December 31st… New Year’s Eve… A chance to kind of reflect on the year. While my precious work hours are spent prototyping and pattern writing these days instead of blogging, a blog does seem like the perfect place for this. At the last minute of course, since Emmett somehow knows everyone else is staying up late tonight!
I released four patterns this year: The Roundabout Hobo, The Encore Clutch, the Sunrise Saddle Bag, and the total re-write of the Quick Zip Lunch Bag. (If you’ve previously purchased this pattern, email me to look up your original order so you can download the 2.0 version! If not, it’s even more awesome now and only $6, what are you waiting for?) I’ll be thrilled if I can write twice as many in 2018!
Space is at a premium now until we get our own place. My sewing “wall” is really only big enough to sew wallets. Two wallets are currently on the prototyping desk (which is also the computer, sewing machine, cutting, and writing desk!) Wallets are tough because no wallet is perfect for everyone (checkbook or no checkbook, flat cash or folded cash, 3 credit cards or 30 credit cards, coins or no coins, etc.) So since we can’t please everyone every time, I want each wallet to be exceptional for its specific purpose, just like Get Carded. So since we already have cards + folded cash + coins, I’m working on a unisex bi-fold wallet for flat cash + cards that can be made on a domestic machine, just like the rest of my patterns. This seems to be elusive, and I have a very impressive candidate so far that just needs a bit more tweaking. The next challenge will be circling back to the zip around wallet, which I had to put in the naughty corner around Thanksgiving. Again the challenge is being able to install the zipper flawlessly on a domestic machine. I’m 95% of the way to accomplishing that, but it doesn’t have any insides yet!
From there it will be a mission to find a place of our own, a car, and an office for me, some daycare for Emmett, a new website in there somewhere, and then write all the patterns.
Moving is always stressful, and an international move is also expensive and exhausting. But the end result is that Sammy and Emmett think Wisconsin is the greatest place on Earth, and we all made it here safely (including the Bernina and the iMac!) Emmett thinks snow is awesome, my mom is now his favorite person, he can count to 20, he knows all of his letters and can read a handful of words. He’s a total comedian, and I swear he’s going to be an actor or at least a dancer, and a smart one at that if he can already read at barely two. Seriously, this kid is in the running for Best.Kid.Ever. Sammy will be 12 in April and most days doesn’t show her age. She’s thrilled to have a minimum of two extra laps to sit on and she’s perfectly happy with the weather here as long as my dad shovels her a path in the yard. So, for now, I’m going with good life decision.
Happy New Year! Lots of love from Erin, Bob, Sammy & Emmett <3
Oh Oh Oh, that was so lovely to read. I had tears at the end. Looks like 2018 will be a much better year for you. For me too, I hope. Happy New Year and all the very best for 2018.
Thank you Barbara!!
Happy New Year to you too. 2017 bought a new home for us too (rent doubled and more but size also; yes, moving is very exhausting) and a new sewing machine for me. Sad news was my aunt dying after getting her new heart she waited 25 years for. And my dad had some serious stroke this time but I’m glad Karma decieded making his brother the sole survior of his family was too sad. He is now in Rehab and we all hope he will gain back lots of his mobility.
So I wish you all for 2018 Health, Health and Health. All other things can be obtained and I’m sure you all are know how to do it :).
Thank you Usi. Health seemed like a struggle for so many this past year, I hope everyone has a healthier 2018!
Happy New Year! Here’s hoping 2018 will be a much calmer and healthier year for you, with good things in store for you all! I’m looking forward to new patterns and following your progress through it all… and updates on Emmett, of course! ❤️
Thank you, Candy!! <3 <3 <3
Happy New Year to you and your family! May your 2018 be filled with many blessings! :)
Thank you!
Happy New Year with wishes for good health, continued creativity, and success in finding a new abode (with a massive sewing room). Your patterns are the best.
Oooh I like the sound of that! Happy New Year!!!
That was a superb post Erin, what a trying 2017 you have had. I wish you, Bob, Emmett and Sammy a great 2018 and much progress in a healthier, fitter you. The plans for your wallets are so interesting, just shows us how much planning and blooming hard work there is to all your patterns, but then we knew that. I am so looking forward to the wallet patterns. More power to your elbow – as they say. Best wishes.
Thanks Val! So far I may end up with several different wallets, because as I make changes I start to like the older version AND the newer ones. We’ll see what I end up with!!
Happy New Year! Happy to hear that Emmet, Sammy and you are doing well, but you left out an update on Bob!! 😁. How does he like it here, living in the states, and is he going to try and work with the local railroads?
Good luck and best wishes to you and your family!!
Bob bought a furry hat but he refuses to let him buy him a long sleeve shirt, so I think he will be fine. He’s actually never been in Door County in the summer, only winter and early May, so he’s in for a bit of a treat. I think he will like it!
happy new year to you too. so glad your move to the states was a successful one. best of luck to you and yours for this new year. be praying for y’all.
Thank you!!
Happy New Years!! Thank you so much for your fantastic patterns and sewing inspiration! I always appreciate that I know your patterns will be so well thought out and always easy to follow, turn out great and are so professionally finished when done. Looking forward to seeing what 2018 brings. Thanks for everything!
Hahah well I hope this one shows as being VERY thought out, I know I’ve made at least a dozen, or at least I lost count at a dozen. Tiny tweaks but important ones. I’m working on closures today, so hopefully those work out!
I purchased a pattern “Quick zip Lunch box,paid thru pay pal but received no download. Hope you get this message.
Mary Lawson
alloccasion.1@netzero.com
775-722-4447
Hi Mary! I emailed you. :)