Taking The Long Way Home

A few weeks ago, before the world went insane, I was contacted by the lovely people at LoveCrafts , asking me if I’d like to have some free yarn to play with. Would anyone say no to that? Well, not me! The “rules” to the game were simple: Choose from a really nice selection of yarn, choose one of their free patterns to go with it, and post a link after I was finished. Count me in! It took me about a week to decide what to make, but knowing that I had a trip to Seattle coming up, I wanted something simple-yet-interesting, and also not too bulky, so it would pack and travel easily. I settled on the Twinette shawl and MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino yarn in Cloud Grey. I’d ordered from LoveCrafts before. Their prices and sales are great, shipping is always quick, and packaging is beautiful. My yarn arrived in time for me to get started before hopping on the train to Seattle. I got right into it, and found the pattern fun to make, easy to memorize, and interesting enough without ...

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you probably know I’ve been making face masks lately. It’s a labor of love, as sewing is not really a thing I gravitate to. I’m surprised though at how much better I’m getting at it, and that I even sort of enjoy having my little makeshift sewing room to hang out in each day. It gives Rick and me a bit of perceived separate space while sharing a 600 square foot house. I wonder how true Tiny House dwellers are managing these days... A lot of friends are asking me which of the many online patterns I’m using. The truth is, I’ve sort of combined a few favorites into a hybrid pattern that’s easy for me to sew, and is approved by my official mask testers - a friend who works in the local liquor store, and my sister, who does home health care as an occupational therapist. Fit and comfort are top priority. With their guidance, I think I have it sorted out. These masks are made of woven cotton. They have a pipe cleaner (or other flexible w...