This time of year Christmas trees are starting to pop up all over (if they haven’t already been up for a month!) so it feels like a good time to share some trivia and fun facts about Christmas trees. Share … Read More...
Knit a Simple Striped Blanket
It takes a pretty special person to be worthy of a knit blanket as a gift. Other than babies, my daughter is the only one to have gotten one from me. But with a simple and relatively fast pattern like … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Needle Minder Lair
As you might guess from the name of this Etsy shop, Needle Minder Lair sells a lot of different kinds of needle minders. We’ll get to that, but they also have a nice collection of cross stitch patterns, too, so … Read More...
Winter Solstice Activities and Crafts for Kids
The winter solstice happens on Dec. 21 (as I write this in 2025, anyway) in the Northern Hemisphere, and it’s sort of the real beginning of the holiday season. It marks the beginning of the coldest season, but it’s also … Read More...
Knit a Fun Hat with Tons of Colorful Brioche
We have established that I’m trying to bring more whimsy into the world with my work and my life and the things that I share here. I know not everyone goes for the wild or offbeat designs, but I hope … Read More...
Christmas Gnome Cross Stitch Patterns
Gnomes are a fan favorite all year long, but they’re especially welcome in winter and during the holiday season. Check out these winter and Christmas gnome cross stitch patterns and stitch your new favorite holiday character!
I love this winter … Read More...
An Array of Knit Christmas Ornaments
I was sure this was going to be the year I was going to knit a bunch of Christmas ornaments. And I guess it still could be, but at the time of this writing I’ve only done one, a cute… Read More...
Resources for Learning Map Skills
It might not seem that important for kids to learn map skills these days, unless you like to hike or do things outdoors where there might not be internet access. But kids still like looking at maps and learning how … Read More...
Owl Learning Activities for Kids
I don’t know why certain animals are associated with different seasons for me, but owls are decidedly a fall animal. So let’s learn more about owls!
First you should know that there are lots of different kinds of owls, which … Read More...
How to Work Confetti Stitches in Cross Stitch
Do you know the term confetti stitch when it comes to cross stitch? This is a term that is used for when there are single stitches scattered around the canvas. It’s often used for things like a sky full of … Read More...
Knit a Pretty Tam in Two Colors
There are all sorts of fun hat knitting patterns out there, but I will admit to mostly having knit beanies throughout my knitting career. But there are lots of other fun shapes that allow you to bring different kinds of … Read More...
Fun Turkey Crafts for Kids
Even though I’m a pro crafter, I still feel like Thanksgiving gets lost in the crush between Halloween and Christmas. But it can be an important and meaningful holiday, and it’s definitely something worth crafting for. Even if you’re not … Read More...
Book Review: No Needles Knitting
Years ago Vickie Howell wrote a book for kids about finger knitting, and as those crafty kids have grown up, she wanted to revisit the world of finger knitting for an older audience. The result is what she calls the … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Cotton Clara
This cheerful shop specializes in little, colorful designs, with a bit of a pop culture twist (and more than a few designs that have to do with food). Let’s check out Cotton Clara!
This shop based in the UK sells … Read More...
Game of Wool “Fair Isle” Controversy Just Won’t End
I was trying to avoid writing about the controversy surrounding the first episode of Game of Wool, the knitting and crochet competition show hosted by Olympic diver and knitter Tom Daley. I haven’t seen the show so I don’t … Read More...
More Fun, Colorful Christmas Stocking Patterns to Knit
I recently shared some super retro looking Christmas stocking knitting patterns, but I couldn’t resist sharing a few more. Whether you’re looking for something with a vintage look, something funny or classic, this set of Christmas stocking patterns to knit … Read More...
Learning about Czech Republic for Kids
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia (which is not the same as Chechnya), is a landlocked country in central Europe that was part of Czechoslovakia through most of the 1900s until it was dissolved in 1992.
Czech Republic Basics
… Read More...How to Draw a Cross Stitch Chart on Graph Paper
Most of the time when we think about making our own cross stitch patterns, we probably think about using the computer to help us. There are lots of programs available that can take a picture and turn it into a … Read More...
Hanukkah Cross Stitch Patterns
It feels like every year I find more Hanukkah cross stitch patterns to share, which I guess is true of every holiday! (Check out some past Hanukkah cross stitch patterns if you need even more inspiration. I almost shared the … Read More...
Celebrate National Sock Day
For some reason National Sock Day is coming up on Dec. 3, so let’s talk about some ways to celebrate at home or in the classroom.
Of course first off you need to declare it a silly sock day, and … Read More...