Ace’s Big Boy Blankie™ is growing strip by strip! I’m about 70% done now — two full panels are complete and the third (and final) strip is well underway. Once it’s off the needles, I’ll block everything together for a neat, polished finish. If you are not a convert to the School of Blocking yet, wait until you see the transformation that happens!!

This project has been pure joy: Classic Wool in a rich teal variegate, knit in my SweetSpot pattern that lets the yarn shine while keeping the process meditative and rhythmic.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching those bold diamonds emerge through planned pooling. Each strip feels like a stripe of comfort in the making, destined to wrap Ace in warmth and Amma love when he starts preschool.

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Meanwhile… A Garden in Silk and Cotton

When my hands aren’t full of wool, they’re busy making tiny x’s. I’ve been slowly stitching away at a vintage Châtelaine Design cross stitch design: Victorian Garden. Originally released as a Mystery X pattern, it’s now a full charted treasure of intricate borders, beaded details, and garden paths rendered in lush hand-dyed silks and cottons.

I’m nearly finished Clue 6 on the left side, and even though cross stitch is one of the slowest crafts I know (maybe tied with tatting), it also brings one of the deepest senses of peace. Following a chart doesn’t make it feel any less creative — maybe because each stitch sings in colour. The palette alone is a feast for the eyes, and the satisfaction of watching a scene unfold one square at a time is truly timeless.

Whether it’s yarn or thread, wool, cotton, or silk, these projects remind me that beauty blooms in progress.

The needle minder is a gem from GingerStitchAu – def worth ordering from halfway around the world!