Happy 1 Year Blogiversary!

On 4th Feb 20222nd Feb 2022 By woollymakerIn blogging2 Comments

It’s been exactly a year since I started this little blog as an outlet for my writing and sharing my crafty exploits.

I’m still enjoying it, even though I haven’t been posting as much in the last few months or so. I started a new job a few weeks before Christmas, so things got a bit hectic for a while back there…but I think I’m finally getting back to normality with blogging, writing and publishing and all that.

I’ve been writing on Medium and uploading a lot recently to my print on demand shops recently too, which also takes time away from this blog.

The First Year

I published 159 posts in 2021.

Surprisingly January and February were my best months for views!

I mainly focussed on showing what I had knitted, crocheted or sewn last year. But there were a few posts about writing, life and other creative outlets such as designing for print on demand.

Last year was the year when I joined everything!

Medium, RedBubble, Society6, Spoonflower etc. As well as getting to grips with all the software you need to use them, like Photoshop and Canva.

RedBubble has the process sorted, but it takes me a little longer to upload to Society6! Nevertheless, I hope to carry on more with both of these print on demand sites and more this year.

Medium has gone brilliantly! It’s a different style of writing over there. More self-help and actual articles, along with some shortform pieces. You can write about different topics or niche down, it’s up to you. I tend to write about writing, print on demand, making money online and honestly, whatever other crap pops into my head. And it works…last month in January 2022 I meant to post more but just haven’t had the time with work. And it still made me money with literally NO POSTS PUBLISHED!

So, the other online things are going well as well as this little blog.

If you think about it, this little blog started it all! Small beginnings…

Below is a gallery of some of the crafty makes I completed last year in the first year of this blog.

And that isn’t even half of it!

I made my first 2 knitted jumpers, my first sewn skirt, my first backpack, my first wreath…a lot of firsts last year!

It’s been fun and full on!

Since I’ve been away for a few months from the blog, I thought I’d try and post something everyday in February. So far so good! No constraints or challenges, just a post every single day. To, you know, get back into the swing of things!

Hope you’re all having a lovely day! x

Updates and Life Stuff

On 20th Sep 2021 By woollymakerIn writing1 Comment

This post has the F word in your face, so if you’re a sensitive soul then look away now!

It has been a week or two since I’ve been on WordPress. I feel a bit like a traitor…I’ve jumped ship, so to speak!

Writing

I’ve been writing so much on Medium lately, that it’s kind of taken over my writing life. There’s no more words leftover for on here! I’ve written over 10,000 words since Friday, they are literally pouring out of me. LITERALLY.

And it’s been my best month for stories, stats and earnings. Mostly because I’ve been submitting to publications on there and getting the hang of how to write, if not viral pieces, then at least pieces that hook people in and make them want to read on.

It’s been fun! This piece was published in Writer’s Blokke publication on Medium yesterday. It’s now my second most viewed story of all time! No surprises why when you read the title – How Medium Has Turned Into Lord Voldemort!

And this one just got published into Fuck Niches publication…

Screenshot by me of a publication I submitted that valuable, information-rich article to!!

Because apparently I just had to write about Jedi Force Farts…

Knitting

Anyway, enough about Medium, I’ve been trying to get more progress done on my orange knitted jumper. I’m kind of sad to say only about 12 rows or so since the last update. But it’s hard to find the time to concentrate on knitting at the moment when it’s all about the writing!

Last night for example, everyone else in the house had gone to bed and I was busy trying to type quietly at my computer as a ‘great’ story idea popped into my head and I just HAD to write it down! I came off the loud keyboard and onto my iPad and used the app to continue writing until almost midnight. And then sleepy time.

So when is there time to knit?!

But so far, I haven’t made any mistakes in the main pattern. It’s not a difficult pattern as long as you pay attention to what you’re knitting. When I did the back last year I made a few silly booboos which only I can see because I know they’re there. But this time round…perfect!

I’ve also done a few more rows of my Sock Yarn Shawl…but since it’s really thin wool, you can’t really tell!

It’s September and it’s been so sunny and warm lately. I think I might go for a walk and try to get away from the computer desk…even though I don’t want to!

Banana Bread Recipe

I made a banana bread loaf on Saturday to use up some old bananas. I used a recipe by Kirsty Allsopp, let me see if I can find it.

Ah! Here we go…

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-4841032/Kirstie-s-Real-Kitchen-Banana-cake.html

I didn’t add the salt or vanilla as I have it written down somewhere and I obviously didn’t copy all if it! Also I think there are several versions of this floating around the inter webs. I wouldn’t add vanilla to something like this anyway so…it’s optional, I guess!

But it’s quite yummy!

The only thing I would say would be to use less than 4 bananas…maybe 3 medium sized ones. But it depends on how banana-ry you want it!

Tweet A Bookshop!

Getting used to using Twitter, I decided to Tweet Waterstones (a bookshop chain here in the UK) to see if they could recommend any books about writing (for writer’s). Here’s what they had to say:

They recommended On Writing by Stephen King, On Writers and Writing by Margaret Atwood and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.

I’ve got and read the first 2, but not the 3rd. I’m going to ask for it for either my Birthday or Christmas

Still getting my head around Twitter…but I’m getting there!

What else?

A lot, but this post is taking me so long to write that I’m going to have to go and get a drink and run a few errands now!

Hope you had a great weekend and are on the way to a fun and productive week. As for me, you won’t be surprised to hear I’m going to try and write a bit more today and maybe, if there’s time do a bit of knitting…:)

Sign up to join Medium here (if you sign up using my referral link I’ll receive a portion of your membership fee at no extra cost to you).

[This post contains affiliate links which means if you click the link and make a purchase, I get a small commission of that purchase at no extra cost to you!]

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Playing With WordPress

On 8th Aug 20216th Aug 2021 By woollymakerIn blogging, writing4 Comments

I’ve had this blog for over 6 months now and I haven’t really messed around with what you can do INSIDE the blog posts.

I’ve added links, main images and gallery images, am starting to use the separator line and that’s about it, really!

I tagged knitting, crochet and sewing in this post because I post blog posts about those topics a lot, but also because a lot of the example below would be relevant if you blog about those topics too!

Some things you have to pay subscriptions for or aren’t available on the free plan (like adding polls or uploading videos), but there is still a surprising amount you can add.

I wish there were some way to limit ads on posts, I don’t mind if there are a couple (this is a free platform after all) but for one of my recent posts I counted 9 ads! 9!

But anyway, I digress, here are a few options you could choose to add to your posts to mix them up a bit.

Click the plus button on a new block and click browse all to see all of the possibilities.

A Button

There is no link on the button above! It’s just for show, haha!

Media and Text (picture next to writing!)

I found some stickers I was going to throw away…so I stuck them in a journal instead. Totally random, but the colours look pretty!

A Table!

I don’t like how the column widths change as you type…need to do this a few more times to figure it out!

Current WIP’s	Progress Made
Knitted Orange Jumper	About 2/3 Done
Knitted Sock Yarn Shawl	About 30 Rows Done
Knitted Heirloom Entrelac Blanket	To Cast On

Crochet Baby Blanket	About 1/8 Done

Sewn Baby Dress	Fabric Cut Out, To Sew Up

Christmas Knitted Socks	To Cast On

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Latest Posts Below:

August Goals – Crafting and Work

On 1st Aug 202131st Jul 2021 By woollymakerIn Goals1 Comment

Did I make a July goals post? I can’t remember…but here’s the August one!

Craft goals:

Try and get the front of my orange jumper finished, or at the very least a lot of progress made.
Try and finish the sample baby cardigan I’m knitting. So far got the back and one side done.
Do a few more rows on my sock yarn shawl.
Do more on crochet baby blanket.
Cast on large heirloom knitted blanket, I think I’m going to go for entrelac! :O
Finish sewing together fabric baby dress.
Find a simple sock pattern for beginners and cast on.

I think that’ll do. Mainly knitting and crochet as I did a lot of sewing in July!

Work goals:

I am opening my Etsy shop this month regardless of how many listings there are.
I am publishing my book regardless of how finished it is!!!
I want to post an article on Medium every day. Make a push for it!
Join Fiverr.
Join Substack.
Spoonflower have 10 designs up.

That’s it. I have other things planned, but I’m not going to waste time writing every little thing down. These are the main points.

You know what, instead of waffling for ages about all of the above, I’m going to leave it there! I think they are all pretty much self explanatory really!

Wishing you a happy and productive day!! 🙂

[I’m going to try and write every day here in August. There isn’t a plan like in February…that got a little restrictive after a little while, even thought it was fun. Nope, just gonna post every day here this month! ]

The Plan For August – I need your help!

On 30th Jul 202129th Jul 2021 By woollymakerIn Goals, writing5 Comments

I’ve had this blog for 6 months and I’m only just realising what you can put in the POSTS!

I knew you could add things like social media icons in the sidebar etc…but in the POSTS too? OMG my little mind is blown!

Anyway…I was having a think about what to post in August. I’m going to try and upload every day, so some of the posts will be shorter than others.

I’m going to do the usual post whatever is in my head and show you progress of my knitting and crafty WIP’s and finished objects etc.

But is there anything else you want to see/ know?

How about I list some examples below and you comment yes/ no or with your own ideas?

OK, here goes:

Share independent small crafty businesses I’ve come across
Share my favourite books/ craft books
Other blogs to visit
Youtube channels I like
Long form writing pieces
Personal stories/ anecdotes
Free Printable Downloads
Tutorials
Local area pics and ‘tours’
Craft content – knitting, crochet, sewing, general?
Recipes – cooking/ baking?
Q and A
Passive Income related things – Print on Demand/ Affiliate Marketing/ Printables
Blogging – here on WordPress or over on Medium?
Writing- thoughts, tips, places to go for advice, books about the craft of writing

I’m not an expert on all of these things by a long shot, in fact for the Passive Income point above, I’ve only just started with it all this year. But I know where to send you for advice and what sites/ Youtubers to recommend.

I have lots of ideas, but I’d be really interested in knowing what you’d like to see.

Also, the post about 6 months blogging was one of my most viewed…was it the stats side of things, I wonder? You’re all so nosy, haha!

So, do you want more stats kind of posts? Because that was pretty much everything there is, although I could think about doing it for some other platforms too. I’m not sure about that one!

I think, in general, on the blog, I’d like to add more recipes and more craft related content. I’m afraid my photos will always let me down, but that’s alright.

I also want to offer a few more free printables for you to download for your personal use. Any suggestions for that?

Here are some ideas I had:

Project planners/ notes
Craft specific e.g. knitting pattern notes page, techniques to do, favourite designer lists
Productivity trackers e.g. habit trackers, time blocking
To Do Lists
Writing prompts
Journal pages
Challenges e.g. weekly/ monthly
Calendars
Task Batching
Budget trackers, expense trackers

Let me know what you think, I’d love to know!

Medium First Story Posted

On 6th May 20215th May 2021 By woollymakerIn writingLeave a comment

My first post is written and published on Medium. Yay!

It says it’s a 7 min read…well, all I can say is that it didn’t take 7 minutes to write!!!

And I managed to sign up for their Partner Program too. 1 story (it’s a blog post really, they just call it a story) down and only about a hundred more to go.

I didn’t even think about having a nice picture to go with it, so it’s currently image-less. And it’s more of a stream of consciousness kind of post of where I’m up to with things.

I’ve decided to keep this blog as a more crafty space, which is more about knitting, sewing, crochet, baking, maybe a bit about reading and writing, and everyday life. Maybe some design elements will creep in here and there, but for the most part this will be more of a diary, old style type blog.

What I write on Medium will be more of my Passive Income financial journey…what new sites I’ve signed up for, what I’m learning about whether technology or money based. And be more of a curated and sort of professional-is space. Although I realise the irony of saying I’m going to be more professional and not having a picture to add to the post, but you get my meaning.

Here is the link if you want to have a read. You get a few free stories to read a month before you have to pay $5 a month for a subscription.

If you like writing here on WordPress, it might be an option to sign up to their Partner Program, I’m sure there are lots of ways you could re-purpose your content!

Read my first post on Medium here

Below is a random picture of a sassy looking pigeon because I’m obviously prepared for writing this blog post…see I have a picture ready to go and everything!