The single most popular thing published on the blog this year was the Log Cabin Mitts pattern, which made me grin from ear to ear, while the Improv top-down sweater tutorial is still the most visited page overall. Other big winners were the Fringe and Friends Logalong kickoff and Summer of Basics kickoff, the Steekalong announcement and color palette suggestions, and Slow Fashion October. But beyond patterns and big events, the most popular single posts were a fun little mix:
Top 5 posts published in 2018:
1. Daniel-Day Lewis’s gansey (and the ensuing pattern suggestions and historical background)
2. “World’s softest helmet” — the Pinterest hit of the year
3. My tutorial on how I sew elastic waistbands
4. Q for You: Do you keep a knitting journal?
5. And a post I’d completely forgotten about the Olympic beanie knockoff patterns
Top 5 posts from the archive: (same as last year, in slightly different order!)
1. Improv: Basic pattern/tutorial for a top-down seamless sweater
2. Joining sweater parts at the underarms: Here comes the fun!
3. Pullovers for first-timers: Or, an introduction to sweater construction
4.Fringe Hatalong No. 1: Audrey by Jessie Roselyn
5. Mitts for Miss Casey aka Super Simple Mitts
My personal favorites/highlights:
I enjoyed every single thing about the Logalong, getting to see so many of your faces at Stitches West, my first 10×10 Challenge, seeing Jane Adams holding a Field Bag, teaching (and more) at Squam, committing to my mini Bullet Journal, talking breed-specific yarns with my friend Brooke Sinnes, and I am incredibly proud of this year’s Slow Fashion October. To mention but a few.
But clearly the highlight of 2018, for me personally, was my trip to Portugal — meeting Rosa and her hand-spinner, touring the wool mill, attending the sheep blessing, and every other precious minute of that remarkable, horizon-expanding trip.
And it’s also been an incredible year for Fringe Supply Co. Thanks to you and your support, there are — by my calculations — 146 families around the world receiving life-improving fiber animals through Heifer International, due to our (yours and my) donations and Heifer’s matching campaigns. That is truly incredible, and I’m so eternally grateful for the opportunity to be the conduit.
So that’s 2018 in a nutshell. I’d love to hear from you what your favorite posts or moments were! Thank you so much for the time you’ve spent here in 2018, and I’m looking forward to more great debates, challenging knitalongs and so much more in the new year!
(Speaking of Heifer, these are tough times for a non-profit, with so many disasters and crises diverting charitable giving this way and then that. I’m assuming that’s the reason why Heifer is facing a funding shortfall at the moment. If you believe in the work they’re doing to fight poverty and hunger around the globe, and can spare even a few dollars, please do take a moment to make a donation!)
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PREVIOUSLY in Year-end: Favorite New Favorites, Sewing Year in Review, Knitting Year in Review
First, thank you for your continuing Heifer gifts. It’s a major reason that Fringe Supply is my go-to for all knitting tools, etc. Second, my all-time fave posts from this year were the ones about your Portuguese adventure which looked “practically perfect in every way”—from traveling companions to accommodations and food, to scenery, and most of all to the various fiber experiences. Finally, Happiest of New Years to you and yours and thanks for making every weekday morning a treat!
Thank you so much, Jen — I truly appreciate the feedback! Happy new year!
Here’s a year wrap up from me: Most Read & Most Enjoyed & Best Way to Positively Start My Morning (with coffee) Blog: Fringe Association & Karen. Happy me…
You always put a smile on my face, Mary Jo — thank you!
I really enjoyed travelling to Portugal vicariously through your trip, and SFO was huge on inspiration and definitely helped me focus on not just what garments my own wardrobe needs, but also on being more responsible in choosing which materials I use.
That’s really great to hear, Liz. And happy new year!
Happy New Year to you, too!
I read this blog every day. It’s very nice and I appreciate it to no end. But you should be aware that Heifer International is getting into a bit of trouble as a lot of these animals that people buy…the recipients often fail to care for the animal and many, many of them end up in back yard, third world slaughter houses. Especially in India.
Pls rethink supporting them . Fiber is one thing but if the family can’t afford to feed the animal, they often get in humanely killed.
Hi, Paige — where are you hearing that? Do you have a link to solid reporting on it, because I definitely am unaware of it. Obviously with any charity there are pitfalls and shortcomings, and I know Heifer works hard to train the villages they work with, which is why they concentrate their efforts location by location like they do. (As I understand it.) But if there’s some cause for concern, I would like to know about it. If you have a link you can share, I’d appreciate it.
Here is just one…but I have been seeing some articles about it in the news. I will look for others.
https://investigations.peta.org/heifer-international-meat-industry/
https://freefromharm.org/agriculture-environment/10-reasons-to-say-no-to-animal-gifting-hunger-orgs/
I apologise,I also read an article in the NYT about this recently but I can’t find it.
Maybe fiber animals are better but we Volunteered in India in October and the PETA petition rings very true.
I am also bothered by the apparent la kkof follow up from the charity to see how the animals are doing.
Your trip to Purtugal was clearly one of the great blog moments of this year, and the Log Cabin challenge (even if it will take me close to a year to finish it). Looking forward to starting the year with a new challenge.
Portugal, of course.
Yes, new year new challenge — love that! Thank you, Agnes.
Every morning you put a smile on face with your latest post. I get to work open my computer, and look forward to what I will learn from you that day. On the rare occasion you don’t have a new post, i go to an old one and still light up. Your posts are my “cup of joe,” a must. Thank you for always being a part of my creative world. Thank you for always teaching me new things. Thank you for all your hard work!