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I was reflecting for quite a long time about the necessity of this post.. And yeah, it's necessary.

Every year I become emotional mess right before this day. Because every year I feel that I've accomplished NOTHING, that a year just flew past me. Since crocheting has become my obsession, my itch,  it's become the main measuring cup of accomplishements. And apart from the usual stuff that makes me feel like a complete loser and time-waster, my latest design wasn't successful. Like, at all. Yep, it happens, but a very smooth start had spoilt me, so, I became emotionally messier than usual.

But then I thought, "Hey girl, look what you've done in a little more than a year working freaking 55 hours a week:
- a blog, that is more or less on the run;
- 10 patterns, written from scratch but with still imperfect photos - and you had no idea how to do this at all;
- guest contributions for a popular crochet blog;
- participation in World Amigurumi Exhibition vol. 2, which was very honorable.."

Yeah, I'm not satisfied, because I could do better. But this means space for improvement. I want to design more, but I want to knit and crochet more, as well. So, it will still be the juggling of priorities. But there will be a book, mos def. Even 2 books. Maybe, it will take me 5 years to accomplish, but there's a dream to pursue. A book of amigurumis and a Mori girl book. Yes, and a CAL. Or even more than just one...

Dear Universe, send me a couple of maternity leaves to fulfil all that I plan!

Bunny McCarrots: tests and mistakes

I usually make 2 or 3 prototypes for a pattern: it starts with the inspiration and a rough hand-written sketch, then a model plus the yardage, and the third one is worked for the pattern photos. So, it was time for the second Bunny to check the pattern, make corrections and measure the amount of yarn. The thing is, the yarn I use in most of my projects is a wool blend in DK weight, but the factory has recently changed the manufacturing process and the acrylic they have used since 2015 makes the thread thicker. And I have both the old and new yarn. I took the skein in pearl-grey and a hook and started making the head and body parts. Hmm.. The head turned out to be a bit, no, not a bit, just bigger. I blamed it on yarn, as it contained the high-volume acrylic. But when I turned to the outfit details, which used the earlier manufactured yarn, the parts looked really loose. I stuffed the legs and body and - yep - the stuffing was peeking through. Hmm.. never happened before.. unless.. And here I checked the hook. Holy cow.. It was 3 mm instead of 2.5 mm. Most of my hooks look the same, differing in the plates with the size numbers, and I had the same models for these 2 sizes. So, I just didn't check the digits. A real facepalm. His face is less sweet and less kawaii, because his head is bigger.. And it's a disaster..