There are all sorts of great geeky craft patterns out there, but one of the classics is Super Mario Brothers (did you see the Mario and the Princess knit scarf I made a few years ago?).
I recently stumbled upon … Read More...
Giveaway: Zippy Loom Master Set
Congratulations to Pamela!
Last week I told you about my experience with the Zippy Loom, a customizable knitting loom set made to work with super bulky and jumbo yarns.
If you’d like a chance to give the system a … Read More...
Encourage Writing and Storytelling with Printable Comic Book Templates
Sometimes reluctant readers get interested in graphic novels and comic books, so it stands to reason that the same format could help reluctant writers and storytellers as well.
Plus, it’s just fun to tell a story in a comic book … Read More...
Zippy Loom Knitting Set Review
I was sent the Zippy Loom Master Set
to complete my review, but all opinions are my own.
Loom knitting is a fun and easy way to get started making knit fabric. Kids love it — I had a lot … Read More...
Head to DMC for Great Cross-Stitch Basics
If you need a quick overview of cross stitching basics because you’re still learning, need a refresher or want to teach someone else how to cross stitch, there’s a great collection of tutorials and tips at the DMC website.
It … Read More...
Learning in Nature with Kids
There are many times in the year when you just don’t want to take your kids outside, whether as a parent or a teacher. It’s too hot or cold or rainy or whatever and you’d rather not bother, right?
It’s … Read More...
Kickstarter Aims to Produce Children’s Book about Knit Bear
A reader sent me a post about a children’s book she has written involving Huggable Henry, a little knit bear who helps people who are upset by giving them hugs.
Debbie Trainor, of Knit n Sew Studio, has produced … Read More...
Man in Hospice Has Made More than 8,000 Hats for the Homeless
There was a lot of great knitting-related news happening while I was too busy to share it, but just in case you didn’t see the story of Morrie Boogaart before, I wanted to make sure you did.
Boogaart is 91 … Read More...
Knit (or Crochet) a Pokeball
Are people still playing Pokemon Go? I never downloaded it, but I know I read the peak of downloads came on the day it was released, and the most users ever was a week after that, so I’m not sure … Read More...
Stitching Comments from Stories a Side Hobby for Reporter
The Venn diagram for reporters/writers/bloggers who are also into needlepoint is probably pretty small, but I love this idea for turning choice comments from stories posted on the Internet into embroidery.
Claire Cardona is a breaking news reporter at the … Read More...
How to Cross Stitch Your Family
At my daughter’s school there’s a teacher who is amazing at cross stitch, and she loves making cross-stitch family portraits. They’re always so cute, and a fun way to add some personality to your walls that’s completely personalized and … Read More...
Giveaway: 75 Floral Blocks to Knit
Congrats to C. Allen!
This week I’ve got another giveaway from my archive of knitting books, 75 Floral Blocks to Knit
by Lesley Stanfield. As the title says, this book is full of blocks — squares as well as other … Read More...
Easy Ways to Get Ready for Back to School
I know different areas of the world are different in terms of when kids go back to school, and if you homeschool you could be on a completely different schedule, but where I live kids have been trickling back to … Read More...
Celebrate Left Handers Day
Today is Left Handers Day, and it’s fun to celebrate by learning about being left handed and learning a little bit about what it’s like to be a lefty.
The Left Handers Day website has a list of ideas for … Read More...
How To Embroider on Paper
This is a technique that isn’t strictly cross stitch, but you could do it in cross stitch if you wanted to.
Embroidery on paper isn’t difficult, you just have to create holes to sew through, so it takes a little … Read More...
Knit Simple, Removable Pillow Covers without Buttonholes
Knitting pillow covers is an easy way to add a little homemade flair to your decor, but it is usually important to be able to wash the pillow cases from time to time.
It was a problem that stumped JD … Read More...
Make Report Writing Easier with this Visual Format
As children learn to write, they are also learning how to tell stories. Often when kids are starting to write stories we encourage drawing a picture and writing about what is shown, whether they are retelling a favorite fairy tale … Read More...
Cross Stitch for Left-Handed People
As a knitter, I know that there can be a big difference in how handcrafts work depending on which hand is dominant for you. My daughter is left-handed, too, so I have to think about this when I’m teaching her … Read More...
A Little More about Yarn the Film
A few weeks ago I told you about getting to see Yarn
the film and how I enjoyed seeing the different stories about how yarn crafts can go out into the world and give people a different perspective on craft.… Read More...
Stitch up Some Medals for Olympics Pretend Play
If you have little kids you know how much they love to pretend, and if they’re watching the Olympics they probably want to pretend they’re winning medals, too.
You can stitch up some easy medals for them to play with … Read More...