Doll Can Create

Looking Back at September

Hello friends,

September has been a month of returning: to familiar rhythms, to projects waiting on the needles, and to the small choices that shape the kind of life I want to live.

As October begins, I’m taking a moment to notice what has grown along the way. Some progress is easy to photograph. Some happens quietly, as we learn to give ourselves time.

The 100 Mile Life: Everyday Choices

I began September with a renewed focus on my 100 Mile Life, bringing that journey into my Instagram and YouTube sharing.

This practice keeps drawing me back to home cooking, seasonal food, local connections, and using what I already have. It also asks practical questions: What’s in the cupboard? What needs using first? Could tonight’s supper become tomorrow’s lunch?

At the end of September, my reflections on food waste brought those questions into sharper focus. Leftovers deserve a place in the meal plan. A little planning can help us honour the food we bring home—and the work that brought it to our table.

My invitation for October: Before making your next grocery list, choose one meal you can build around something you already have.

Stories from the Sock Drawer

Socks have taken centre stage in my making and sharing this month!

Looking through my sock drawer has given me a chance to revisit different patterns, colours, and ways of constructing a sock. Each pair holds a little piece of my knitting story: something learned, something tried, or a choice I might make differently next time.

On the needles, I’ve turned the heel on my current sock and have been working through the gusset decreases. There’s satisfaction in watching a familiar shape emerge, stitch by stitch.

Now October brings Socktober, and I’m looking forward to sharing more sock stories, works in progress, and plans for what comes next.

The Handspun Sweater Continues

My handspun sweater is moving forward, too. The sleeve cuffs are completed, and I’ve begun working up both sleeves, increasing as I go.

Alongside the knitting, I’m spinning more blended fibre for the project. Making the yarn and then knitting with it gives this sweater its own pace. Every bit of progress carries the work of my hands.

I’m learning to appreciate that pace—and to count the small steps.

Bringing My Experience to the Work

September also brought reflection on what it means to be an older creator.

At 68, I bring years of making, learning, starting again, and finding practical ways through everyday life. Those experiences belong in DollCanCreate: in the stories I tell, the skills I share, and the encouragement I offer.

I still have things to learn and ideas to try. That combination of experience and curiosity feels like a good place to keep creating.

A Gentle Beginning for October

This month, I’m carrying forward a simple intention:

Make a little. Use what I have. Share what I’m learning. Leave room to rest.

Thank you for being part of this community—for reading, watching, and bringing your own stories to the conversation.

Hit reply and tell me: What are you carrying into October—a project, a practice, or something you’re ready to begin again?

With warmth,
Doll
Barbara Creelman
DollCanCreate