Learning about Hanukkah is important for people of all faiths as a reminder that December isn’t just about Christmas and that their are many other important holidays that happen during this time. Hanukkah unit studies can give you ideas for … Read More...
Use Your Sock Yarn Scraps to Knit a Colorful Scarf
Using your yarn stash is important to me throughout the year, but as I start to feel the end of the year coming on I get more excited about using things I already have in the house. Maybe that’s because … Read More...
Christmas Ornament Cross Stitch Patterns
The other day I shared some cross stitch patterns with ornaments on them, so this time around I wanted to share cross stitch patterns that you can use as ornaments. It would be fun to do a whole tree in … Read More...
Book Review: Las Mañanitas
The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe is important throughout Mexico and other parts of the world. Her feast day is Dec. 12, and the celebrations honoring her appearance to Juan Diego in 1531 begin a few days before that.… Read More...
Knit Up a Blooming Good Hat
I haven’t done a great job lately bringing you whimsical knitting patterns because there’s just so much to talk about in the knitting world this time of year, but I wanted to share this amazing hat that could be your … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Cross Stitch Foxy
Cross Stitch Foxy has a huge selection of cross stitch patterns perfect for gifts or using in your own home decor. As of this writing there are more than 900 patterns listed, so there’s no way I can cover them … Read More...
Christmas Stocking Knitting Patterns for Your Pets
I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking … Read More...
Turkey in Disguise Activities
Every year at my daughter’s school I think it’s the second or third graders do an activity where they have to disguise a turkey to keep it from being eaten at Thanksgiving. The kids draw the disguise and write a … Read More...
Printable Houses to Use as Christmas Decorations
I guess this isn’t exclusively a kid’s craft or learning activity (though cutting and folding are great for developing fine motor skills!) but I think kids would love having some of these printable holiday houses around the house or classroom … Read More...
Stitch a Scarf with Dreamy Waves
As I write this, it’s probably time to start thinking about winter knitting if you haven’t already. And it’s definitely time to think about gift knitting if you have any of that you plan to do for the holidays.
The … Read More...
Finish Your Cross Stitch with Washing and Pressing
I’ll admit to not taking as much care as I should when finishing cross stitch projects. Just like blocking in knitting or crochet, taking the time to finish a cross stitch project right means it will look its best, whether … Read More...
Book Review: Hanukkah
If you want to teach kids the basics of Hanukkah in the classroom or at home, the picture book Hanukkah by Lesléa Newman and illustrated by Rotem Teplow is a nice place to start.
The book explores the Jewish holiday … Read More...
Christmas Sock Knitting Patterns
Why should the fireplace get all the fun? Instead of knitting stockings this year, why not whip up a pair of Christmas themed socks? These Christmas sock knitting patterns are lots of fun to make and you can wear them … Read More...
Cross Stitch Patterns with Christmas Ornaments
I was trying to think of some different Christmas cross stitch pattern themes that I could share with you and I came up with wanting to do a post of patterns with ornaments on them that aren’t necessarily ornaments themselves.… Read More...
Learn about Botswana for Kids
Botswana is a landlocked country in southern Africa known for its desert and game reserves. About 70 percent of the country is part of the Kalahari Desert, and it is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world.… Read More...
A Great Cropped Sweater to Knit for Fall
I feel like a lot of the patterns I have been sharing lately are sweaters that you can use for layering. Maybe that’s because it stayed warm for so long this year where I live that I’m still thinking about … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Piccola Parigi
Piccola Parigi is a Europe-based Etsy shop with a team of designers bringing you modern and fun cross stitch patterns for lots of occasions. With a heavy emphasis on wedding cross stitch, you’ll also find holiday patterns for Christmas, … Read More...
Book Review: My Cross Stitch Doll
Even as our kids’ lives get more saturated with technology, many kids still like playing with dolls and imagining worlds for them. Making a doll for a child is a lot of fun, and you can personalize them for the … Read More...
Knit a Simple But Fun Sweater
From the front, the Simply Me Blouse from NORgardknitters looks like a plain, boxy, garter stitch sweater. The kind of thing you’d want to throw on every day, like the knit version of a sweatshirt.
But when you look at … Read More...
Leaf Activities That Don’t Use Real Leaves
The other day I shared some crafts involving fall leaves, but there are a lot of fun leaf-related activities that don’t use real leaves, so I wanted to share some of those, too.
Like these watercolor leaves from The … Read More...