Sending this little, amigurumi pumpkin keychain to my daughter to celebrate the season 🎃🧶👏

On one hand I wish I knew the secret formula that makes these seasonal treats so appealing, on the other hand maybe just enjoy the happy moment 😊

“Out of clutter, find simplicity” -Albert Einstein

Every crafter; crochet, knitting, sewing and others, is familiar with the practice of periodically cleaning, reorganizing and clearing their materials, equipment and space. This past week I dove in to work on my little corner which had become a “hot mess” as I call it. I have decided to work on as many projects as I can using only the yarn I have in my current stash. I am nearly half way through a sweater and have a new shrug project in the works so wish me luck 👍

I was out in the woods this weekend, no color on those branches yet but Fall’s coming I could smell it. I can’t wait for the leaves to start turning those brilliant oranges, reds and yellows. In anticipation I made up some amigurumi Fall leaves.

The last three months of assembling the dress (February, March and April) were not as simple as I thought they would be, but the final project was a resounding success for May 2026 Graduation.

In January of of last year I purchased 15 skeins of this Bernat, Softee cotton yarn in a pool green. One year later I have completed both front and back of this dress. Most every other project dropped off as I focused. Sophia will graduate in May of 2026 and I am hoping to have this completed. The body of the dress is done in a faux knit stitch which is enlarged on the right. I used a 4mm hook with the yarn being a #3 weight. The pattern is based on measurement not stitch count. So I got very complete and accurate measurements for Sophia and created the dress to custom fit her. I created a stitch count with the first panel, as she wanted the same neckline back and front, and simply duplicated that on the back panel.That was a game changer and a huge time saver. Each panel is 30 inches long, with increases and decreases for bust, hip and waist. I will now seem the two panels together and create straps. with appropriate edging on the neck and hem. Can’t wait to have Sophia demonstrate the final piece 🧶 👏💚

Have not posted in a while, but this is a must share in my book. A friend sent me an NPR article about people at a yarn store in a suburb of Minneapolis, MN that are making a difference and using their craft skills to send a positive message of perseverance, solidarity and hope. An employee of the store Needle & Skein created a pattern and brought back a ” red hat movement” started by Norwegian’s towards the end of WW II to symbolize resistance to Nazi occupation. You can get the link to the pattern at Ravelry Melt the ICE Hat There is a crochet as well as knitting version of the hat. All proceeds from the sale of this pattern will go to the immigrant aid agencies who will distribute the funds to those impacted by the actions of ICE. I urge you to read the NPR article A red hat, inspired by a symbol of resistance to Nazi occupation, gains traction in Minnesota ( by Ava Burger, updated January 31, 2026 at https://npr.org #MinnesotaStrong #ICEOut

Suggested yarn is Malbrigo Rios Yarn in Cereza or Ravelry Red. They are selling out in some places and hard to get. I will be using the suggested substitute of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Garnet Heather. Any DK or Worsted yarn in your choice of color red can be substituted. FYI pattern may need to be adjusted based on yarn substitutions.

Been super busy lately but took the time to work up a set that I have been thinking about for a while. It’s a little spa kit complete with a facial loofah for gently exfoliating, a headband, and two spa cuffs to avoid that annoying drip when rinsing and washing your face. Soo cute and fun to make, love to hear your thoughts.

It’s all about the breakfast foods these days. And so the amigurumi fried egg 🍳 So much fun to make and now I’m getting hungry. The most challenging part of this piece was making the edges wavy and not just round. Fun to make for sure.