what’s next after 50 states & project catch up // Love in Stitches Episode 256

[@papercraneyarns]

Thank you so much for making Paper Crane Yarns a small part of your epic adventure last year, Natalie! 💜

[@bethpaschal7859]

It’s great to hear that you are feeling relaxed and rejuvenated! Happy 2025

[@bgummeson]

Great job improvising to make your own Lazy Kate! My husband helped me make a niddy noddy from PVC pipe that we already had. We had to buy a couple of connectors and a few end caps, and those cost less than $5. Loved seeing all your projects! ~Brenda

[@bethbamszoo]

Fun to see you shaking this up! What an accomplishment over the past 2 years! Cheers to 2025!

[@reverie-knit]

Glad to hear you're taking some time to rest and relax -- you definitely deserve it! And it'll be nice to see you guys enjoy the slower pace. An idea on bottom up sleeve length adjustments that I heard from someone: provisional cast on on the sleeve and start the pattern part, then go back, pick up, and do the ribbing. That way you can have the ribbing length to adjust the sleeve to fit! Obviously a bit late in your case, but maybe helpful for next time? Your nordlig cardigan is looking great!

[@joanmather7218]

Helpful tip. I’ve just been experimenting with picking up from my cast on edge of the cuff and adding more ribbon to see if it looks like crap in case I have to lengthen the sleeves. Looks like it should be OK.

[@annpapadopulo]

Loved your journey and I am so glad that you and Kent have a mutual love for travel and yarn. As a travel agent for many many years travel it is an amazing gift that opens up your life to so much enjoyment. Looking forward to your new journey. I am looking forward to travelling from South Africa to Seattle in August to attend Flock for the first time and then going on an Alaskan Cruise - so I am looking forward to meeting up with everyone !!!

[@sherridiamond9198]

Great podcast😊. Enjoy some rest and hope Canada stays in your plans. It's a wonderful country. Look forward to following your podcasts to get inspired by your projects and to see where your adventures take you. Happy crafting 😊🇨🇦

[@scrapperchris6461]

The yarn store tours have been wonderful. Something you might want to consider when your finish airing all of the tours is a maybe RE-airing them or do a highlight for them so we can get excited about them again or for the first time. You could always add a little ‘shop update’ to make them refreshed. Just a thought for a way to have content continue with less effort on your part.

[@shanipup9755]

Happy new year! Ahh that's too bad about hockey season, there is truly nothing like a hockey game in Canada :p (Woo go Leafs go!). That said, it is beautiful here. We have awesome yarn, but the nature is really the best part :)

[@cassandrahensley3126]

Good for you Natalie! I've been spinning for just over a year (with the Nano!) and I skeined up my first 'yarn' onto my swift. Worked GREAT! Then I bought a Niddy Noddy from Amazon for like $10. I still use it! I just received for Christmas a new e-wheel that I consider to be a HUGE step up - Ashford E-Spinner 3 so I'm in a new learning curve again but having SO much fun! I'm excited to be using a wood product as well as having the bobbins be 8 oz instead of the 2 oz ones from the Nano. Keep having fun is the main goal for you and all of us! Good luck and happy spinningggggggggg! :)

[@jbarton1021]

I'm so excited for your new perspective and feeling so adaptable! Can't wait to see what you do next and as a Minnesotan, I can tell you there's definitely more to explore in terms of yarn, hiking, summer, etc.

[@joanmather7218]

The pink brioche cardigan looks sooo squishy. I’m knitting my first bottom up sweater and making sure the fit is correct is a puzzle so I can imagine your sweater is an even bigger puzzle! I love people’s comments where they have you repainting the bedroom! I enjoyed hearing about your future travel plans. Sounds fun and relaxing. I can also imagine this period until you take that adventure is a much needed change of pace.

[@heathertucker7056]

So pleased to see your spinning segment in your video! You are doing really well and I actually made the same basket set up to ply my first bobbins too! Well done and hope we see more in the future! X

[@kristinahill3708]

Happy New Year! What a fabulous update! I'm excited for your 2025 plans. I desperately need to organize my yarn stash so I'll be sorting through along with you.

[@thelittlewolfknits1580]

you nailed the spinning section - i hope you're so proud of yourself!!!

[@kmul79]

My husband had made me a knitty noddy out of dowels and it worked great except that it didn’t come part. It was a bit of a pain to transport. I have since found some 3D printed ones that are really affordable and great for traveling with. A simple search on Etsy and I got one for less than $15 and I got to pick the color

[@andreaderosier1461]

Your advent socks are so beautiful. I also like the contrast color. That was a great use for an advent!

[@the_knotted_knitter]

Thank you for keeping me company this morning, I look forward to see what you knit in 2025 as well as what travel adventures you have this year.

[@annettewiggins2220]

Excited for what the next several months will bring! I'm looking forward to seeing what your needles and hooks get up to :-)

[@josiejocreates]

Such a fun update! Staying still with family sounds like a great way to spend the winter before heading out on a spring and summer adventure!

[@lavendercottagefibrearts]

Oooh yay a spinning update! I have just started to learn to spin myself on a turkish drop spindle, and I like seeing other spinning newbies and how they progress. I definitely have found it a bit frustrating to begin with but I am determined to keep going and improve.

[@Tinas_Workshop]

I did my first lazy Kate the same way and I had my husband makes me a knitty noddy out of pvc pipe. Your spin looks great.

[@LykaLivao-l5w]

Love these after-holiday decorating ideas, Natty! The styling is so fresh and cozy, perfect for transitioning into the new year. 🏡

[@RiRiGetsCrafty]

I use my regular yarn swift to skein my hand spun! I have the same swift you do! I just put a 5th dowel on the swift and hold that it turn it

[@carlakempert1798]

I can't seem to get my head around how to use a niddy noddy (a friend send me a 3d printed one from Etsy), so I use my swift to skein up my handspun. I clip the end to the top of one of the branches (it's an umbrella swift) and then hold the yarn in place as I turn the swift around with a dowel. This wraps the yarn around the swift, and then I tie off the ends with waste yarn. I used to count the rounds after I wound up the yarn, and then measure the circumference of the swift to get an estimate of the yardage, but now I count the turns of the swift and multiply by the circ to get an idea. It's not perfect but it gives me a ballpark idea of how much yarn I have to work with. I was chain plying while I was watching you talk about spinning! So far I've made "purr pads" for my cats with my handspun but that was the early stuff, which usually came out chunky or bigger. Now I'm down to spinning DK-to-worsted, and I made 2 pair of mittens for family members, and this year I'm trying to spin enough yarn to make a Traveler shawl.

[@saltified2439]

Canada! 🇨🇦 Yay! That will be very exciting! I have really loved following your journey!

[@sharbear1968]

Thanks for an extra long vlog today. Got my gusset complete and I had something interesting to make that chore fly. Gusset Island … IYKYK. Great tip on the ribbing in the back of the slip stitch sock. I made my first pair with gorg Christmas yarn and that tip would’ve been so helpful. But now I can bust out a better fitting pair. Canada will be a fun trip to watch unfold if it happens. Can’t wait. Stay warm and enjoy being stationary for the time being. You’re getting the best of both worlds.

[@jackieholifield5575]

When I started spinning, I googled DIY stuff. There are diy instructions for making spinning wheels, niddy noddy's, lazy kates and drop spindles. I did my lazy kate like what you said Brianna told you, with a box and straight knitting needles. That was about 5 years ago and I am still using it. I decided not to go ahead and buy a ready made expensive one because my diy one is working great. There is a niddy noddy diy made using pvc pipe. It works pretty good too. I haven't read other comments yet so maybe someone else talked about these also. I really look forward to your video each week. It is fun watching your progress with this spinning you have decided to try.

[@KnittyNatty]

Thank you so much!!! I’ve heard of the pvc pipe solution, so I’ll have to look for a tutorial!

[@davonnac2413]

After plying I wrapped my yarn around my swift to turn it into a skein ☺️

[@stitchedscorpio]

Omg please come to winnipeg manitoba!!!! Wolseley Wool is an amazing wool shop here ❤ Also have a beautiful national park and multiple provincial parks!!

[@JackieRandolph1]

I use a plastic basket for my lazy Kate and cut up an old wire coat hangar and used needle stoppers on the end and I three ply. You can also feed the threads through a hole at front to slow down the unwind. Also made the niddy noddy with cheap plastic piping from home Depot and have it where I can do a short one or a longer one and simple to make and take apart. There are several videos available to follow

[@stephanieferguson6980]

So excited for your new year plans. I am also a spinner (drop spindle) on and off through the years. I'm interested in watching you through the process. Please post!

[@normawoodburn9430]

So glad you’re coming back to Maryland! Hope to see you at MDSW

[@kaylabaker8020]

Omg I love the neon colors.

[@mymakingadventure]

You definitely need to spend more time in Minnesota! Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota has the headwaters of the Mississippi and you can cross it on foot! It’s a very valuable experience to have ❤

[@alecsgirl]

I saw Lærke’s Nordlig, but I think your pink coloured yarn really shows off the neat design of the cardigan so much better. Now I want to knit one!

[@JoyfulFreckles]

Happy New Year Natalie! Maybe a corkboard behind you to pin swatches and inspiration to could be a portable and functional addition to your corner? Could paint it a fun colour to jazz it up too? ❤ Love the way your advent blanket is coming up, Macadamia is the perfect border colour

[@knitwithjo]

so fun catching up with you and your projects! I'm also a new spinner, and I've only invested in my drop spindle and fiber. I've been improvising everything else - using toilet paper rolls as my bobbins, using my tabletop yarn swift to hold those "bobbins" while I ply, and then using my swift again as a big loop to wind my yarn into hanks. It's been fun to learn to spin and be creative in building my own tools. Looking forward to seeing where your travels take you later in the year - as a Canadian, I can highly recommend driving through the Great White North!

[@marycalderwood18]

Use your swift to skein up your hand spun yarn😊

[@annaaase9359]

Nice to have you back ❤

[@KnittyNatty]

Happy to be back!

[@janetjroberson2581]

Hello from Swansea, Illinois. ❤❤❤

[@CherylWatson-w2z]

Happy to hear you took some time to rest and relax. Your spinning looks great! I have to get back to mine, I haven’t spun in months. If you do come through Canada, try to come to Calgary. We are about an hour away from one of the most beautiful places on earth (imo), Banff. If you come in early July, you can even experience our world famous Calgary Stampede! It would be great to be able to meet you. Have a happy and healthy 2025. P.S. Please give Toaster a treat from me. 😉

[@diannecarter1754]

Ha I love that you swiped your moms basket lol

[@MountainKnitter]

Beige walls and pink/burgundy curtains would look really nice with your chair.

[@diannecarter1754]

BTW I love the basket idea that’s awesome

[@kortnihorein]

I made a niddy noddy from PVC pipe. It works great. And cheap!!

[@jkknits4ewe436]

You can use your swift instead of a kniddy noddy. The umbrella style may not work great compared to the other kinds. But it does work in a pinch.

[@hannahburns4178]

Canada 🎉🎉🎉 If you come to Toronto I will even make the 2 hour drive for a meet up if I am not working 😁

[@siobhancrowe9832]

Hi! Love your corner. I would paint and have some shelves with yarn or tools behind you. Swatches? Samples of your hand spun?

[@KnittyNatty]

Thank you! You're giving me inspiration for when we have our own place! For now, I'll have to do something less permanent. But I got some things for next week!!

[@gabsalvas6975]

I started a yorkshire blanket with part advent, part leftover and i am soooo happy with it 😍 cant wait to attach everything and hve my blanket

[@KnittyNatty]

It's just the best project! I'm enjoying every second!

[@leelee771000]

My friend turned a chair upside down as a makeshift niddy noddy when she started spinning

[@jeangreenfield5993]

Cute pink sweater 🩷

[@skispinner]

Just in case you are in Georgia again for interviews, near Atlanta there is The Traveling Yarn Yogi, a traveling yarn bus. In Augusta there is a new store called The Three Crows. In reference to your spinning, great lazy Kate. You an make a niddy noddy from pvc pipe from Home Depot. Two end pieces and different length main piece gives you options. Fractal spinning is usually when you split the roving in half and then divide the other half in halves, thirds, or more. Then you spin the one half on one bobbin and the other sections back to back on another bobbin. Then ply the two bobbins together so the colors run differently against each other. Look into Andean plying so that you don’t have to leave leftovers on your bobbin. Have fun.

[@jilliankonig2759]

When you come to Maryland Sheep and Wool, arrive early enough for Yarncentrick on May 2, 2025, which is kind of an indie festival in Frederick, near Magpie Fibers.

[@mayaa.d.5058]

You can use a swift to wind skeins from your bobbins!

[@KnittyNatty]

Oh that's a great idea! Thank you!

[@anitamadtes877]

I’ve labeled all my bobbins so I can jot a note about what I’ve spun on each bobbin. That way if I stop for a while I know where I was.

[@lisaml7411]

Great that you plan to continue traveling! Now that we’re semi retired we have been taking long trips with last summer traveling from Michigan, across the northern states, then north to Alaska, coming back to our favorite camping spot in Canada for 2 weeks before going home to northern Michigan. A thought for your future travels…. You are young and healthy so why not include hiking through National Parks?

[@JADufault21]

I have my grandmother's antique knitty knotty ( about 200 years old). Learned how to make one with PVC pipe from KZbin Chemknits Creations, which can be used in more than one way. Another advantage is that it is easily taken apart for storage. What about your high-tech lazy Kate and your swift?

[@ShanaH414]

If you're up for going back to Home Depot, ChemKnits has a tutorial for how to make a knitty knotty out of PVC pipe!

[@DenisePurvis-z5f]

Prettiest crochet one you have made

[@dianegiannini8968]

New yarn store in Bentonville Arkansas, the mountain bike capital of the world. Home of Crystal Bridges Art Museum. Hope you can get this way.

[@brendapaulsel3708]

You can make a knitting noddy out of PVC pipe. Super cheap and you can break it down for storage.

[@Ambymarieknits]

You’re spinning it’s amazing… If you look up PVC pipe knitty noddy there is a great video by Chemknits on how to make one for like $10.

[@iceangels76]

There is a slip stitch sock pattern exactly like that by Knit On Designs called The Karrie Socks.

[@julieplougmann7951]

Make another pair of advent socks with all your leftovers.

[@nancykeate]

Could you use your swift to wind your yarn on put the ties in then hank it up?

[@tinmanlover1994]

I'm working on a storm warning flag blanket for myself. I am à hunter Hayes fan and I love his music and so one of this songs is Storm warning so I've been crocheting a big granny square blanket starting with Black às the middle color which was very hard but once I finished the one super saver Jumbo black yarn and then kept crochet now with red yarn. I've been doing some videos of me documenting the project. I haven't updated in a few days but I will. Then I have a loom knit doll hat that I stated December 30th and I think I grabbed the wrong circle loom for the doll hat. I hàd Left over yarn from the loom knit scarf I've been working on for a few years and I finished it. So I saw I had another different color of eye lash yarn and been making a hat. If the doll hat is the wrong size then I'll just unravel it and try to make a regular hat or I might look for the same color eye lash yarn at the store and see if I can it's still available then I can make a another loom knit scarf

[@tinmanlover1994]

You can use paper towel tubes to roll up your spinning into a skains of yarn

[@KnittyNatty]

Ooh I'm having a hard time imagining that. How does that work?

[@bubba6381]

Do you still have your swift because you can wind your bobbins into a skien with a swift if you haven't a nitty noddy

[@anitamadtes877]

Be careful storing unspun fiber or plied yarn with the wheel. If you use any oil on the wheel or bobbin it can get on your yarn and I impossible to completely remove. I put my fiber and yarn in a ziplock bag to keep it safe.

[@trispiral]

Well, I ***was*** going to skip MDSW this year, but not now! LOL

[@KnittyNatty]

Haha fingers crossed for decent weather!! 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@julieplougmann7951]

You can make a niddy nosey out of pvc pipe

[@diannescarboro4669]

A friend uses "turtles" when she spins. Is that something you will use too or the bobbins function the same way

[@lanageorge5865]

Can you throw the kitchen scrubbers in the washing machine?

[@ericagestelle9655]

Instead niddy -noddy (-no clue how to spell that!), could you somehow use the skein-half of your ball winder set??

[@jenniferkesler7934]

People always talk about a knitty knotty….why not just use your swift and wind onto it instead of off of it??

[@Derya679]

🧶

[@anniedarby3554]

The amount of adds on this video 😱 it’s ridiculous