Casting Off 2014

So here we are at the end of 2014, which is also the end of A Woolly Yarn's first blog year. And what a year it has been for the British wool industry and knitwear designers!

Amongst the year's highlights are: in February Debbie Bliss launched her Blissful Life website; March saw the sell out of Knit Now magazine's best of British special; in April ex-Rowan staffer Marie Wallin self-published her pattern book Windswept; the British Knitting Awards asked for your votes in May - you can see who won here; we took our knitting to the streets in June for World Wide Knit in Public Day; August saw me review Rowan's Big Wool Colour and its supporting pattern book; Yarndale knitting festival in Skipton had a second successful year in September; companies lined up to enter Wool Week's design competition in October to show how stylish wool can be; and in November I showcased eight patterns perfect to knit in time for December's Christmas Jumper Day to support the charity Save The Children, although sadly I didn't finish my own, Susan Crawford's Perfect Christmas jumper, in time!

Poster on display at Bletchley Park

This year marked the centenary of the start of the First World War. The commemorations reminded us of the importance that the public played on the home front, something which I was reminded of when visiting Bletchley Park museum earlier this month. A poster from the Second World War highlighted the soldier's need for knitted socks and the part civilians can play in the war effort by knitting them.

I look forward to blogging more about modern British knitting in 2015. What type of things would you like to read about here next year? Please let me know in the comments section below.

In 2015 I have resolved to use up the wool and patterns in my 'to knit' list before I buy any more. Will I be able to stick to my resolve? There's lots of wonderful British yarn hidden away in cupboards and under a sofa in my house to get through.

Wishing you all a very happy and knitty 2015.

Ps Pick up the latest The Knitter magazine, issue 79, to read my feature on how the new British brand Yarn Stories was conceived and developed.