Our 2020 in review

Oh my goodness, where do we start with this one? There's no other way to put it than to say what a terrible year we've all had. Without exception our lives have changed beyond recognition and remain upside down as we speak. However there is light on the horizon and we will forge a new normal which will hopefully allow us to pick up where we abruptly left off at the beginning of 2020 - the year that never was.

In January a number of us started work on our first temperature blankets. Little did we know they were going to document one of the most unusual years in our lifetime! I'm a little behind with mine, but Angela is pretty much on track to have hers completed in the new year!

We began the year with the last of our three yarn dyeing workshops with Graham & Lindsey of Coastal Colours. Many of us dyed our own bespoke shades and mine is still ferreted away ready for the sock knitting workshop that I so desperately hope we can reschedule for sometime in the spring or summer of 2021.

In February we had our disastrous macrame workshop. The less said about it the better. Needless to say that IF we ever foray into macrame again it will be on OUR terms and will be infinitely more organised! The food was excellent, if I do say so myself! And everyone who attended did end up with a completed macrame plant hanger in the end (I think?) following a few weeks of additional tutorials at our social sessions.

In March we had to cease holding our sessions, initially we thought it would just be for a month or two, we even managed to hold one socially distanced session during September, but now almost nine months later it is looking very likely that it'll be at least another four or five months before we can even consider returning to our group socials.

We all embraced technology, our socials went online, our cancelled needle felting workshops were converted into online workshops and over the months a core group of friends has maintained a twice weekly digital social session. Special thanks to our regular Zoom attendees, Emily, Helen, Jo, Juls, Linda & Theresa. Thanks also to everyone else who has popped on once, twice or a few times. you've played a big part in keeping us going and we can't thank you all enough.

Here are some of our favourite makes of the year that wasn't. We made mandalas:

We made socks:

We made clothes:

We made rainbows, hearts and front line hero bears to show our support for the NHS and key workers:

We made scarves, gloves and wraps:

Blankets and cushions:

Toys, bags, tea towels a coat and even Tiger King himself joe Exotic!

We met new puppies, rabbits, cats and who can forget our friend Mojo?!

All in all, it has been a strange year, but we have many many more to look forward to. We are hoping that in 2021 we will be able to return to holding our social sessions, albeit in a somewhat altered format, we plan to host COVID safe workshops with our friends from Life on Plot 7, Coastal Colours and hope to make new acquaintances. Our very own mini craft festival is in the very early planning stages with the campers and caravaners among us in mind! We are hoping that we can arrange a COVID safe weekender in the summer and we have lots of exciting news and collaborations to look forward to post pandemic.

All that remains is to wish you all a happy, peaceful and safe Christmas and new year.