Let’s dive into knitting and crocheting to start! 

I’ve been knitting for over 15 years now, and I still love it just as much as when I started. I was lucky enough to learn how to knit in a knitting club with a wonderful group of people. Thinking back on those times makes me miss in-person activities, which seem so much less common these days. Along with learning stitches, I also picked up how to read patterns.

One of my very first projects was a soda can cozy and a headband made with the trusty garter stitch. As I got more comfortable, I moved on to making scarves and hats with pompoms. Over time, I tried my hand at more adventurous projects like a teddy bear and a multicolored tote bag (complete with an i-cord handle!). I still have a few of these old projects tucked away somewhere. Maybe I’ll dig them out and share them here if anyone’s curious to see them! One of my more recent knitting accomplishments was designing my own pattern for a cable scarf—it was such a fun challenge.

About a year and a half ago, I started noticing these trendy little sweaters everywhere. They’re not quite full sweaters—more like connected sleeves. I was so intrigued that I scoured the internet for patterns, tutorials, or instructions to knit one of my own. But all the resources I found were for crochet, not knitting.

At first, I tried to replicate the design through knitting based purely on its look and feel. Big mistake! It didn’t turn out anything like I imagined. That experience ultimately led me to take up crocheting. Luckily, I still had a crochet hook lying around from my first (unsuccessful) attempt to learn years ago. With the help of a few beginner videos, I picked up the basics and dove right in.

To my surprise—and delight—I managed to teach myself how to crochet! My first sweater was a bit of a test run. It looked good but came out smaller than I wanted, and the yarn wasn’t quite the right color or fiber for the look I had in mind. But I learned so much from that initial project and used those lessons to make a sweater I absolutely loved.

Since then, I’ve crocheted a handful of tank tops and sweaters for myself and my friends. I’m still learning how to adjust patterns for different sizes, which has been one of my biggest challenges. It takes some extra planning to wrap my head around how a finished piece will fit before I even start making it. But that’s part of the fun, right?

There’s so much room for me to grow, and I’m excited about the journey. I can’t wait to create more clothing and try out new techniques—and, of course, I’ll be sharing my progress with you along the way.