I never intended to be quiet for the month of December, but the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just disappeared in a blink. I had many things ready to write and post, but my world got caught up in birthdays, families and traditions.

Speaking of traditions this is the usual time of year for reflections and promises of goals to accomplish in the next 365 days. I usually take some time reflecting on the year my family has had when I write up a Holiday letter, but that did not occur this year either, however I am sure it looked like many peoples. We made new friends, we lost others. We had highs, we had lows. We overcame challenges, some small, some large. We gained, we lost. We dealt with change, both positive and negative.

I thought I would take this opportunity to do something that I never have done before, reflect on where my crochet has been in the last year. I am not meaning focusing on my designs, or where my designing has gone this year (even though I can see it growing and it is definitely on a journey), I mean my actual crochet. Highlighting the moments of understanding and conceptualizing with clarity some stitches or techniques I have taken for granted.

In 2013 I can say that I put to practice the concept that was introduced to me in the fall of 2012, using much larger hooks then would be expected. It has made a much greater drape in my work, and opened me up to some yarns that I felt were more limited in the past. It is a simple concept that I did not really put to understanding, but after some play it has changed my perception of Tunisian crochet, as it has made a great difference in this stitch technique for me. The work curls less, is not nearly as stiff, and can have a flow like silk in some cases.

I have also paid more attention actual stitch construction. This sounds like something I really should have understood well before now, but once again it is something I took for granted. I knew the parts of a stitch and how to create them, but this year I spent more time playing with how each part affects the stitch and what happens if they are changed. This has opened a completely new door for my thoughts, that I am sure will be carried forward with me for many years to come.

I have also really paid more attention to my finish work. After many discussion with other crocheters (and even some knitters), I began applying new ways of finishing my work, and seaming. The differences are subtle, but subtle can definitely make the difference.

So, basically, it looks like I learned a lot this last year from playing. I hope that I have more opportunities to play, in the upcoming year; and that the adventure in learning, even from things I think I know, never ends.