Circular knitting machines are a lot of fun to use and make it easy to knit tubes. Despite the name, it’s also possible to knit flat panels on a knitting machine, but this is a function a lot of people … Read More...
ANZAC Day Printables and Activities
Because I’m American (and we are routinely terrible about learning other peoples’ history), I don’t know a lot about ANZAC Day, though I have shared some ANZAC Day activities before. If you’re also unfamiliar, it’s basically considered the Australia and … Read More...
Game of Wool Renewed for Second Series
Game of Wool, the controversial (among knitters, anyway) knitting competition series set in Scotland and hosted by Olympic knitter Tom Daley, has been renewed for a second series, according to Channel 4.
The Great British Bake Off style knitting … Read More...
Cross Stitch a Sampler Full of Scissors
As cross stitchers, we have lots of essential tools, including our thread and fabric, but one of the things none of us can live without is our scissors.
I have scissors of all sizes all over the house, from large … Read More...
Log Cabin Knitting Patterns
When it comes to meditative knitting, I’m not sure there’s much better than log cabin knitting. You start with a garter stitch square, then add a few stitches and knit another strip, pick up stitches along the sides and knit … Read More...
How to Make French Knots, or What to Do Instead
I happen to really like French knots. I think they’re fun to make and I’ve written a lot about how to make French knots, how they look different depending on how many strands of thread you use and how many … Read More...
Learning about Frogs for Kids
When I started writing this post I thought I had never written about learning activities involving frogs before, but clearly I didn’t dig far enough into the archive because on another blog post I found while writing this one was … Read More...
Take a Chance on Knitting the Dice Cowl
What happens when you mix a bunch of different colors with a few different stitch textures on the same knit cowl? Something like the Dice Cowl from Audrey Borrego.
This sock yarn stash buster is perfect for using up the … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Emily Call
Emily Call’s Etsy shop is full of cross stitch patterns for the whole year, including specific seasons, affirmations and floral designs. Let’s take a closer look.
The biggest category on the site is called “all year” and it includes month … Read More...
Learning About El Salvador for Kids
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America bordered by Honduras, Guatemala and the Pacific Ocean. It was historically home to the Maya and then the Cuzcatlecs before being conquered by Spain in the … Read More...
Book Review: Knitwear from Finland
I picked up Knitwear from Finland from my local library, not knowing anything about it. Upon closer look I saw that the book includes “Designs by Minna Metsänen Inspired by Niina Laitinen.”
I didn’t know what any of that … Read More...
Herbs to Cross Stitch for Your Kitchen
Even though we’re getting close to spring, I’m not quite ready to call it planting time where I live. I am, however, quite ready to have fresh herbs right outside my door again. Maybe for now I just have to … Read More...
Basket Knitting Patterns to Help with Spring Cleaning
Want a legitimate excuse to do more crafting instead of cleaning? Knit up some baskets to help you with your spring organization tasks, and as a bonus you’ll have less yarn you need to store!
This simple garter stitch basket … Read More...
Make Cutting Cardboard Simple and Safe with the BeaverBot Cutter 2
Just to get it out of the way up front, the good folks at BeaverBot sent me a BeverBot Cutter 2 (the B. Rex model, to be precise) so that I could review it for you but I received no … Read More...
Learning Activities Using Easter Eggs
This time of year there are plastic Easter eggs everywhere. I cleaned out my attic recently and we had so. many. eggs that I put a bunch in the donation box and we still probably have more than we need. … Read More...
Women in Denmark Knit Clothes for Statues
It’s common throughout the world that there are fewer statues of women than there are of men, and typically more of the men are real people, while the female statues are often goddesses or characters from mythology.
They’re also often … Read More...
Introducing Kids to Cross Stitch
I love introducing kids to stitching in all its forms. Not only did I teach my daughter how to stitch on plastic canvas and fabric (as well as knitting and sewing, we’re still working on crochet), I’ve taught other kids … Read More...
How to Seam Garter Stitch
Garter stitch is an unsung (by many people) workhorse of knitting. It’s so easy to knit and quite meditative, and I love the chunky texture of the waves of garter stitch ridges.
But just because it’s easy doesn’t mean everything … Read More...
Book Review: Sparrow’s Easter Garden
For religious people, Easter isn’t just about the one day of celebration, it’s a whole season that can include Lent, the 40 days before Easter that are a time of reflection and sacrifice.
Sparrow’s Easter Garden by Roger Hutchison and … Read More...
Play with Intarsia to Make a Scarf or Hood
I’m a big fan of graphic knitting patterns and projects that look more complicated than they really are. Both are true of the Rust & Rhythm scarf and hood (she calls it a bonnet, but it’s a hood to me) … Read More...