Picks of the Year

It’s always so interesting looking back on a full year of work, especially when you do something like design knit and crochet patterns. 2017 has been my first year designing full time, and I have learned so much! There was a great deal going on in my personal life this year. Between tending to family (which, sorry not sorry, comes before my career), tending to my own physical and mental health, and working on shoring up the foundation Hands Occupied is built on as a business, I feel like I’ve made some amazing strides. Stuff’s been light on the blog this week as I take time to celebrate Christmas (again, family, duh), but I’m also dedicating time to reflecting on where the business is at and where it’s heading in 2018. I’m eager to keep growing as a designer and business owner, and I am so grateful for each and every one of you for being part of this journey!

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of free patterns and useful tutorials on this year’s list. (Here’s the best of 2016 list in case you’re looking to compare the two.) They’re absolutely worth taking a peek at if you missed them on the first go ’round. Next week, we’re kicking off the new year with a survey for you guys to help me narrow down some of the ideas and plans I have for Hands Occupied. Don’t miss out on that – I want to make sure I hear from everyone I possibly can to ensure Hands Occupied keeps bringing you the knitting, crochet, yarn crafts, and more that you want to see! For now, let’s take a look at this year’s most-visited posts. :)

The best of 2017:

1. Little Hats Big Hearts – An overview of a favorite charity knitting & crochet program.
2. Lopi Tote – A free knitting pattern.
3. Golden Check Infinity Scarf – A free knitting pattern.
4. Le Pom Blanket – A free knitting pattern.
5. Read Along Knit Along – Announcing the fall 2017 RALKAL featuring The Scarf of Dreams (knitting pattern) & The Night Circus (book).
6. How to Increase & Decrease in Brioche – Knitting video tutorials.
7. Grab ‘n Go Purse – A free crochet pattern.
8. Candy Cane Ornament – A free knitting pattern.
9. Knitting Needle Sizes & A Handy Conversion Chart – A guide to knitting needle sizing and how they vary.
10. Kleenex Share Mitts – A free crochet pattern.

Here’s to 2018!!