Portable Calm 🧶

My mind has been extra overloaded this year, so I’ve been turning to simple, relaxing projects when I can. I’m lucky and grateful I can always have my knitting with me for a little portable calm. And it feels good that I’ve been able to make useful things out of leftover yarn and scraps. All the frankensocks in the collage photo are my plain vanilla sock recipe, but by far the prettiest socks I’ve made this year are the Jardiniere Socks by Stone Knits. It was nice to slow down and knit these sweet little blue flower pots. They make me think of my mom and dad, who I can’t wait to see soon. Thanks so much to Charlotte Stone for this lovely tutorial and pattern!

Hope you are all well, friends. ❤️

Soulmates

My dad (born the year of the rat) wanted a knitted plushie to go with my mom’s snake from my previous post. He took a picture of them together on the kitchen table. ❤️

Hope you have a happy spring, friends. 🌱

Rat pattern: Rabbit Hole Knits, Snake pattern: Natty Knits Designs

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

Scrappy New Year

The cozy socks I finished on New Year’s Eve and my first finished knit of 2025. Scrappy socks for scrappy times.

(I just looked up the meaning of “scrappy times” after typing that to make sure I was using it correctly. Yup, sounds right:

“Scrappy times refers to a period where one is facing challenging or difficult circumstances, often requiring resourcefulness, determination, and a willingness to fight through obstacles, even with limited resources.

Key aspects of being scrappy: resilient, resourceful, creative, determined, adaptable”)

The past couple of months have been challenging, but I’m learning a lot, getting things done, and focusing on what matters most. I’m lucky and thankful I have my husband and my knitting to turn to when I feel overwhelmed. I’m sending lots of love, comfort, and strength out there to everyone who needs it. ❤️ Scrappy New Year, friends.

Merry Christmas!

Thankful for the gift of time with loved ones. ❤️ I hope you’re having a happy holiday season! Have a very Merry Christmas. 🎄 Wishing everyone peace, good health, and love in the coming year and always. ✨

Pattern: Twin Stitches Designs Cold Winter Nights Worsted Socks, Yarn: Lion Brand Yarn Wool-Ease

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!

Love My New Socks

I’m so in love with my new socks! I’ll be thinking of my sister-in-law every time I wear them. ❤️ She got me this super special yarn when she visited Bath! What a treat.

Pattern: my vanilla sock recipe, Yarn: Dye Bath

A Busy Spring

It’s been a busy spring so far - we really loved having my parents here! And now we’re prepping for more family activities coming up… Not a lot of knitting time lately, but I did manage to finally finish these socks I’ve been carrying around in my purse since March! One stitch at a time… Will try to squeeze another pair out of the leftover yarn…

Hope you’re having a happy spring too!

Pattern: Marly Bird Toe Up Socks, Yarn: Laines du Nord Paint Gradient Sock Yarn

The Light We Carry

I admire Michelle Obama for many reasons, and I love her even more for sharing her knitting journey. She’s asked fellow knitters to share a project we’re proud of and why we enjoy knitting.

For me, yarn crafting is meditative, healing, calming, and can also be challenging in a good way. It helps me focus and relax at the same time. I love the peaceful process of every stitch and the feeling of accomplishment when I’ve completed a project or learned a new technique. And it’s so rewarding when something I’ve made with my own hands makes someone smile. I also love the portability - I can take yarn therapy with me anywhere.

It makes me so happy and proud that my Mama was the first person to use these little knit coasters I made. ❤️

Pattern: Megan Goodacre, Yarn: Knit Picks, Needles: Knitter’s Pride

Love ❤️

Thankful 2022 was full of love and happiness! ❤️ I’m so grateful for my husband and our loved ones. Wishing you all peace, good health, prosperity, contentment, and lots of love in the new year and always. Have a happy 2023! 🥳

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. 😆)

Still Making Masks

I’ve always loved crafting, and it has been good for my soul during this crazy time. The face masks were born out of love in the first month of the pandemic when fabric and elastic were impossible to get, and my family needed masks. I learned how to make them by cutting up and hand stitching cotton handkerchiefs together and sewing strips of them as ties until I could get better supplies. I had no idea that this would grow beyond my family and local donations. With each mask request I’ve continued to learn and improve, and 200 masks later, I now use a combo of hand and machine sewing to make them. Hopefully we won’t need masks for long. But while we do, I’m determined to keep doing my small part. And I’ll also keep trying to make them fun with cute fabrics! All of my masks are 100% cotton, have comfy adjustable ear loops, nose wire, and a filter pocket. I’ll be including my knitting, crocheting, hand lettering, and doodles in my new Etsy shop down the line, but for now my main focus is making comfortable face masks. I’m thankful for all the generous support - it helps me cover supplies and continue to donate as much as I can. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

The Most Epic Knitting Project

My sister came up with the great idea for us to be the Osgood sisters this year, which became the most fun, epic knitting project! I made each of us the 50th anniversary version of the iconic 12 ft. Doctor Who scarf. 64,240 stitches total! Each scarf took about a month to make, knitting every evening. Totally worth it!