I always find myself having more time for crafting over the summer months. As we don’t have kids, I typically take time off in May and work all summer. And even though I’m working my regular hours, we don’t have a lot of meetings and we don’t really start or finish big projects over summer, so my workdays are quiet and I come home energetic. My medication doesn’t allow me to really go into the sun, so on hot days like today I stay indoors and craft.
My first plan is to make a set of large potholders for Mr. Imma, and I bought the perfect fabrics a while back. I have Insulbrite in stash. I’ve given up on trying to convince him to serve the food in the kitchen, so I’m going to have to live with pots and pans on the table. When we eat a casserole, he’ll just throw a couple of towels on the table because our potholders are too small. I’m going to make him a set of potholders big enough for our casserole dishes.
Yes!!! I am a teacer, so I have more crafting time in the summer.
1 Like
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
1304
I mostly want to do a lot of needlework for the holidays. Maybe some ornaments as well. I also want to make myself a nice party outfit now that we are back among our friends that do the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
I have a really dumb question but I think we had an official challenge last year. And I was thinking about it a bit more and I don’t recall sending something to the winner. I also know my life last summer was very chaotic. I either completely forgot to send something to the winner of the challenge, or I completely forgot that I did send something …
I will go back and check this later today, but if someone did win something and I forgot to send the prize, then I will of course make amends and send it asap!
Would you guys be interested in making it an official challenge again this year? I think last year it was a simple challenge, whoever finished most things, won.
I’m happy to do it with or without the extra motivation of a prize. I’m hoping the crafting mojo kicks in and, as it hasn’t really done so yet, I am aiming to do one project: the countdown calendar. Then if i finish that I will declare another goal project.
2 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
1308
I wouldn’t worry about it at this point. We have so many threads now and just staying involved is enough motivation. I can’t remember from day to day without a bunch of notes posted on my bulletin board.
Just seeing other people’s projects is enough to make me want to make things.
I literally have notifications from my calendar app on my phone to tell me what I’m having for dinner each day … even though the groceries are in the fridge.
Both of us lean towards the chaotic, but especially since our renovation project, our life has been more chaotic than ever. In Dutch we say we’re “running after the facts” which basically means we’re struggling to catch up. I know it’s not something we can change (we both had health setbacks and a death in our family during the first couple of months of the project) but I am annoyed about my forgetfulness.
3 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
1310
My sister gave me a Christmas cross stitch kit! She bought it at a creative reuse store for $2 in Michigan at the LC meet up there. She’s had it for a few years and just never got around to doing it. I know she likes it, so I am going to do it for her and then give it as a finished gift.
As it’s going to be 101°F/38°C over the next few days and this old house doesnt have central a/c (though I did put one in esch of the bedrooms) I am happy to be in slo-mo planning mode this week.
I’m brainstorming ideas for our yearly Teacher/Librarian home made gifts given in December. I’ve done fingerless gloves, wash cloths and home made (not by me) soaps. So far I’ve thought of:
Candles hand-rolled by kid
Ornaments/small hanging decorations in theme to match how we know them/their interests (i.e. dance teacher, librarian, garden club leaders, etc. )
Book marks? (What if gasp they’re not a reader?)
Any ideas you have used with success or are on your radar to try?
I’m not a teacher or a parent, so these are just some random ideas from someone with no skin in the game! But I think that if I was a teacher, I would like anything made by the child I’m teaching, or something that includes a personal note.
I think hand-rolled candles would be a great gift, especially in December it’s a very seasonally appropriate gift. Most people like candles and if they don’t they’re easy to pass on to the next person.
For a garden club leader, maybe something like handmade plant markers or painted pots?That’s something clearly made by the child, not the parent. I don’t know what the garden club does exactly, but maybe gather some seeds this summer, and wrap them up nicely in a bag so the club leaders can use them next year? Or maybe something from the garden that you preserved?
I bet librarians read a lot, and receive bookmarks quite often, but those things always tend to disappear so you always need more, like pins for sewists or stitch markers for knitters.
I don’t really know a lot about dance, but my friend is a dancer and I know she goes through a ton of leg warmers. I know you’re a knitter with some stash, what about nice leg warmers with a handmade card by your child? You could even make them in seasonal colours.
I’m a teacher, not a librarian. However, I think there are parallels. I bet librarians a) have a bazillion bookmarks and b) are particularly about the kind I like.
I prefer practical items or just a card with a note from the heart. The small, practical items I make and gift are lib balm holders that can hang from a keychain or back pack, travel size tissue holder, travel hand sanitizer holder, composition notebook cover, and a standard size tissue box cover; there can never bee too many tissues in the library.
1 Like
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
1316
I know many people appreciate tissue holders or wipe holders. Also, little holders for credit cards and ID. Pencil/pen pouches. I know when my husband was teaching drums, he really appreciated food gifts…a few cookies, cocoa in a cup, popcorn, etc. He got jars of handmade cocoa, spices (BBQ rub), and soup. He also got a bunch of gift cards to various places, but to be honest, we gave a lot of those away because they were to places too far away or had food we didn’t care for (not a fast food fan).
He appreciated the effort the most! I think one of his favorite gifts ever was a small picture frame with him and his student that his mother must have sneaked in. He still has it after 30 years!
Anyway…I am working on a Christmas themed triptych cross stitch. I have one done…my sister gave me the kit but can’t do it. I’ll probably give this back to her to give to one of her friends.
Looks like it has lots of backstitch, not everyone has the patience for that.
Tomorrow we’re officially getting started! I’m still working on my gift idea list, but I’ve got a few:
casserole-sized potholders for Mr Imma
toddler-sized Christmas apron from a panel (just the right size for my friend’s oldest and the kid likes to help in the kitchen)
Maybe a Christmas-themed quilt for myself. I don’t keep a ton of quilts for myself, and maybe I don’t need one especially for Christmas (I’ve already got a Halloween quilt) but maybe if I can come up with a nice design or fabric. I don’t mind if I don’t get it done for Christmas 2025.
If you don’t go with Christmas for a quilt you could theme it “winter” instead and have it for a cozy January into March, too.
3 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -2026 time to regroup and renew :us:)
1319
Nice list!
I’ll have to think about my list a bit more.
Yes, there was way too much backstitching (which is why I love the Prairie School designs so much more–very little to no outlining!). My sister loved it so far…I just want to get them done soon as they are fun until the backstitching part…ugh.
I had the grand idea of knitting a bunch of hats from stash (all those random single skeins) for Christmas gifts. I have two and a half so far. It has not been a productive year.
