As a small business owners, summer breaks can be one of the hardest time of the year. Lack of childcare and, if you employ students, all their vacation time leaves you working more than ever. How to keep from burning out, create quality time with kiddo(s), and keep your expectations grounded in reality.
journal - podcast
Ep 8: Crafting a Community Online with Sherri Lynn Wood
Enjoy Episode 8 of the Craft Leftovers Podcast! Sherri Lynn Wood talk online community building during the pandemic and quilting and how craft brings people together to heal fabric, themselves, and each other. Contributor to Mend it Better, Sherri Lynn Wood has been BUSY in the last decade. Visiting her […]
podcast
Ep 7: FIVE big differences owning BRICK vs CLICK
Enjoy Episode 7 of the Craft Leftovers Podcast (an abridged recording of the June 8th livestream) in audio form. Pull up a project and craft along. I intended to mend Lucy’s baby blanket, but ended up just talking about this topic I LOVE — the differences between owning a physical […]
journal - podcast - wips
Ep 6: Grant Funding for Creative Solopreneurs
Enjoy Episode 6 of the Craft Leftovers Podcast (an abridged recording of the May livestream) in audio form. Pull up a project and craft along. I’m on a deadline this month so instead of mending, I’m slaying the reed on my loom. Thanks for the company! I’m talking all about […]
journal - podcast
Ep 5: How Every Year Builds on the Last
Note: These show notes contain affiliate links Enjoy Episode 5 of the Craft Leftovers Podcast (a recording of the April livestream) in audio form. Pull up a project and craft along. I’m working on mending my favorite pj’s and a vintage handmade shirt. Thanks for the company! It’s my birthday […]
journal - podcast
Ep 4: Textile Upcycling in Creative Businesses for Environmental Healing with Crispina Ffrench
Note: These show notes contain affiliate links Join Crispina and I as we explore a lifetime using sustainable practices to inspire and inform our work. Some highlights of our talk are: the state and hopeful decline of fast fashion, balancing sustainability with desire for staying current, upcycling vs recycling and […]
journal - podcast
Ep 3: Decluttering to Unlock Creative Flow
Note: These show notes contain affiliate links Enjoy Episode 3 of the Craft Leftovers Podcast (a recording of the March livestream) in audio form or pull up a project and craft along. I’m working on mending my favorite spring jacket. Thanks for the company! No matter your Cleaning or Cluttering […]
patterns - patterns & tutorials - Uncategorized
Pattern: Yarn Maximized Crocheted Dishcloth
Thank you Cassandra for reminding me of this little gem of a pattern! I’m happy to add things to the website on a per-request basis. And your timing is excellent, I just found a box of peaches n’ creme in my studio clean out. Here the original post with a few […]
journal - podcast
Ep 2: Blog to Book & Beyond: Craft Leftovers Podcast
Note: These show notes contain affiliate links A full decade has passed since my book Mend it Better rolled off the presses. And this really got me thinking, where am I now? How did I get here? Over the next year, I’ll be posting a new monthly interview with the […]
knitting - patterns & tutorials
Free Knit Pattern: Cozy Matcha Mittens
These small cozy mittens were made just for me. I wanted something warm and soft for long winter walks. And this clearance/discontinued yarn was just the thing. Using up just one skein for a small pair (my size), they are great for reducing my yarn pile. They work up so […]
Crafty Business - journal - podcast
Making an Year Plan that Works for YOU: Ep 1
Livestream introducing what’s on the horizon for Craft Leftovers and walking you through my method for annual planning and then implementing that plan ANYTIME of year.
journal - knitting - patterns & tutorials
Knit Head Wrap | Practice Lace Stitches in this easy fast knitting project
Special thanks to Ravelry member dc2go for requesting this pattern be next to update! I love this pattern for teaching begging lace knitting, making a last minute gift, or keeping my on the go project bag light and easy. It is a great little pattern to practice many of the […]
crochet - patterns & tutorials
Crochet Mosaic Scarf | Free | A rainbow of colors made from your stash!
Special thanks to Nancy S. for requesting this pattern be next to update! I’ve dug up the original pattern and put it all straight into this original post. But, if you’d like a tablet or printer friendly pdf version and help this and other Craft Leftovers patterns finding their way […]
embroidery - patterns & tutorials
Grandma’s Sew Kit | Free Plastic Canvas Embroidery Project
This post is part of the Pattern Archive Recovery Project. The pattern was originally posted back in 2009 and you can read the original content and get the full pattern on the original post. Enjoy the newly formatted, updated, and ad-free printer/screen friendly PDF in the Craft Leftovers Shop.
fabric - patterns & tutorials
Free Pattern | Reusable Grocery Bag Made for your Bike Basket
Fantasizing about riding my bike to the grocery store is a lovely image. A bit of a fresh air, get my legs moving, a handle bar basket full of …. too much? What. Wait, that wasn’t the idea I had in mind. I made this tote bag to fit right […]
crochet - patterns & tutorials
Free Crochet Scrap Basket Pattern | Organize Your Leftovers With Craft Scraps
Special thanks to ravelry user theGoodNeighbor for letting me know the pattern link was broken. I’ve dug up the original pattern and put it all straight into this original post. But, if you’d like a tablet or printer friendly pdf version and help this and other Craft Leftovers patterns finding […]
journal
Introducing the Pattern Archive Restoration Project : aka the story of how I lost and found my crafty goodness
Here is the short story: Craft Leftovers was hacked shortly after Mend it Better was released, Jason found back ups 7 years later, we are rebuilding the archive, rereleasing patterns every Thursday.
journal - knitting - patterns & tutorials
Free Knitting Pattern: Cherry Chirp!
For the next addition of the Pattern Archive Restoration project, I present the Cherry Chirp Knitting Pattern! First published in February of 2008 and has been missing from the archive for quite some time. Welcome Back my little friend! Standing about 8 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 8 inches […]
journal - knitting - patterns & tutorials
Knit Tea Cozy Free Pattern
For the next addition of the Pattern Archive Restoration project, I present the Knit Tea Cozy. It’s not just for tea pots, it can also work for nice big 13″ circumference tea mugs. Knitted way back in 2008… I still find this little cozy immensely useful, cheerful, and cozy! Made for a Tea-for-One tea set, it fits well on a large mug or any other small pot.
Visit the original pattern post for the complete free pattern.
Crafty Business - journal - round up
Speaking at 1 Million Cups Ames: Show Notes Edition
On February 17th, I woke up early and headed off to the Iowa State Research Park Core Facility to present my entrepreneurial story to our local 1 Million Cups chapter. I decided to scrap my usual presentation and tell my whole entrepreneurial story. Starting with Craft Leftovers and coming full circle with this year’s launch of my art business this October.