Most of the time when I see knitting patterns for circular yoke sweaters, they include a lot of colorwork on the yoke to draw attention to that part of the sweater. (I’ve even designed a colorful circular yoke sweater, which … Read More...
Ways to Count Down to the End of the School Year
It’s a little shocking to me how little time in school my daughter has left for this school year. It feels like seventh grade has flown by and we’ll be done and into summer in no time.
If you want … Read More...
Teacher Cross Stitch Patterns
With the end of the school year coming up soon, you might be thinking about a gift to make and give to the favorite teachers on your list. A little teacher cross stitch pattern is a great way to show … Read More...
Learning about the Seven Elements of Art
Did you know that what we think of as a good piece of art typically includes seven elements? Those elements are:
- line: the basic marks that form a drawing or painting
- shape: two-dimensional objects that can be formed from lines
Wait Out Summer with the Beach Scene Vest Knitting Pattern
It might not be beach weather just yet in most parts of the world, but you can warm up and dream of beach weather while you knit and wear the Beach Scene Vest from Lion Brand Yarn.
The pattern comes … Read More...
Tips for Stitching a Large Cross Stitch Project
I tend to stick to really small cross stitch projects that I can complete relatively quickly. There are a couple of bigger cross stitch projects on my list, I have the supplies for them, but I have never gotten very … Read More...
Cozy Cardigan Knitting Patterns
As the weather gets warmer in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s easy to forget our Southern Hemisphere friends are dealing with the opposite weather pattern. As it gets colder there, knitters may well be thinking about big, cozy cardigans they can … Read More...
Star Wars Learning Activities for Kids
Whether you celebrate May the Fourth be with You, Revenge of the Fifth, or This is the May, Star Wars activities are super fun all month long (or any other time) and give you a great excuse to talk about … Read More...
The Key to Raglan Cardigans that Fit
I’m not sure that I’ve ever knit a raglan cardigan, though I do love raglan pullovers. Designer Jessica McDonald knit a couple of them and then was distressed to discover that they quickly became misshapen while wearing, to the point … Read More...
Book Review: Free Spirit Stitching
It’s so fun to combine different kinds of stitching in the same project. Free Spirit Stitching: 8 Vibrant and Colorful Stitching Adventures by Debra Valencia allows you to do just that.
These projects include cross stitch and embroidery techniques together … Read More...
What Teachers Really Want for Teacher Appreciation
I’ve recently been looking at teacher appreciation ideas, and the consensus when you ask teachers what they really want as a teacher appreciation gift, they say gift cards.
It makes sense, because any teacher who has been teaching for very … Read More...
Book Review: Knitstrips Comic Book
Knitting patterns are generally presented more with words than pictures. Yes, there are photos and video tutorials that often accompany knitting patterns, but for the most part the techniques, and the patterns themselves, are described with words.
Knitstrips
still has … Read More...
Make Your Own Knit Cardigan, Block by Block
I love knitting patterns that give you a lot of options. It’s almost a step between following a pattern and designing something yourself, where you get to make some of the decisions but you don’t have to do the math … Read More...
Cross Stitch Hearts for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is a great time to show mom you care, and what better way to do that than by making her something? I still love all the weird little things my daughter has made me for Mother’s Day and … Read More...
Teacher Appreciation Themes for Your School
Teacher appreciation week is typically celebrated in the first full week of May, but any time is a good time to tell and show teachers how much we care. Whether you’re a parent looking for teacher appreciation ideas or an … Read More...
How to Railroad Your Cross Stitch
“Railroad” doesn’t really sound like a term that should have anything to do with cross stitch, but it is a useful technique if you want to give your work a really crisp, uniform look.
Railroading, a stitching technique that aligns … Read More...
Easy Mother’s Day Gifts for Kids to Make
Of course it’s impossible to generalize what moms want for Mother’s Day (I have always said I wanted a nap), but I think it’s fair to say most moms would like getting a gift that their kid had a hand … Read More...
Stitch Spring Flowers on This Pretty Cowl
The storytelling that often accompanies recipe blog posts has become a bit of a joke on the Internet, with people who just want the recipe already complaining about the fact that the author tells the whole back story of the … Read More...
How to Make Perfect Pom Poms
Pom poms add the perfect little something extra to a lot of projects. It’s a no-brainer to put a pom pom on the top of a hat, but you can also use them to decorate scarves, bags, the bottom of … Read More...
Funny Cross Stitch Patterns for Mother’s Day
Just because we become moms doesn’t mean we lose our sense of humor. If your mom (or another mom you love) has a snarky side, one of these funny cross stitch patterns for Mother’s Day might be just the thing … Read More...