Doll Can Create

100 Mile Life/Grandma Core

Tag: crafts

Rocking Chair Knit & Chat: — September 11, 2025

Rocking Chair Knit & Chat:

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Cozy Fall, Stitches & Blessings

(scroll down to view the video)

This evening, I’m settling into my rocking chair with a favourite beverage. I have my knitting in hand. The gentle rhythm of fall surrounds me. There’s something about this season—the crisp air, the golden leaves—that makes slowing down feel natural. It’s the perfect time to breathe deeply, pick up our needles, and share a little cozy conversation together.

Knitting in Progress

Tonight my needles are clicking away on my 100 Mile Sweater. This piece feels especially dear to me because of its roots in local wool. It also embodies the principles of slow fashion. Every stitch is a reminder of connection to the land. It connects to the shepherd. It embraces the rhythm of working with what’s close to home. I’m right at that comforting stage. The project is beginning to take shape. It feels like an old friend keeping me company.

Cozy Fall Ideas for the Evening

I always like to pair knitting with little seasonal rituals. Maybe tonight you’ll light a candle. You wrap a blanket around your shoulders. Or you’ll listen to the soft hum of autumn winds outside. Here are a few ideas if you’re looking to make the evening extra cozy:

  • Knit for 20 minutes by candlelight.
  • Bake a simple apple crisp or enjoy something warm from the oven.
  • Jot down a few blessings in your journal before bed.
  • Work on “just one row” or “one spindle spin”—a reminder that even the smallest steps are meaningful.

Blessings for Today

Part of my rhythm each evening is pausing to notice what I’m grateful for. Today I’m giving thanks for the sunshine that shone brightly today. I also appreciate the satisfaction of finishing a skein of yarn. A friendly call from family brightened my day, and a hearty fall supper was delightful. These are small, ordinary gifts, but together they stitch a quiet joy.

What are your blessings today? I’d love for you to share them in the comments—it’s amazing how gratitude multiplies when we name it together.

A Closing Thought

The world rushes. Here, in the gentle sway of a rocking chair, I’m reminded that we can create a different rhythm. One stitch, one row, one blessing at a time, we carve out a space of stillness and warmth.

So here’s to cozy evenings, fall colors, and the simple joy of knitting in community.

👉 Your turn: What’s on your needles tonight, and what’s one small blessing from your day?

Patterns I mentioned:

Vanilla Bean Sock

Olive Branch Tee

The Knitty Professor One row scarf

What GrandmaCore Teaches Us About Slow Fashion — August 21, 2025

What GrandmaCore Teaches Us About Slow Fashion

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

What GrandmaCore Teaches Us About Slow Fashion

Fashion trends seem to change overnight. In this fast-paced world, GrandmaCore and slow fashion invite us to pause and breathe. They encourage us to look backward as much as ahead. Both are about cherishing what lasts, valuing what is handmade, and seeing beauty in the slower rhythms of life. When we bring the two together, they remind us that fashion isn’t just about what we wear. It’s about how we live.

Cherishing What Lasts

GrandmaCore celebrates the sweaters, aprons, and quilts that seem to carry whole generations within their stitches. Slow fashion shares this heart: it asks us to move away from disposable clothing and toward garments built to endure. A hand-knit cardigan or a linen dress isn’t just an outfit—it’s a companion through the seasons.

Making and Mending

At the heart of GrandmaCore are the old skills—knitting, crocheting, sewing, patching, and darning. These aren’t just quaint hobbies; they are tools of sustainability. Slow fashion echoes this call. Instead of tossing a shirt with a loose button or worn elbow, we mend it. We repurpose it or reimagine it. In making and mending, we keep fashion alive instead of letting it fade.

Sentiment Over Trend

A quilt passed down from a grandmother carries more meaning than any trend. A shawl made by a beloved aunt is also deeply meaningful. GrandmaCore teaches us that clothes can hold stories. Slow fashion teaches us to choose pieces for their memory, craftsmanship, and durability rather than chasing what’s new. Together, they show us that fashion is most beautiful when it’s personal.

Natural Fibers, Local Roots

Our grandparents often reached for wool, cotton, and linen because that’s what was available—and it worked. These natural fibers were warm, breathable, and repairable. Today, slow fashion calls us back to the same wisdom. It involves choosing natural fibers and supporting local makers. It also reminds us that where our clothes come from matters.

The Joy of Slowness

Knitting a sweater or piecing together a quilt takes time, and that time is part of the beauty. GrandmaCore honors the slow processes of creating. Slow fashion teaches us to savor the same pace in choosing what we wear. Each stitch, each seam, becomes a meditation on patience and care.

Fashion as Community

GrandmaCore paints a picture of sewing circles, knitting groups, and kitchens where conversation flowed as easily as tea. Slow fashion thrives on this same sense of community—sharing patterns, swapping clothes, and passing down knowledge. Fashion doesn’t have to be a solitary, consumerist pursuit. It can be a collective story woven together.

A Closing Thought

GrandmaCore and slow fashion are not just aesthetics or movements. They are invitations—to live gently, to honor memory, and to find joy in what lasts. Each hand-stitched hem or mended patch becomes an act of love. This love extends not only to our clothes but also to the planet. It also encompasses the generations to come.

Maybe the best lesson is this: fashion isn’t fast when it’s filled with meaning. And sometimes, the slowest stitches tell the strongest stories.

💬 Now it’s your turn…
What’s one piece in your wardrobe that carries a story? Maybe it’s a hand-knit sweater, a quilt passed down, or even something you’ve lovingly mended. Share your story in the comments below—I’d love to hear how your fashion choices connect to memory, care, and meaning.

And if this reflection spoke to you, consider subscribing to my newsletter at Dollcancreate.com where I share more slow fashion ideas, handmade projects, and gentle living inspiration. 🌿✨

🧶July Newsletter — August 1, 2025

🧶July Newsletter

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Dear Creative Friends,

As July draws to a close, I’m looking back with a full heart and yarn-covered hands. Whether you’ve been spinning alongside me for Tour de Fleece 2025 or merely enjoying the long days of summer with a cool drink. You might also be enjoying a quiet stitch. I hope you’ve found your own rhythm. I hope you’ve found your own rhythm. Enjoy this beautiful season.

🌀 Tour de Fleece Reflections: What I Learned

This year’s Tour de Fleece was about consistency and grace. I committed to spinning every day. Some days were spent at full whirl on my wheel. Other days were spent quietly on my spindle in the shade. There were moments of fatigue and others of elation (especially when I measured that surprise 125-meter skein!).

Key takeaways:

  • Small steps add up. Even a few minutes each day built up to sweater-worthy yardage. (or a vest)
  • Rest days matter. I embraced the official Tour rest days — and a few bonus ones too!
  • Joy in the process. Watching fibre transform in my hands still feels like a small miracle.

🧳 Summer Vacation: Rest and Play

July wasn’t just about production — it was also about pause. I walked, beached, puzzled, swam, and sat in my favourite chair with yarn in my lap. I visited museums, picked blueberries, and yes — ate ice cream with loved ones. This is the life I want to keep spinning toward: slow, full of joy, and rooted in beauty.

📸 On the Blog & YouTube

Check out this month’s uploads:

🗓️ What’s Coming in August

  • A new 30-Day Fibre Reset Challenge — clean, card, spin, and organize.
  • Blanket-building month: working with handspun and memory squares.
  • New video: “What’s In My Fibre Basket?”
  • Studio reorganizing VLOG (with my new thrifted wool shelf!). (still searching for this)

🎉 Community Corner

This month, I was inspired by all of you — the photos, messages, and stories shared. Keep tagging me at #DollCan so I can cheer you on!

Let’s Stay Connected:
🌐 DollCanCreate.com
📺 YouTube: Doll Can Create
📸 Instagram: @dollcan
📬 Got a story or finished object to share? Hit reply and let’s feature it!

Until next time,
Stay curious. Stay gentle. Keep spinning.

💗
– Doll
http://www.DollCanCreate.com
Handmade. Slow Made. Joy Made.

✂️ Stitching Through Time: A Cozy Look at the History of English Paper Piecing — June 26, 2025

✂️ Stitching Through Time: A Cozy Look at the History of English Paper Piecing

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Have you ever curled up with a tiny hexagon in hand, needle and thread at the ready? Have you wondered where this charming craft began?

Scroll down to the video.

English Paper Piecing is affectionately called EPP by many of us. It has a history as rich and layered as a well-loved quilt. It’s a craft built on slow stitching. It emphasizes thrift and the beauty of small things coming together to create something truly special.

🧵 Where It All Began

The roots of English Paper Piecing go back to 18th-century England. Creative hands and thrifty minds used paper templates to shape and stabilize bits of fabric. The earliest known reference to this technique comes from around 1770. It was often called mosaic patchwork because the shapes resembled tiled mosaics. These were pieced together into stunning geometric designs.

But the real magic? Many of these templates were made from recycled materials — letters, newspaper clippings, even pages torn from ledgers and books. Some of these hidden papers are still tucked inside antique quilts. They offer a glimpse into the everyday lives of people long ago.

️ How It Traveled the World

As English settlers moved across the ocean to North America, the tradition of English Paper Piecing also traveled with them. It became popular in colonial homes. Women used scraps of fabric and repurposed paper to make quilts. These quilts were both practical and deeply personal.

EPP was the ideal portable craft. It could be stitched by candlelight. You could work on it during long journeys or while visiting with friends. No sewing machine needed — just needle, thread, paper, and time.

❤️ A Stitch in Time

Through the 19th and early 20th centuries, English Paper Piecing became more than just a way to make blankets. It was a form of creative expression. It served as a quiet pastime and, in many ways, was a reflection of women’s resilience and ingenuity.

Some quilts were made over decades. Others became family heirlooms. And always, there was something deeply satisfying about taking what have been discarded and turning it into something beautiful.

🌼 The Modern Revival

Today, EPP has found a new audience among crafters. They appreciate the meditative pace of hand sewing. They also find joy in making something slowly, piece by piece. It’s part of the larger slow stitching movement — a return to intentional, meaningful making in a fast-paced world.

Quilters and creators around the globe continue to celebrate this time-honored technique. They use both traditional shapes like hexagons. They also innovate with modern patterns that push the boundaries of patchwork art.

💬 One Stitch at a Time

There’s something incredibly comforting about knowing that the stitches you’re making today echo those made hundreds of years ago. Sitting with fabric and thread connects you to your creativity. It also links you to a community of makers, both past and current.

So next time you hold a tiny hexie in your hand, remember: you’re not just sewing fabric to fabric. You’re stitching story to story, and soul to soul.

✨ Let’s Keep the Story Going

Have you tried English Paper Piecing? What’s your favorite shape to stitch?
Share your projects or EPP memories in the comments — I’d love to see what you’re creating! 🧵💬

🌸 Doll Can Create | June Newsletter 🌸 — June 3, 2025

🌸 Doll Can Create | June Newsletter 🌸

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

May wrap-up

Spinning Joy, One Thread at a Time

Hello Creative Friends,

The month of always feels like a fresh start. Gardens are blooming and days are lighter. There is renewed energy for our fibre work. May seemed to go by very quickly; very cool, lots of rain, but it bloomed in full colour.

Here’s a little peek into what happened in my studio this past month:

🧶 Fibre on My Wheel & Spindle

May was a season of mindful spinning. I’ve been working on:

  • Spinning naturally fawn and brown fibres for future knitting projects
  • Continuing my 100 Days of Spindle Spinning challenge — it’s amazing what just 10–15 minutes a day can create!

I encourage you — even a few minutes of spinning can bring such calm and joy.

🧵 On My Needles

Knitting was my quiet companion in the month of May:

  • A slow fashion shawl, using my handspun yarn
  • A simple pair of socks for everyday wear (finished May 31st, 2025, merino/nylon blend, hand dyed.
  • Exploring Knitting on a Budget — creative ways to knit more while spending less

I also shared a heartfelt blog post: “Crafting Calm & Grace.” It explores how fibre work can be a form of prayer and peace.

🌍 100 Mile Life: Local Fibre Focus

One of my passions in the merry month of May was deepening my 100 Mile Life journey:

  • Building a local fibre stash — supporting nearby farms
  • Cooking with local spring produce
  • I’ll be launching a new 100 Mile Life Tutorial Series — with a printable workbook soon in the shop!

Each step reminds me that local living and crafting can truly enrich our lives.

🎥 On YouTube This Month

👉 If you haven’t subscribed yet, come join us here: YouTube: Doll Can Create

💌 Closing Thought

As May came to a close, summer beckoned. I’m reminded to slow down. I take time to savour the beauty around me. I cherish each creative moment.

What’s your plan for June? Tour de Fleece? More spinning, knitting, or crafting? Let’s enjoy these summer days together.

I hope your month was full of joy and fibre goodness and that June will be more of the same.

Until next time,

— Doll ✨

DollCanCreate.com

Instagram: @dollcancreate

📌 PS: Don’t miss the new free Spinning & Prayer Guide on the blog — a simple, printable companion for your creative time.

🧶 Knitting on a Budget Toolkit: Make Beautiful Things Without Breaking the Bank — May 22, 2025

🧶 Knitting on a Budget Toolkit: Make Beautiful Things Without Breaking the Bank

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

The rising cost of yarn and supplies can take the fun out of your favorite craft. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to knitting or a seasoned fiber artist. But don’t worry — creativity thrives under constraint. Did you know that you can knit beautiful items without breaking the bank? These Knitting on a Budget Toolkit ideas are here to help you make the most of what you have. It will stretch your dollars. You’ll still knit projects you’ll love.

🧰 1. Yarn Price Tracker

One of the best ways to stay within your fiber budget is to track yarn prices. Keep a simple log of:

  • Yarn brand and fiber content
  • Cost per skein or per 100g
  • Where you purchased it (or if it was a gift)
  • Project used for

By comparing prices over time, you’ll spot the best deals — and avoid impulse buys that aren’t a good value.

🧺 2. Stash-Busting Project Checklist

You probably have yarn in your stash you’ve forgotten about! Use it up with these go-to stash-busters:

✅ Dishcloths and scrubbies
✅ Striped scarves or hats
✅ Granny square blankets
✅ Color-block shawls
✅ Mismatched socks

Make it a challenge: Try not to buy any yarn for a month. See what you can finish with just your stash. Join me in June for a knit or crochet from our stash challenge.

🌐 3. Free & Fabulous Pattern Sources

You don’t have to pay for patterns to make stunning pieces. Here are my favorite free pattern resources:

  • Ravelry.com
  • Local library or community center pattern books

♻️ 4. Upcycle and Unravel

Look at thrift stores or your own closet for 100% wool or cotton sweaters that you can unravel. Here’s how:

  • Choose sweaters with knit seams, not serged.
  • Wash gently in cold water and dry flat.
  • Carefully unravel, wind into skeins, and soak to relax the yarn.

This method can yield luxury yarn for pennies.

🛠️ 5. Tools That Do Double Duty

You don’t need a drawer full of gadgets to knit well. Some budget-friendly substitutions:

  • Use a paperclip as a stitch marker
  • Recycle cardboard into yarn bobbins
  • Use a measuring tape app if you’ve lost your real one
  • Keep a notebook for all your pattern notes — cheaper than printing pages Here’s one I’m using:

If you invest in anything, go for interchangeable needles — one set can do it all.

💬 Let’s Chat!

How do you save money on knitting? Share your favorite tip or stash-busting success story in the comments below. Don’t forget to pin this post for later!

🧶 Ready to Start Knitting Smarter?

Don’t let a tight budget hold back your creativity!

You can start easily with a travelers notebook like this one. Just set it up the way you like and go.

This is a great journal to track your knitting:

*I might make a small commission from Amazon. Thank you for supporting my blog.

Let’s slow down our crafting — May 12, 2025

Let’s slow down our crafting

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Using crafting to slow down is a beautiful, intentional practice. It invites you to be present, mindful, and rooted in the moment. Here’s how to do it:

Let’s slow down our crafting. Which of these steps will you try?

1. Set the Intention

  • Before you start, take a breath and tell yourself, “This is time to slow down.”
  • Light a candle, say a short prayer, or play calming music—create a ritual that marks this as sacred, restful time.

2. Choose Slow Crafts

  • Pick crafts that can’t be rushed: hand stitching, spindle spinning, hand knitting, embroidery, or weaving.
  • These crafts naturally need a rhythm and patience, helping shift your body and mind to a slower pace.

3. Craft Without Pressure

  • Let go of productivity goals. Don’t worry about deadlines or finished objects.
  • Focus on the feel of the yarn, the movement of your hands, or the rhythm of the stitches.

4. Be Fully Present

  • Notice the textures, colours, sounds, and even the little imperfections.
  • If your mind wanders, gently return to your hands—what they’re touching, creating, and shaping.

5. Connect Spiritually

  • Use crafting as a form of prayer, meditation, or gratitude. Say a prayer with each stitch or dedicate your work to someone.
  • Consider on scriptures or quiet thoughts as you work.

6. Limit Distractions

  • Craft in a quiet space or with minimal digital interruptions.
  • Leave your phone out of reach, or set it to “Do Not Disturb.”

7. Craft Outdoors or Near Nature

  • Take your knitting to the porch, or embroider by a window. Let the natural world support your slowing down.

Journal Prompt: Slowing Down Through Crafting

Take a deep breath. Let your hands rest on your project. Consider on the next:

1. What drew me to pick up this craft today?

2. How does the rhythm of this work affect my body, mind, or spirit right now?

End with this question. What is one small way I can carry the spirit of this slow moment into the rest of my day?

Many blessings,

Doll

Finding Grace in the Craft — May 5, 2025

Finding Grace in the Craft

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Moments that calm the soul By Doll Can Create


There’s a sacred quiet that settles in when I sit down to spin or knit. The world slows. The chatter softens. And in that stillness, something deeper begins to stir: grace.

Grace shows up in the ordinary
It’s in the way the yarn stretches just far enough to finish the row. Or when the spindle spins true, even after a long day. It’s the sigh of relief when the colors blend just right. It’s also when your hands remember a rhythm your mind had forgotten. Nothing flashy. Just the quiet kindness of things working together.

Crafting is a way of praying. You use your hands for this prayer. Colossians 3:23 (NIV):
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”


I often say that knitting is my way of keeping a quiet conversation going with God. Each stitch holds a moment, a breath, a hope. Spinning wool feels the same. The fibers remind me that slow is good. Twists and turns are part of the story. There is calm in that letting go.

When life feels messy, crafting provides it with form and structure.
There’s something healing about watching chaos turn into order. A tangled skein turns into a neat ball. Scraps become a blanket. Roving transforms into yarn. Crafting reminds me that transformation takes time and that even messiness has its purpose.

You don’t have to make something perfect. Just make
Grace doesn’t demand perfection. It welcomes presence. Whether you’re pulling stitches back or trying a new pattern, grace sits beside you and says, “It’s okay. Keep going.” And calm follows when we stop measuring success by speed or flawlessness.

So light a candle. Make a cup of tea or your favourite beverage. Pick up your needles, your spindle, your cloth. Let your craft become your quiet sanctuary—a place where grace can find you.

The Sacred Stitch: Praying My Way Through Lent with Yarn — April 24, 2025

The Sacred Stitch: Praying My Way Through Lent with Yarn

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/1 Comment

This Lent, I didn’t give something up. I picked something up—my needles and yarn. (scroll down for video)

Every evening, I sat down with ten simple stitches and knit my way toward Easter. This year, I chose to create a Lenten blanket. It was a quiet project with no pressure. I worked on just small, modular squares of color and calm. What I didn’t expect was how this simple act would become my prayer.

Knitting as Devotion

The blanket wasn’t intricate. Each square was small—ten stitches across and ten back again. But that simplicity was the beauty of it. It allowed space. Space to listen, space to breathe, space to pray.

Each time I picked up my needles, it felt like I was entering into something sacred. My body slowed. My heart quieted. The rhythm of stitch after stitch became the rhythm of prayer—not always with words, but always with intention.

Prayer in Colour and Silence

Some evenings, I prayed for loved ones as I knit. Other times, I simply breathed deeply and let the yarn run through my fingers. The colours I chose came from bits of my handspun—nothing planned, only that each was different from the last. I wasn’t choosing a palette—I was choosing presence. Whatever felt right in the moment became part of the story.

There was no chart and no big goal. There was only the promise to knit one colour each day through the forty days of Lent. That small act became my grounding.

Grace in Every Stitch

It’s funny how something so ordinary can become sacred when you give it space.

There were moments of grace along the way. A square finished just before bed provided comfort. A color unexpectedly brought peace. One night, knitting was the only thing that kept the anxious thoughts at bay. I didn’t need to do anything heroic this Lent. I just needed to show up. Yarn in hand. Heart open.

From Good Friday to Resurrection Joy

As Holy Week approached, the blanket grew heavier in my lap. Each rectangle held the quiet prayers and honest questions I’d whispered throughout the season. And on Easter Sunday, when the final stitch was made, it felt like more than a finished project. It felt like resurrection.

Not because the blanket was perfect—it wasn’t. But because I was different. I had made space for stillness, for prayer, for grace.

An Invitation

If you’re longing for a gentler spiritual practice, I invite you to pick up something small and handmade. A needle, a spindle, a scrap of yarn. Let your hands lead the way. Don’t overthink it. Just start.

You find, like I did, that God meets you in the rhythm of your craft—one stitch at a time.

Many blessings,

Doll

Rocking chair crafting goals 2025 — March 1, 2025

Rocking chair crafting goals 2025

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Hello, dear friends! It’s Doll from Doll Can Create, and I’m thrilled to have you join me today. As we usher in March, the landscape around us is in flux—snow, rain, sleet, and the promise of spring. It’s a season of renewal, and what better time to embark on a year-long journey of mindful, local crafting?

Embracing the 100-Mile Crafting Challenge

Inspired by the 100-Mile Diet, which encourages sourcing food within a 100-mile radius to promote sustainability and support local economies, I’ve decided to apply this concept to my crafting endeavors. The goal is to source fibers and materials from local farms and artisans, thereby reducing our carbon footprint and fostering a deeper connection with our community.

en.wikipedia.org

The Importance of Setting Crafting Goals

Without clear goals, it’s easy to drift from one project to another, leaving many unfinished. By setting specific objectives, we can channel our creativity more effectively and experience the satisfaction of completing meaningful projects. For instance, committing to knitting a pair of socks each month or spinning a certain amount of fiber weekly can provide structure and motivation.

zenyarngarden.com

My Current Projects and Fiber Adventures

Recently, I’ve been spinning some delightful brown fiber gifted from Germany—a blend that’s been a joy to work with. Additionally, I’ve spun yarn from local sheep, resulting in a sturdy two-ply yarn. While I haven’t decided on the final projects for these yarns, I’m contemplating various options like scarves, socks, or perhaps even a cozy sweater.

Tips for Your Crafting Journey

  1. Start Small: If you’re new to spinning or knitting, begin with manageable projects like hats or scarves. Completing these can boost your confidence and inspire you to tackle more ambitious endeavors.
  2. Keep Records: Maintaining a crafting journal can be invaluable. Documenting your projects, materials used, and techniques learned not only tracks your progress but also serves as a reference for future projects.
  3. Set Seasonal Goals: Align your projects with the seasons. Winter might be ideal for cozy accessories, while spring could inspire lightweight garments. Summer offers opportunities for natural dyeing, and fall is perfect for larger undertakings like sweaters.

Health Benefits of Knitting and Spinning

Beyond the tangible products we create, crafting offers numerous health benefits. Engaging in activities like knitting can reduce stress, enhance cognitive function, and promote relaxation. It’s a therapeutic practice that nurtures both mind and body.

Join Me on This Journey

I invite you to embark on this year of mindful local crafting. What’s the first project you’ll start this March? Where will you source your materials? Share your plans and experiences in the comments below. Together, let’s make this year one of creativity, sustainability, and community connection.

Until next time, happy crafting, and may your projects bring you joy and fulfillment.

Blessings,

Doll