Newsletter December 2013: Happy New Creative Year!News: There is a lot going on behind the scenes right now. I’m preparing to launch a new (and better!) version of my online shop sometime during the second half of January. If, around January 20th, you experience difficulties accessing the shop, this is probably why. Please be patient if this happens, and send me an e-mail (annette AT annettepetavy DOT com) so I can sort things out manually for you. The goal is, of course, to have a better shop for you (and a much, much better back office for me!). Preparing the launch is a lot of work, so there has been only one new pattern this month – but a brilliant one! EclatDuSoleil has designed a knitted shawl as a Tribute to Elizabeth Zimmermann. 
In this shawl, EclatDuSoleil worked the beautifully soft yak down yarn in garter stitch and a simple lace pattern, and added brightly coloured laceweight wool to the border. It’s easy to make, striking to look at, and soft and warm to wear.More information in the shop.Happy new creative year 2014 Often at the end of a year, I take some time to reflect on the year past and the year to come, on what has been and what may come. This year, I’ve thought quite a lot about what I’m doing, and how meaningful it is to me. I decided that I wanted to share some of these thoughts with you. Playing with yarn is not just a hobby or a job to me, it’s a true passion, and something I feel very deeply about. I tried to sum this up in a few words, and these are the words I found:Learn: Knowledge is so important. Knowing how to make something with your own hands gives you power. It’s the power to make what you want, with the materials you want to use. You can use this power to give beauty and warmth to yourself, to the people around you, to your home, to those who are in need. If you prefer, you can go buy things at the store – but this is a choice, not something you are obliged to do. It’s important to know how to make beautiful things, and to preserve the knowledge that has been passed down to us from previous generations. There is always something new to learn.Share: To me, the step after learning is teaching. Sharing your knowledge with other people is a wonderful experience, for both the teacher and the learner(s). To share is also to share your joy – be it with a friend or with thousands of blog readers, it’s fantastic to say « Look what I made! » For your own satisfaction, of course, but also to inspire others.Make: Not just talking, reading, writing – but also making. The long process of making something with your hands, something beautiful, something tangible. To rest in the rhythmic movement of your hands. To make mistakes, to undo and correct them. The joy to reach for a scarf on a chilly day and drape the work of your hands around your neck. So much of what we do is virtual, intellectual, and sometimes seems to dissolve into thin air from one second to the next. Making things grounds us in the real world. I hope you can relate to some of these ideas. You might want to add your thoughts – don’t hesitate to contact me. And I hope you will enjoy watching this short video almost as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Let’s have a happy, happy new year together ! See you soon!
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