Last year, I caught up with some of my fellow Woolly Workers to ask them whether they had any crafty goals they’d like to hit in 2025! With ticking off my own and Adam’s check ins, I recently caught up with Annette to see what these past six months have looked like for her.
Hi, Annette! How have you been getting on since we last caught up?
Well, it’s definitely been a crafty sort of year so far! I began the year with three WIPS and two of them are now finishes 😊. The Friends folk, from Good Morning Maui on Etsy, are complete and I love how they look on their purple fabric. Additionally, I finished Rainbow Squares by Vivsters, which I really love – bold primary rainbow shades really make me happy.
The WIP which is still a WIP is Sam Sabido’s Coatigan. I definitely am further ahead than where I was at the end of last year – I have finished crocheting all (92!) of the granny squares, and have blocked them and sewn in the ends. I am now crocheting together strips, ready to join those into the garment pieces. I do feel a little anxious about this project, as each step is into the unknown for me, but Sam’s YouTube videos have been hugely helpful and reassuring. I would like to finish this before its anniversary (I started it on 29 October 2024) and I feel like that is definitely possible!
As well as continuing with my three WIPS, I have added a few more to my project collection! Sheep Heap by Plum Street Samplers, on gorgeous sparkly lilac evenweave fabric, is in progress. I substituted one of the DMC threads on the sheep for Rainbow Gallery Wispa, to make it fluffier, and I really enjoy the effect it has created.
I have three other new cross stitch WIPS as well, all at various stages of completion. I am particularly enjoying the Mandala Flamingo pattern from Awesome Pattern Studio on Etsy, and am very happy with my fabric choice for this one too – I think the bright turquoise fabric works beautifully with the pink and orange threads. The way that the graceful curve of the birds’ necks forms a heart shape in the middle of the fabric is lovely. This piece also gave me the opportunity to make a new (flamingo-themed, of course!) project bag for it to live in!
I am also working on Love Poppet’s Wren and Snowdrops, which I bought from Claire, the designer behind the brand, when I was at the Stitch in London retreat in October 2024. It was lovely to meet Claire, and to see all her gorgeous designs stitched in real life, and I am really enjoying working on this sweet scene. And finally, I began a new knitting project – it’s a free pattern from Stylecraft on our website and I am using a pastel rainbow variegated cotton yarn. I am encountering for the first time cable needles, moss stitch, and how to create a frilled edge – it’s been quite the learning experience!
Along with my WIP progress, I have been tempted by a lot of other crafty ideas and have started and finished some additional creations since January. A collection of ornaments were small projects to fit in around the larger ones, and the beautiful butterfly, designed by Fuzzy Fox on Etsy, in a wonderful variegated thread, really pops off the black evenweave fabric.
I had the kit for the Bothy Threads Christmas Hare but I swapped the green fabric for a softer blue one, and I did the same with the Satsuma Street Snow Angel, who is designed to be stitched on to perforated paper but I swapped it for an icy blue aida. I also added some additional beads and left out a couple of design elements. I do sometimes like to change things around in designs, leave out some things entirely, and change thread and fabric colours – my best friend stitches things as they are charted and my cavalier attitude to cross stitch discipline drives her crazy (sorry, Lynsey 😊).
I started and finished one more bunny from a pattern called Berry Patch, this one with butterflies (and really not at all like the original pattern!), and crocheted a hat in cotton DK for my Mum’s birthday from a Yarnsmiths free pattern on our website. The two little beaded items were fitted in around the stitching, whenever I felt like a change from stitching!
I have loved listening to audio books whilst I stitch, and have particularly enjoyed The Universe versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence, Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers and Frankenstein, written by Mary Shelley and read by Kenneth Branagh.
I’ve also been entertained on my crafty journey by podcasts such as A Good Read from BBC Sounds, The Rest is History, RedHanded and My Mate Bought a Toaster. All very different from each other in content, but all really good listening.
I resolved in December 2024 not to “save things for best” in 2025, and I can report that I am still working on that goal! Certainly, the gorgeous fabrics I chose for the flamingo and sheep projects are evidence that I am trying to use precious things in my stash rather than save them for a perfect time. The same is true of silk and variegated threads, both of which I have enjoyed using in projects so far this year.
Finally, for the rest of 2025, I am going to power on with my coatigan (my co-workers are much more experienced crocheters than I am, so I may have a few questions…); gift my Mum her birthday hat; improve at moss stitch so I can finish my scarf; and stitch/knit/crochet/craft and create whatever catches my eye, right through to December 2025!
Well done, Annette! Your completions and plans are ones to be applauded! We can’t wait to see what you continue to create ✨