Happy Thursday! I have a finished knit to share today, my colorwork mittens!


I started these mittens in December 2021, so they've been a long time coming! I really don't know why it took me so long to get them done. They're unlined, and I love knitting colorwork! The pattern is Emma's Ice Flower Mittens.


I knit most of the second mitten in January of this year. I started knitting just a couple rows every morning after I finished eating my breakfast, and before I knew it, they were done! Such a good reminder for myself that small incremental progress can add up. That's the only kind of making I can manage at the moment, with my crafty time being so fragmented.


Despite how long it took me to get these done, I really like them. I love how long the cuff is, and the colorwork was very pleasant. I did struggle a bit on the first mitten when it came to picking up the thumb stitches, but I was really over thinking it. The second thumb was way easier.


This fuchsia yarn by Duck Duck Wool was a dream to knit with. It's so soft and smooth. I'm glad I finally used it in a project, the color is so fun! The cream is an undyed skein of worsted.


I carried this project around in one of my favorite drawstring project bags that I've ever made! This was made with scraps from my Fantastic Leftovers Quilt. I really should make some more scrappy bags, I always love how they turned out! This is the project size from my Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern.


If you're interested, you can find this project on my Ravelry here.

Happy Knitting!

2024 Crafty Goals

It's a few weeks into the new year, and I think I've finally nailed down some crafty goals for 2024. To be honest, it has been difficult to get this post written. It took about a week into the year before I even felt like I could make any goals. Being the primary caretaker for our daughter has meant that my time to dedicate to creative work is extremely limited. Making super specific or challenging goals doesn't feel particularly motivating to me at the moment. And so I kind of fell into the "why bother" line of thinking for a few days. But, I realized that just because I don't feel like I can make the kinds of goals I usually do, doesn't mean I can't make any goals.

This year my goals list is pretty short, and I'm keeping it simple. I don't want these goals to add any stress to my life! I want there to be more wiggle room than I've given myself previously. This year is not about production, it's about nurturing my creativity. I realize I don't have to make goals at all, but I find comfort in a little structure. I think it would feel weird for me to have no goals at all. So without further ado, here are my goals for this year:

2024 Crafty Goals

- My #1 goal: When I do have time to make, spend most of that time playing. Work on whatever will make me the happiest in that moment.

- Try to use up more yardage than I bring in for both fabric and yarn. I'll track my yardage each month to help me stay on target. I'm less worried about this goal, I feel confident that my buying habits are in check after many years of tracking.

- Finish up 1 or 2 long-term projects in progress.

- Sew something with my vintage sheet stash.

- Finish my colorwork mittens (I'm so close already, this should be a quick win!).

- Restart my art practice. This one is already in progress, I'm taking this class at the moment and feeling so inspired.

- Crochet more amigirumi.

That's it! Low-key and (hopefully) managable. A few specific goals, but most are pretty open ended, which I think will be good for me. Have you made any crafty goals for 2024? If you're looking for some advice for making crafty goals, I wrote a post about my general approach to crafty goals a few years ago, you can find it here: Tips for Making and Keeping Crafty Goals.

Happy Making!

December Monthly Report

It's time for the December monthly report. See past reports here.


December was full of a lot of sewing! I mostly made drawstring bags for wrapping gifts. This is my second present block bag. I love how it turned out! Here is the tutorial if you'd like to make one too: Present Quilt Block Drawstring Bag Free Tutorial


This year I really wanted to use up this Cozy Christmas Panel by Lori Holt. My Mom gave it to me a few years ago and it's just been waiting in my stash to be used for something.


I ended up squeezing SEVEN bags from it! I used a solid for all the linings, but the exteriors were all cut from the panel. I made two Everything size bags and five Snack size bags from my Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern. Feels so good to have used it up. There aren't even scraps left!



I made a some Christmas gifts, but managed to take almost no photos of them somehow! I did snap a photo of this special project. My Mom and I have been really into puzzles this year, so I decided to get a custom puzzle printed for her. At first I wasn't sure what to have printed, but ended up doing a giant vintage star quilt mocked up some of my Dreamin' Vintage prints. I used Collage.com. I choose the 675-piece 20" square puzzle, which came with their standard box. I wasn't crazy about the box, so I ended up picking up a kraft paper box from Michael's and designing my own box cover. I think it turned out pretty cute, and she loved it!


I started a new knitting project! Another pair of colorwork mittens. I'm using Emma's Ice Flower Mittens pattern. More details on my Ravelry here.

To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in December:

December Fabric
Used up: 21.75 yard
Brought in: 2 yards
Net: -19.75 yards
Year to date: -88.25 yards

December Yarn
Used up: 0 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: 0 yards
Year to date: -2319 yards

Pretty happy with my fabric output this month! I made a bunch of drawstring bags which was a good chunk of the yardage. I also made myself a coat! I'll be sure to post about it soon, but that used up 5.5 yards. No yarn out this month, but none in, so that's good!


Did a little antiquing while we were back home in Ohio. Managed to find some really nice vintage Christmas goodies!



I finally tried making milk bread! I've wanted to try this bread for a long time and it did not dissapoint. It turned out so delicious, and had the most amazing soft texture. I'll be making this many more times! The recipe is from the book Mooncakes and Milkbread by Kristina Cho*. I bookmarked so many things to make in this book.

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

October Monthly Report

It's time for the October monthly report. See past reports here.

This was one of my best months for finishing things! I bound up my Kaleidoscope Quilt early in the month. Just need to get photos of it!


I also finished my indigo courthouse steps quilt! I picked this one back up in June (read more about it here). It's been in progress for a long time, so I was really happy to finish two long-term quilt projects in October.


The bulk of the other sewing I did was some Lined Drawstring Bags! I chatting in depth about this one in this post: Halloween Treat Bag & My Spooky Village


I also made six additional tiny sized Lined Drawstring Bags to make a little Halloween countdown. You can ready more about that in this post: Last Minute Halloween Countdown Project.


Not only did I finish two quilts, but I picked up my yarn-related projects for the first time in months! I finished this Astra hat (pattern* by Ambah O'Brien) for Michael that I started in the Spring. You can read more about it on my Ravelry page here: Astra Hat II.


I also finished weaving the scarf that I had on my loom! I had a little trouble with this yarn, so I made it a little shorter than I originally intended. Still turned out nice though! Looking forward to making time for more weaving this winter.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in October:

October Fabric
Used up: 27 yard
Brought in: 5 yards
Net: -27 yards
Year to date: -59.25 yards

October Yarn
Used up: 496 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -496 yards
Year to date: -2319 yards

Bought some fabric this month! I picked up a bunch of holiday fabrics from Stash Fabrics. I have slowly used up most of my Christmas/winter fabrics so it was time to add to it a bit. Thankfully my intake was greatly offset by the fabrics I used up. This was my most productive month of 2021!


Picked up this cool vintage Singer Pinker from Ecoworks. I'm excited to display it alongside my miniature sewing machine collection.


Not a lot of baking this month, but I did roast some pumpkin seeds. One of my favorite snacks!


We said goodbye to the garden this month. It's always a sad few days for sure. It was my very best year for growing dahlias, I already can't wait for next year.

Have a Great Month!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

February Monthly Report

It's time for the February monthly report. See past reports here.


February was really tough. Saying goodbye to George was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. He had been slowing down over the last year or so, but things went downhill pretty fast. Right before Christmas we shifted our focus to palliative care, and just tried to enjoy the time we had left together. I couldn't bring myself to say it at the time, but that's why I disappeared for a while. We had the help and support of Laps of Love, who helped us navigate the process. He passed here at home, in my arms. It was devastating, but the most peaceful thing we could do for him. Thank you for all the love you've shown us, it means a lot. I wanted to share this artwork that my friend Melissa Averinos did of him. What an angel.


I didn't do a whole lot of anything in February, but I did force myself to do some crafting. The main thing I worked on this month was a few weaving projects. I don't know why, but weaving has really hit the spot during this time. I think because it is so repetitive and mindless for me. I started and finished a long scarf with a skein of sock yarn and some lace-weight yarn. I also started a worsted weight scarf too, which I am still working on. I weave on a 10" Cricket Loom by Schacht.


Towards the end of the month I set myself a goal of getting two quilts in the mail for quilting by the end of February. I had the tops done but needed to make backings for both. It may not sound like much, but it was kind of daunting. I spent most of my time the last few months taking care of George, so it felt like a lot. I'm glad I pushed through and did it though. I know it will feel good when I can get those finished, hopefully it will help propel me forward.


My only sewing finishes this month was another set of scrunchies. I love the ones I made over the summer but I'm always misplacing them. Figured a few more were in order. Plus it was my scrap project for the month, so win-win. I used this tutorial from Made Everyday.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in February:

February Fabric
Used up: .25 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -.25 yards
Year to date: -7.875 yards

February Yarn
Used up: 642 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -642 yards
Year to date: -1035 yards

No fabric purchases this month, so despite my very small amount of fabric I used up, I'm still in the negative. Will this be the first year I never have a positive "year to date"? We'll see! The scarf I finished used a good amount of yarn, so my yarn yardages are already off to a great start this year.


I did a lot of baking in February, including a coconut cake for Michael's birthday. It was the same basic cake I made for his half birthday this Summer, but this time I frosted it with cool whip and we liked it much better. The buttercream I made for it last time was too sweet and too rich. The cake recipe is from Smitten Kitchen Every Day*.

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.


I also made everything bagels. Our favorite bagel shop in Madison, Bagels Forever, had a variety called "New Everything" that had all the everything bits on the inside of the bagel instead of the outside. They were Michael's favorite, so I've been wanting to try recreating them. My first go turned out pretty good! I use this basic bagel recipe from King Arthur Baking, and I used about 43 grams of everything bagel seasoning from Trader Joes in the dough. I topped them with sesame seeds because I find they bake more evenly with the seeds on vs. nothing on the outside. Plus, we love sesame seeds.


It was a snowy month. Hurry up Spring!

January Monthly Report

Happy February! It's time for the January monthly report. See past reports here.


My sewing this month wasn't anything super exciting, but I did finish some projects that I know will get a lot of use. First up I made more placemats. As I mentioned last month, we've been eating dinner at our dining room table most days since the pandemic started. I have a great stash of vintage tablecloths, but only had one style of placemats. Over the last two months I've made a few sets of placemats from my stash of home dec fabrics. It feels good to use up these types of fabrics, and I'll get to enjoy them on our table instead of tucked away in the fabric cabinet. They're super simple, just two pieces of fabric right sides together and sew around the sides. Turn, press and topstitch. They get the job done, and have been a great stash buster. I cut my rectangles 15"x17" and used 1/2" seam allowances for 14"x16" finished placemats.


My other big project this month was sewing up a set of four new pillowcases. I cut and washed the fabrics for these sometime in 2019 (I think, could have been 2018.). I've pulled them out and ironed them a few times and then put them away without cutting them. Finally in January I cut the pieces and stitched them up. I used some of my voile prints from Geometric Bliss, so they're super soft and silky feeling. I'm glad to have these to add into our rotation of cases. I use the burrito method for making mine, outlined here. Using the serger when doing the French seams really speeds these up.


I made a new cover for one of our long heating pads. This one is a little older and it runs pretty hot, so it needed a more substantial cover. I used some fat quarters of Nani Iro brushed cotton (flannel). I added a layer of fusible fleece to give it some extra padding. I'm happy to report it's back in use already and much improved by the new cover. It closes with a single snap.


My last sewing finish for the month was a pincushion from my scraps. I just barely squeezed this project in before the month ended, so I kept it simple. I decided to use all Minny Muu scraps, which are perfect for small projects since the scale of the prints is so tiny. I followed my own Scrappy Nine-Patch Pincushion Tutorial to make it. I did a pretty dense crosshatch quilting on the top, I like the resulting texture.


To keep myself accountable for my stash goals, I track my yardage for fabric and yarn each month. Read more about how I track here. Here is how I did in January:

January Fabric
Used up: 7.625 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -7.625 yards
Year to date: -7.625 yards

January Yarn
Used up: 393 yards
Brought in: 0 yards
Net: -393 yards
Year to date: -393 yards

I feel good about my stash results for this month. I wasn't tempted to buy any fabric or yarn, and I finished a decent amount! I'll take it.




I knit more this month than I did in the entirety of 2020! Michael has been working hard on writing and submitting a grant, so I've been spending time keeping him company while he works on the computer. It was the perfect excuse to get back into the swing of knitting. I knit two hats, plus a cowl. You can see the details for all three on my Ravelry page. I'm loving the small projects, and the finishes are keeping me motivated to continue on. Hoping it sticks, I haven't knit regularly in quite a while and it is relaxing. Hats are definitely my favorite!


My baking adventure in January was making chocolate chip bagels! When we lived in Madison, I loved the chocolate chip bagels from Bagels Forever. Getting one toasted with butter was one of my favorite treats after running errands. I've been pining for one ever since we moved away, so I finally took the plunge and tried making them. I was afraid the chocolate would disturb the rise, but it didn't at all. If anything, the dough rose more! I used my go-to bagel recipe (Water Bagels by King Arthur Baking) and I added mini chocolate chips to the dough during the knead. They turned out awesome! Next time I plan to add the chips directly to the flour.


Sleepy George Bunny.

Have a Great Month!