I’m fully willing to admit that the headline on this post sounds weird. And maybe it is a little weird to knit a hot air balloon.
But you know what? After seeing this pattern from Butterfly Love1 on Etsy, I … Read More...
Book Review: Surviving Vesuvius
I don’t know why a lot of kids seem to get interested in lost civilizations and ancient mysteries, and the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE is not really a mystery but certainly an unusual story that can get … Read More...
Funny Valentine’s Day Cross Stitch Patterns
The other day I shared some more typically romantic Valentine’s Day cross stitch patterns with hearts, but if you don’t want to go that route, there are lots of other options.
And some of them are still super cute, … Read More...
Dog Sweater Knitting Patterns
A little while back I shared a dog sweater knitting pattern with little fish on it, but just in case that’s not your style I wanted to share some more dog sweater knitting patterns for your furry friends.
If you … Read More...
Using Counting Pins in Cross Stitch
Here’s another topic in cross stitch that I didn’t know anything about until I found a post about it: counting pins.
I mean, it makes sense that you could use pins as an alternative to gridding your cross stitch … Read More...
Valentine’s Day Crafts to Make for the Classroom
I love an easy craft that you can have all the kids make and use to decorate the classroom or even make into gifts for the holiday to give their parents. These crafts are mostly process art activities that could … Read More...
Easy Fair Isle Sweaters for Kids and Adults
I was perusing the patterns on Lion Brand the other day, as one does, and I saw these two patterns that are not identical, but they’re related enough that you could make a mom and me pairing out of them. … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Wild Bluebell Patterns
At the end of each month I made an editorial calendar for the next month, and by the time I get around to writing the posts I sometimes forget the particulars of a site or a pattern I wanted to … Read More...
Learn about Burundi for Kids
Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in southeast Africa. It’s a nation with a long history that has been marked in modern times by coups and ethnic conflict.
Burundi Basics
- Burundi is bordered by Rwanda, Tanzania
Review: Cozy Knits
Knitting has long been a textile art in use in most of the world, with different traditions, techniques and colors used in different places. The book Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf, and Sock Patterns from Around the World… Read More...
Cross Stitch Hearts
For Valentine’s Day this year I wanted to do a post focusing on patterns with hearts and one without hearts (coming soon!) so you have the option of being traditionally romantic or less so.
You won’t be surprised to know … Read More...
Valentine’s Day Activities Using Hearts
There are so many different classroom activities you can do around Valentine’s Day, from STEM activities to art projects and math activities.
I wasn’t sure how to share more ideas this year than I already have, but I thought … Read More...
Projects to Knit for Valentine’s Day
It’s kind of funny to me that I can come up with different things to share for Valentine’s Day every year, but here we are with another roundup of Valentine’s Day knitting patterns. (For some old ones, check out hats … Read More...
Stone Soup Activities for Kids
I don’t know why I was thinking about this the other day, but one of my favorite times at my daughter’s preschool was when all the families were invited to make stone soup. Stone Soup is a classic story … Read More...
Easy (and Free!) Hat Knitting Patterns
If your budget is tight but you still need to keep warm, these free hat knitting patterns will get you there. These hats are easy to knit for newer knitters and will get your head cozy in no time.
Note: … Read More...
Make Your Hoops Prettier to Use as Frames
It’s popular to use embroidery hoops as frames for cross stitch projects, but a plain wooden hoop isn’t really that interesting as a way to present your hard work to the world.
Luckily it’s pretty easy to embellish an embroidery … Read More...
Groundhog Day Activities for Kids
February 2 is Groundhog Day, the day when a famous groundhog in Pennsylvania “predicts” when spring is going to come based on whether its shadow can be seen that day.
It’s kind of a silly holiday, which is just the … Read More...
Joann Files for Bankruptcy Again
Last March the craft retailer Joann announced that it was filling for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and that the company would become a private company with a better handle on its debt. The first part did happen, but the company has … Read More...
Designer Spotlight: Pigeon Coop Designs
Pigeon Coop Designs is a Canada-based Etsy shop that bills itself as having nature inspired cross stitch patterns and kits. I get a little of a folk art, retro feel from their designs, which emphasize natural landscapes and animals.
In … Read More...
Pretty Ways to Use Your Yarn Stash
I’m all about using yarn stash most of the year, but this time of year especially I spend a lot of time thinking about and sharing patterns that you can use if you want to pare down your stash a … Read More...