here we go.
 
 
The year started with the chance to finish off long overdue things, one of
I love everything about this blanket, from the pleasure I had making it and watching it grow,
to the cosiness and colour it brings to our caravan now that it is finished.
 
 
 My love affair with grey has continued right through the year,
 but way back at the end of January it seems I was verging on the obsessive with my
 love for this colour as I dedicated a whole post to it !
 
 
Spring brought with it a good splash of pastel brights and also a renewed love of knitting.
In my passion for crochet I had forgotten how much I love the look of
 simple garter and stocking stitch.
 
 
With Easter fast approaching it was green, green, green all the way.
I had a little go at Mandala making, but stuck with a simple treble stitch,
not being a great lover of crochet that is too lacy or holey,
and of course it had to have bobbles around the edge !
 
 
With a flurry of shawls and wraps hitting blogland I tried my hand at a couple
of knitted versions and really, really enjoyed making these.
One of the best bits for me was the magic of blocking -
how brilliant is it when you can get all the little pointy bits to stay as little pointy bits !
 
 
 I had a lot of fun putting together my entry for the Deramores Blog Awards 2014
and was more than a little chuffed to receive a Highly Commended from the judges.

 
 


Summer warmth and the chance for a little alfresco hooking prompted me to
 smarten up the little sitting area outside my back door -
and it goes without saying that of course I needed crochet cushions to finish it off !

 
 
 
One of my funnest makes this year has to have been all the little 3D hearts that
 have whizzed off my crochet hook
- so quick, so simple and so many possibilities !


 
The one constant throughout all my different makes of the year has been that there
 has always been a blanket on the go - a trusty piece of work that doesn't require any
thought but just offers hours of repetitive backwards and forwards crochet therapy
 - perfect at the end of a long day at work.
There have been blankets for daughters to take off to Uni,
blankets as presents for friends,
blankets for new arrivals and blankets for sofa snuggling.
 

And then I discovered garlands !
Sooooo much fun.
The perfect way to keep my fireplace looking suitably seasonal throughout the year.
Plans are already ticking over in my head for a spring version ...

 


 
 
I loved my Autumn garland so much it almost ended up staying right through Christmas -
there was just something about those little acorns !
 
 
The year ended with a mad frenzy of activity to make sure all the Christmas presents
were finished in time -and lots of resolutions being made to start earlier next year -
 but I just about got everything done by the skin of my teeth.
And that's it - that was my 2014 !

 Its been fun, I've loved every therapeutic minute and the opportunity to share it all in the big wide blogging world has been the cherry on top of the cake.
I am very nearly at 100,000 views on my little bloggy space,
which quite blows my mind and the addition this year of
my Just Pootling Facebook page has allowed me to post even the smallest
 of Pootles that don't quite justify a whole blog post of their own.
 
I have lots and lots of yarny projects planned for 2015,
least of all approximately 40 hearts needs to be crocheted for my
daughters wedding in the summer...
so, I'm off to get started.
 
Happy New Year everyone
and I hope you'll all be able to drop by for lots more Pootling in 2015.
 

 
 

26 comments:

  1. You've made so many things, and they're all absolutely lovely, and so very beautifully made. Your blog is always an inspiration. I'm looking forward to following along in 2015. CJ xx

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    1. Thank you CJ, I'll enjoy having you around for the ride ! K xx

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  2. It is lovely to see the things that you have made this year once again, I had quite forgotten about the daisy garland, so it was especially nice to see that again. I guess that you will be busy crocheting hearts for a while now! I hope that you have a great crafty year! xx

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    1. Thank you Amy, its very easy to forget everything that you've done across a year isn't it, and it was fun putting this post together for that reason. Have a great first week of the year ! K xx

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  3. Such beautiful makes and I love your choice of yarn and colours, especially the blankets in the first photo. The garlands are really cute!
    Caz xx

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    1. Thank you Caz, I think I could get a bit hooked on making garlands ! K xx

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  4. Your makes are all beautiful. I really love the colors you use, especially the grays. I've been using more gray this past year myself. How exciting to have a wedding on the horizon!

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    1. Thank you Jennifer, grey is such a good colour isn't it, either on its own or put with other colours. have a lovely first week of 2015, K xx

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  5. Happy New Year xx I will always have a blanket on the go too!! I love the hearts, I must give them a go xx

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  6. Happy new year Kate and I hope 2015 is a fantastic year for you! I loved this post and you have made so many beautiful things in 2014, just gorgeous, I really love your style. I'm sure the hearts you make for your daughters wedding will be beautiful.
    Marianne x

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    1. Thank you Marianne, yes, I must get started on those hearts - I think the time will whizz by now Christmas is over and August will be here in no time at all, K xx

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  7. Thank you Jooles, wishing you a happy 2015 full of crafting too ! K xx

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  8. Lots and lots of beautiful things made throughout 2014. No doubt there will be lots more in 2015 and a summer wedding to get ready for how wonderful. Lots for you to look forward to in 2015 already. How many hearts have you made so far then?

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    1. Hi Mitzi - not many so far as I very carefully put the wool somewhere safe and now I can't find it ! I'm sure it will turn up somewhere. Happy New Year to you and yours Mitzi, K xx

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    2. Yes we do don't we. It was the kids Christmas cards last year. Turned the house upside down only to find them in my knitting basket.

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  9. I so love all your makes, Kate. You and I are quite different in some ways and yet spookily similar in others. I'm resolving to do the blanket thing this year and what you said about always having one on the go really appeals to me. You've also opened my eyes to grey - I think my favourite make of yours this year is your grey and cream ruffled blanket. It's quite simply beautiful. Now what are you doing still reading my comment? Be off with you and make wedding hearts missus! ;-) xxx

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    1. Te he - love your comments Heather ! Looking forward to seeing your pile of blankets grow this year, you'll be so laid back from all the crochet therapy you'll be practically horizontal ♥
      Ok, I'm off straight away to get ♥ing , K xxxxxx

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  10. You have been pootling very successfully this year and I have enjoyed following your blog. Jo from Three stories High

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    1. Thank you Jo, wishing you lots of happy crafting in 2015, K xx

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  11. Hi Kate, happy New Year, I've really enjoyed all your inspiring makes this year - quite a variety. I'm with you on having a blanket on the go, I finished my 'shades of grey' blanket just before Christmas and already have another on the go, but trying something very different this time. I hope the preparations are all going well for your daughter's wedding, what an exciting year for you all. I look forward to coming back for more pootling!
    Jane xx

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    1. Lovely to have you drop by as usual Jane, yes, a big year ahead, and full steam ahead with all the wedding plans. Happy New Year, K xx

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    2. Happy New Year Jane, yes, lots of excitement ahead with Megs wedding this Summer. Lovely to have you drop by as usual, K xx

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  12. What beautiful projects Kate, my crochet seems very amateurish in comparison!

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    1. Thank you Fiona, wishing you a very Happy New Year, K xx

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  13. What a creative and colorful 2014 you had! But I have to confess I adore your one colour blankets::: gracefuls and timelesses!

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