<Living Crafts Blog

artwork by Michelle Edwards

To welcome this New Year, we thought it might be fun to talk to some of our Living Crafts friends- present and past contributors, all very creative people, and see what goals, visions and dreams inspire their craft resolutions for 2012!

Please join us in celebrating this new year, filled with potential, craft and creativity, by reading our craft resolutions and sharing your own, in our comments section!

Elizabeth Seward’s Craft Resolutions for 2012:

  New Year, New Beginnings!

After a challenging year in 2011, I am resolved to move forward consistently this year into work I love, and that also nourishes me.

  I am calendaring in two hours of writing time five days per week, and my resolution is to stick to this 80% of the time. My dearest hope is to complete (and publish) a book that has been simmering on the back burner for a while: Teaching through Stories: Jane and Jeremy Learn to Knit. I love to write, and to tell stories, and to teach, and to knit, so this project brings together several pieces of myself.

 At the same time, I am launching my website, newly designed by a young man who was my knitting student when he was in 1st grade. More than handwork, even more than teaching handwork skills, I love to teach how to teach them.

Stepping into the grandmother role, nurturing the joy of teaching in others and visiting and mentoring handwork teachers in their classrooms, the warp and weft of my life is coming together to make a fine and serviceable fabric. It feels like a tartan mohair blanket: light, warm and lustrous!

 

 

 

Elizabeth Seward is a regular contributor to Living Crafts Magazine’s Evolving through Craft feature. She teaches spinning, knitting and other textile arts to community groups, and shares her enthusiasm for Waldorf Education with parents of young children, home-schooling parents and graduate students. You can read more about Elizabeth and her work at www.workofourhands.net.

artwork by Michelle Edwards

To welcome this New Year, we thought it might be fun to talk to some of our Living Crafts friends- present and past contributors, all very creative people, and see what goals, visions and dreams inspire their craft resolutions for 2012!

Please join us in celebrating this new year, filled with potential, craft and creativity, by reading our craft resolutions and sharing your own, in our comments section!

Baby Cocoon designed by Tricia and featured in Living Crafts Summer 2011

Tricia Drake’s Craft Resolutions for 2012

“My business currently focuses on chunky knitwear designs for newborns, but since my own last “newborn” is now 2 years old, I’d like to focus on growing my pattern collection to include toddler (and larger) sizes, as well as adding new designs for toddlers and older children. I have 7 of my own models ranging from 2 to 14 – might as well use them!

Fun Toddler Legwarmers by Tricia

“And I should really write another book. Of course, I’ve been saying that since March when my first book came out. But a new book with chunky knitting patterns for toddlers would be such fun! Cheers to getting that done in 2012!”

Tricia with her beautiful family

“Personally – I want to knit more for my children this year. With all of the knitting I do for my customers, it’s a shame that until this Christmas, none of my children owned anything knit by me!”

Tricia Drake is the founder and designer of TrickyKnits. She is also the author of Welcoming Home Baby, published bySeller’s Publishing, Inc. You can read more about Tricia and her work on FaceBook, and purchase her knitwear, patterns and supplies in her Shop.

artwork by Michelle Edwards

To welcome this New Year, we thought it might be fun to talk to some of our Living Crafts friends- present and past contributors, all very creative people, and see what goals, visions and dreams inspire their craft resolutions for 2012!

Please join us in celebrating this new year, filled with potential, craft and creativity, by reading our craft resolutions and sharing your own, in our comments section!

Melissa's Felt Board from Living Crafts Fall 2010

Melissa Crowe’s Craft Resolutions for 2012:

“In 2012, I hope to finally write that craft book proposal I’ve had brewing in my mind for a couple of years.

Melissa's Felt Play

“I’d also like to learn to produce digital patterns for appliqué kits. I’d like to spend more time in aimless artistic play, just me, my materials, and a glorious, empty hour here and there.”

Melissa Crowe  is the talented textile designer  who created the Felt Board for Living Crafts Fall 2010.  The Felt Board was a huge hit in the Living Crafts booth at the Green Festival in Los Angeles last Fall. You can read more about Melissa and her work on Melissa’s Blog, at her Shop, and on Facebook.

by Fiona Duthie 

Sometimes the best gift for the family member or friend who loves crafting is a craft kit, to introduce a new craft or to provide inspiration in skills already acquired. Our family loves getting kits as gifts. Sometimes the craft, once made, becomes a gift for someone else; sometimes it is the materials included that are repurposed; sometimes the instructions lead us into new craft directions. They are always welcomed, enjoyed, and appreciated. Craft kits can provide calming intervals for us when the holidays get hectic, and occupy us during those sweet, quiet moments when we have time together.

Felt Deer Sewing Kit

Make this darling hand-stitched wool felt deer family with this kit from Bear Dance Crafts. Deer are always a favorite with children for creative play and stories, or for adding to a nature table. These deer are Fallow Deer, a kind of deer that keep their spots as adults. The kit comes with clear instructions, full size patterns, and materials for making the three deer in the family, including wool felt, wool for stuffing, pipe-cleaners, beads, and embroidery floss.

Click here to order a kit or just the pattern.

Kids Basketweaving Kit

An ideal basketweaving kit for beginners from VI Reed.  The wooden base makes it extremely easy for young people to learn without having to weave a traditional base. Use the beads included as embellishment or add your own, while making this 6″ tall basket. The kit includes a pattern, 4″ round pre-drilled base, beads, and #3 round reed.  Teaching and preparation tips are available through the website.

Click here to order a kit.

New England-style Footstool Kit

This is such a striking kit from VI Reed. With its wooden frame and woven seat, it provides a new challenge and skill set, while making a highly functional and sturdy furniture piece.  Great for older children. The finished stool measures 12.5″ long, 9.5″ wide, 9.2″ tall. The kit includes 5/8″ flat reed for the weaving, wooden frame for assembly, plus complete instructions.

Click here to order a kit.

The Prairie Girl Mini Quilt

This mini quilt is a great gift for a first time quilter, from Blackberry Quilts. You can sew this quilt by hand, or on a sewing machine. The instruction booklet contains step-by-step directions for beginners and plenty of pictures. A collection of 1930s reproduction fabrics and the techniques provided in the instruction booklet create the old-fashioned look and feel of a vintage quilt.

Size: 15″x15″, the mini quilt fits an 18″ doll or makes a cute wall hanging.

The kit is pre-cut and has all of the fabrics, batting, binding, and backing fabrics needed to make this mini quilt.

Click here to order a kit.

YoYo Bliss Quilt Kit  

Who could resist the whimsy of a quilt called YoYo Bliss!

This mini quilt kit from Blackberry Quilts contains all the fun of the old yoyo quilts. The original 1930s quilts were made of thousands of yoyos. Women also made entire bedspreads in this style. This wonderful “learn how to quilt” kit includes directions  written for beginners and lots of instructive photos.

Size: 20″ x 20″

The kit contains all the fabrics to make your own yoyos, binding, backing, and 100% cotton batting.

Click here to order a kit.

Needlefelted Horse Kit 

Fun and playful horses to make by Peace Fleece. These kits come in an assortment of natural colors, with instructions to guide you in three- dimensional needlefelting.  The finished horses stand about 9″ tall. The kit comes with two felting needles and enough wool fiber and supplies to make two horses.

Click here to order a kit.

Knit Pixie Doll  

This little doll is a classic from Weir Dolls and Crafts.  Sweet, simple, soft and small – a take along companion for your child. And the kit provides all the materials to make three Pixies – great for a child’s siblings, cousins or friends, so they can exchange stories!

The kit makes three 6″ pixies in assorted colors – one plain, one with a purse, and one with a baby pixie carried in a backpack. The kit includes easy instructions, wool yarns to complete the dolls, and wool batting for stuffing. Requires size 4 (3.5mm) knitting needles.

Click here to order a kit.

Knit Owlet

A beautiful kit by KnitWhits. Children’s favorite gifts are often the tiny toys – toys they hold in their hand and carry with them wherever they go. This little owl is so sweet and fits the bill for that treasured small toy! The kit includes yarn and pattern. Support tutorials are available through the website. Requires size 8 (5mm) knitting needles.

Click here to order a kit.