Happy Year of the Snake

🐍 It’s my Mama’s year. ❤️ I just finished knitting this for her and my Papa. Some say that the snake is a symbol of healing, resilience, and longevity, and that the color blue will bring good luck this year. I hope it’s all true. Wishing everyone peace, good health, and strength. ✨

Knit snake pattern: Natty Knits Designs, Crochet Chinese lantern pattern: Ollie Holly Crochet, Yarn: Berroco Vintage - Sapphire

My Dream Yarn Store

My husband took me to the yarn mothership today! One of my favorite places to order from, I’m so happy we got to visit Wool & Company in person today. I’m still freaking out over how amazing it is! It’s just beautiful, and everyone was so friendly and helpful. (Thank you!)

I didn’t go crazy shopping on this trip, just got a few lovely favorites, and a little Cumulus yarn treat - it really is a super soft pillowy cloud. My brain is still processing all the gorgeous yarns I saw today and making a wish list for next time… We’ll be back!

Happy Year of the Dragon!

🐉✨ May the new year bring you an abundance of love, peace, happiness, health, and wealth! (I didn’t finish making my dragon in time, so Froggie stepped in to help hold the lantern this year. 🐸)

Knit frog pattern: Dot Pebbles Knits, Crochet Chinese lantern pattern: Ollie Holly Crochet, Yarns: Patons Classic Wool and Caron Simply Soft

Rose and Fernando Reunited

My contribution to the Betty White Challenge! ❤️🐾

I have always been a huge Betty White fan, and when she passed, I felt compelled to honor her through yarn art somehow. My first thought was to make a Betty doll from an existing pattern, but when I couldn’t find one that matched the image in my head, my family encouraged me to design my own. On New Year’s Eve, my sister was watching season 3 episode 1 of The Golden Girls, called Old Friends, and she reminded me of one of the best Rose Nylund moments ever. I was inspired by the image of Rose getting her teddy bear Fernando back. She looked angelic (even though we know what she just did to get him back), and so joyful. I wanted to capture that. I like to think of Betty this happy now, reunited with her beloved Allen. I like to think that her little bear represents her big love for animals.

So this has been my design challenge for the past couple of weeks, and I’m so glad I completed this special project in time for Betty White Day, her 100th birthday. This little hand crocheted doll is one of a kind and close to my heart, and I will miss her when she is auctioned off. But I’m hopeful someone will love her as much as I do and help raise money for homeless pets at the same time.

(Fernando is removable, but I wouldn’t recommend taking him from Rose. 😆)

Thankful for the Crafting Community

As someone who was always shy about sharing what I make because it’s not perfect or as good as others’ work, the past couple of years’ worth of health struggles, plus the pandemic roller coaster we’ve all been on, has taught me there’s no point in hiding. And crafting has been helping me get through it all. I’m so grateful to the crafting community for the kindness and encouragement I’ve received as I share and continue to learn, and to all the designers for amazing patterns! I pour a lot of love into each stitch, and it makes me so happy when these little plushies make people smile. That is everything. ❤️

Crocheted bear pattern: Yarn It Darn It, Crocheted bird pattern: Stacey Trock, Knitted puppy pattern: Knits by Sachi, Knitted heart pattern: Studio Knit