💜🌈 CitizenPressDog 🌈💜

Hello and welcome! I’m excited to share that I’ve embarked on a new creative project: making baby blankets and medium-sized dog blankets. It’s a delightful challenge that I’ve undertaken, and I’ve found myself knitting two separate blankets, each consisting of 76 stitches knitted on size 2 needles. For this project, I’m using two different medium-weight yarns, each chosen for their softness and durability.

The inspiration behind these blankets comes from a desire to push my crafting skills further and also to tackle larger projects that will help me utilize a significant portion of my extensive yarn collection. As many of us fiber artists know, accumulating beautiful yarn is one joy, but using it creatively is an entirely different endeavor, and I’ve been doing a bit of both lately.

Living in my cozy basement apartment, I have the freedom to manage my crafting space just the way I like it. My basement is more spacious than the upstairs bedroom, which provides a comfortable environment for my creative pursuits. It’s a special place for me, beautifully finished by my late father, who passed away in 2008. I miss him dearly; his spirit feels present in this space, and I’ve often found solace and comfort here, like being wrapped in a warm hug from heaven.

As I knit these blankets, I’m contemplating their future. Once they are finished, I’ll likely keep one for myself and gift the other to someone in need. I’m hoping these larger handmade items will resonate more with people compared to the traditional coasters or dishcloths, which I’ve made plenty of in the past. With the sheer amount of yarn I have, I’m consciously holding back from purchasing more. My storage space is limited, and I want to keep it organized.

I find it a bit overwhelming when sales pop up—seasonal discounts, clearance events, even store closings—because I’m tempted to buy yarn that I may not have the room for. On that note, I recently came across some unsettling news on Joann Fabrics and Crafts’ website. They announced something big is on the horizon, but it feels vague and unsettling, especially after they sold their signature yarn brand to other vendors. I’m curious about what changes they might have in store and how it will affect knitters like me who love anything yarn related.