Leftovers aren't just for Thanksgiving

Every dedicated sock knitter knows the bittersweet feeling of finishing a beautiful pair of socks. You weave in the final ends, admire the perfect fit, and then look down at what remains: a cheerful, compact little cake of leftover yarn. Too small to make another sock, but far too precious, high-quality, and expensive to ever dream of throwing away. So, into the stash basket it goes.

Months or years pass, and suddenly that basket is overflowing. You find yourself staring at a breathtaking kaleidoscope of single-ply merinos, sturdy nylon blends, hand-dyed speckles, self-striping remnants, and moody tonal mini-skeins. Together, they are a masterclass waiting to happen. It’s time to raid the cupboard, pull out those remnants, and realize that leftovers aren't just for Thanksgiving

The Mindless Summer Cast-On

This summer is all about portability. I need a project that can transition seamlessly from the car to the stadium. With the World Cup games happening, I want to be fully immersed in the energy, the crowd, and the match—not squinting at a row-by-row guide on my phone while trying to cheer.

A simple sock allows me to knit by feel. I can stitch away during a tense buildup, pause instantly when a goal is scored, and never have to worry about where I left off. It’s the ultimate "autopilot" craft.

So, here’s to a summer of simple pleasures, beautiful self-striping yarn, and making progress one mindless round at a time.

I am back! And trying to find me time with a toddler

Finding the time to knit with a toddler in the house often feels like trying to solve a puzzle where the pieces are constantly running away from you. Since long, uninterrupted stretches of "craft time" are a relic of the past, the secret lies in stealing the "in-between" moments—knitting a single row while the water boils, or leaning into the magic of the nap-time hustle. It requires a bit of tactical planning, like keeping your project in a zippered bag to protect it from curious little hands (and the inevitable "frogging" that happens when a toddler finds a loose strand). While it might take a month to finish a sleeve that used to take a weekend, those few stitches offer a vital mental reset, proving that even in the beautiful chaos of parenthood, you can still create something stitch by stitch. Even if it takes 10x the time

Post holiday catch up

Wow what a whirlwind the last few months have been. Our toddler is while a toddler now so a lot more running around.

January has been a month of crafting catch up on the things I really wanted to make. Not that the gifts I was making were under distress but who likes dead lines some times.

here are the socks, sweater, hat, gnome and sweater vest so far and fingers crossed I will have a 3rd pair of socks done before the end of the month

Moral of the story I line my crafting to be fun and be whimsical.

this year maybe I will make gifts earlier

We all make mistakes- it's only yarn

Working on a Dino sweater for my son. I was so careful to make sure every increase row was the right number of stitches. I took days picking the right yarn. I got to the Dino part of the sweater and was so excited the rows were flying off the needles. Then I realized I am making a top down sweater and the Dino was going to be upside down. So I had to take out 4 rows of color work and restart.

moral of of the story we all make mistakes but it’s only yarn and can be redone. Just think of it like buy one get one free

Positive potatoes!

A quick order I made for open studios. These are so much fun to make. Just a little modification of this pattern

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/potato-amigurumi-3

Emotional Support chickens

So I am on my 7th emotional support chicken now but its such a fun pattern to make. I had the pleasure of meeting the designer a few weeks ago and her yarn shop had such a great community vibe they do a pot luck every Sunday. i have never felt so welcomed in a shop. if you are ever in the LA area go check out her shop. here is the link to her pattern. emotional support chicken

please take the time to read though it. its easy to miss a few directions and mess up he wings look out for the knit entire row in steps 18 and 27