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CHAIN TWENTY’S NINE BEST INSTAGRAM PICTURES OF 2017

You probably know by now that I’m a huge fan of lists and stats. I wish I could track all there is to track, but that’s impossible — which is why I’m so happy that 2017bestnine.com does it for me when it comes to Chain Twenty’s most successful Instagram pictures of 2017. I don’t wanna say “best”, because in my humble opinion some pictures were “better” than the ones that actually made it to the top nine. These were the most successful however, in terms of engagement. Let me tell you the story behind each, as a way of reviewing the insane year that was 2017.

Instagram best nine 2017

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MAKER UPDATE #1 | HAPPY NEW MAKER YEAR!

Well well, we’re still here, we made it through another year. And here we are, in 2018 already. If you wanna know more about my maker accomplishments of 2017, get yo ass over here. Otherwise, welcome to my very first weekly maker review of 2018! It’s been a week of planning product launches for Chain Twenty, getting my shit together for the first shop update of the year (last Friday), and generally prepare to go kick some ass.

maker update week 1

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2017 MAKER REVIEW

It’s already Wednesday, the third day of 2018, and I still haven’t posted my weekly knitting updates for week 51 and 52. Nevermind, everybody gets it right? That las fiëstas have this tendency to get in the way of something we call ‘normal life’? Whatever that is? So how about a general review of what I knit in 2017, including yarn stats? (I looooove stats.) I must admit, it’s not a proper 2017 maker review, because I only started keeping track of all my projects from some time in June onwards. So, a latter-half-of-2017 review it is then!

Salobre Blanket Chain Twenty

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KNITTING UPDATE #50 | I FINISHED THE SALOBRE BLANKET

Pfjeew, no bad surprises this week! Only some family visits and really pretty weather getting in the way of work, but I’ll gladly take that. As always, the week leading up to a shop update is hectic. Even though I set realistic maker’s goals, I always manage to postpone actually reaching them. So as we speak, I just finished my Salobre blanket and there’s a skein of hand dyed yarn cooling down in the dye pot. And I better write up this blogpost quickly, ’cause I’ve got a lot more to do before Wednes-shop-update-day!

Salobre blanket Chain Twenty

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THE LUCKY STAR TANK BY WOOL AND THE GANG

Today, there are so many amazing shops out there for knitters. So many gorgeous yarns to choose from, and so many awesome patterns to knit. But I think Wool and the Gang‘s knit kits will always have a special place in my heart. Wool and the Gang is that company that made me wanted to learn how to knit. And when I did, with the help of their video tutorials, it was a Wool and the Gang knit kit that got me knitting my first sweater.

This year, they also launched my favorite yarn to date: a white cotton with black specks. I just had to get my hands on some and knit their Lucky Star tank pattern with it. Now it may not be Summer anymore where you are, but if not, keep this one in mind for when temperatures go up again. Because it has already become a staple piece in my wardrobe.

Wool and the Gang Lucky Star tank

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KNITTING UPDATE #48 + #49 | LIFE GETTING IN THE WAY OF THREE BIG WIPS

These last couple of weeks was a mess. I had so many plans, but then we went to the vet with our cat for her usual vaccinations and she turned out to be (very probably) carrying a virus. The next day we went to test our kitty, but he’s fine (for now). We will only know for sure in three months, but the news has been messing with my brain since, and the work flow I created last time I updated has disappeared entirely. I’m not sure why, but every time I feel like I’m getting my shit together, the universe conspires against me and fucks everything up. It has been quite discouraging and I wasn’t in the mood for an update last week. However, I’m trying my best to get back in the swing of things and I’ve got some stuff to show for it too. So let’s talk making now!

Pablo de kat

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KNITTING UPDATE #46 + #47 | ROUTINES AND CREATIVE PLANS

It’s been a little quiet over here, but that usually means life’s treating me well. And this time is no exception. I’ve been finetuning my routine over the last couple of weeks, which you may have noticed if you watched my Instagram stories. Based on the boyfriend’s work schedule, I plan five working days and two off days per week. On the working days, I start with household tasks (just because it makes me feel very accomplished haha), then I knit away on a single project for quite some time (as a treat for finishing the household stuff), and then it’s time for all the other shop-related tasks, usually from behind my laptop (such as writing this blogpost). On the off days, I don’t have to do anything and I’m allowed to knit on whatever I like. Even though it’s hard to take days off — I simply like working on Chain Twenty too much — I’ve noticed I also really need it. To clear my head, be creative, think ideas through, and start work again the next day fully re-energized.

Chain Twenty knitwear

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THE SAN AGÚSTIN FACECLOTH + PATTERN

You’re probably getting sick of me talking your ears off about my San Agústin facecloth design, but for the sake of completeness I’m writing this post anyway. 😉 And for those of you who are new, or somehow missed all of this: I designed and listed my first ever authentic piece of knitwear, both in physical and pattern form! It’s a facecloth. And it’s named after my Canarian “roots” a.k.a. the first place I lived when I just moved here (not even a year ago). So this is all about firsts and I hope y’all like to read a bit more about my first design experience.

San Agústin facecloth Chain Twenty

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KNITTING UPDATE #44 | SHOP THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD

November already! This will be my first Winter on Gran Canaria and it’s still so sunny and lovely outside that I feel like it’s August. However, the realization that Christmas is next month really makes me feel rushed. Not because of gift knitting deadlines or custom gift orders, but because I set myself some goals for this year when it comes to Chain Twenty, and when I don’t meet them, I’ll have to start looking for a job. And Chain Twenty will be a side thing again. 🙁 BUT, this week I celebrated (three!) physical orders again: I sold both hand dyed yarn and knitwear. So shop things are moving forward pretty fast all of sudden, and I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am with that. In the meantime, I’m starting to prepare for the next shop update of November 20th.

Ozetta Autumn sweater

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