2019 is almost over! This year has seen some of the biggest changes of my life, so crochet went on the back burner a little bit, but that’s not to say I didn’t crochet enough to make a finale post! So here it is, my crochet wrap-up of 2019:

I’m going to start off here as I did in my 2018 post, with my favorite creations of the year!

-Favorites of 2019-

My Eeveeloutions (particularly the technique I used to fluff their neck scruff.)

Ballerina Doll (which is my first time trying the long-arm style)

Emma’s Book (a first birthday present for my niece.)

– New Achievements –

I crocheted my largest order yet!

This guy is a five-foot alligator, which is almost as tall as me. It’s an original pattern that I made (but did not write down,) and he’s my biggest order yet! He took me a couple of months to make, but it was definitely worth the end result.

I made my smallest order yet!

Both my largest and smallest orders were done this year! This little mouse was particularly tricky because it was made with very thin yarn and a small hook.

I sent my first order to the UK!

This guy is from Final Fantasy, and is my first order to the UK. The fuzziness of his body was done by brushing out regular yarn a lot. I also expanded my number of orders to Spain and Canada!

I have now shipped to 16 different states.

Eventually I’m going to get a nice map and put a pin in every state I’ve shipped to. Obviously, the goal here is to ship to every state in America. I’ve pictured Tiamat here because it’s still one of my most-ordered items.

I made my first NICU donations!

I donated some jellyfish to the NICU that saved my niece’s life, and then posted a giveaway online for anyone who might need a jellyfish. I heard from another NICU nurse that said her NICU had been jellyfish-free for some time, and they were in need. I was happy to oblige! Altogether, I’ve donated eighteen jellyfish.

I made more replicas!

Not sure if this counts as an achievement really, but they’re fun to compare side-by-side.

-Did I accomplish my 2019 goals? – 

Well, I did start working two jobs this year (at one point, I was working them both full-time!) so I have really slowed my crochet train down, but I had some good momentum at the beginning of the year, so let’s see!

• I want to write at least ten patterns to add to my shop.

Big flop! I only wrote five patterns for my shop this year, half of my goal. But, of those patterns I made 40 sales, so I’m actually pretty pleased by that. My highest-selling pattern is my Spyro Pattern.

• Make more items that haven’t already been ordered so that I can list them in my shop and display my craft online.

This I did do! In fact, crocheting things to list online was one of my highest source of orders, since I’d often pick things that were popular at the time. It was a hit and miss, though, so I still have a couple of things hanging around, waiting to be sold.

• I want to begin making at least one new thing every week.

Hahaha….haha.. ha.

• I want to form a solid customer base. To put that into more meaningful words, I want to make more customers that come back for at least two more orders after their first.

I have had a couple of repeat customers this year, so that’s nice! I wouldn’t call it a solid customer base, but it’s a start.

Overall, not as bad as I thought it would be! Although most of my goals were accomplished at the beginning of the year, back when I had free time.

– Goals of 2020 –

The business of my life temps me to go easy on myself with my crochet goals this year, but the nature of a new decade makes me want to really go big! So I’m going to go in-between with my goals:

• Finish my pattern goal from 2019.
• Ship to five more new states and one more new country.
• Make my patterns fancier. (More pictures, with a new format.)
• Make three original designs. (Most of what I do is replica and fan work; so I’d like to make three original concepts, preferably with patterns. They will most likely be holiday-themed.)

– In Conclusion – 

Overall it’s been a pretty great year! Although there wasn’t as much crochet as I would have liked, the amount of crochet considering my circumstances only gives me hope for a more crochet-filled future. I would like very much to be less busy this coming year so I can focus a lot more on my business. But only time will tell. I hope everyone had a great year!

Happy 2020, Everyone!