Knitting

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Declutter and Get Set for the Season with the Get Organized Toolkit

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One of my missions as a crafter is to encourage people to use what they have to make something great. Accumulating stash is fun, but at some point you realize that you have more than you can ever use, and that can be really overwhelming.

A couple of years ago I wrote a book called How to Declutter Your Craft Supplies, which is all about why it’s so hard to let go of stash and how to deal with it. This is something I still struggle with and I’m in the midst of cleaning out my office/studio yet again (seriously, how can I still have so much stuff when I’m not buying anything new?).

If you’re gearing up for spring cleaning (or fall cleaning!) you need to check out the Get Organized Toolkit, of which my book is a part. This collection of more than 60 ebooks, courses, guides and printables will help you organize your home, business, mind and life.

There are so many great products here, from decluttering guides to advice on how to organize your book collection, cleaning up your iPhone and dealing with mental clutter. You’ll learn all about minimalism, get a planner to help you stay on top of home maintenance and learn how to build a capsule wardrobe, among other things. It’s a great way to get a lot of helpful advice all at once to help you lead a more organized and peaceful life.

The bundle is on sale through March 29. You can read more about it on my blog or go here to buy. And if you have specific questions about decluttering craft supplies or using your stash I would love to hear them!

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Summer Headband Knitting Patterns

Some knitters have trouble coming up with projects they can both knit and wear when it’s warm outside. Especially if you’re not ready for garments (thought tank tops and summer tops are great first garment projects!) it might seem like there’s nothing to do when it’s hot outside.

One way to remedy this situation is by knitting headbands. Headbands are great any time of year to keep hair out of your face and make you look a little more pulled together without any effort. Wider headbands double as ear warmers when it gets colder, but skinnier ones are great throughout the year.

A couple of great examples are from designer Elly Donner, who has a set of headband knitting patterns on Ravelry you can buy individually or as an ebook. Homebody, shown here, is worked in garter stitch (the ties are crocheted but you could also use I-cord), while Slipstream uses slipped stitches and garter ridges, and Sounds of Spring has little cables. The patterns use DK weight yarn and are a great way to use a little leftover yarn from another project.

I also recently came across the lovely Plush Braided Headband by Yevgeniya Li. A free pattern on Ravelry, this wider design is covered in lush cables for a sleek and fancy look. It uses worsted weight yarn and you can customize the length for a perfect fit.

Celeste Knitwear’s Spikelet is a simple twisted headband with columns of eyelet lace to keep it from being too heavy. It’s worked flat and sewn together to make the twist, and uses DK weight yarn. It has three sizes available.

This skinny lace headband from Lusi Knits is another cute choice. It calls for fine weight cotton yarn, but you could use heavier yarn if you have it on hand to make a wider headband (or use any fine yarn you have available). It uses ties to customize the fit.

And if you want to go super basic but still really cute, try the easy ring headband from Lulu Pattern. The sample is knit pretty wide, but you could make a narrower version if you want, and the little ring turns it from a plain loop into a bow with very little extra work. It calls for worsted weight yarn but you could also use whatever weight you like for this one to change up the look and size.