Doll Can Create

100 Mile Life/Grandma Core

Tag: creativity

100 Mile Life – 30 Day Challenge — August 27, 2025

100 Mile Life – 30 Day Challenge

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Free Checklist for 100 Mile Life

Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to live more closely tied to the land? What about the seasons and your own community? That’s what my 100 Mile Journey is all about. For the next 30 days, starting September 1st, I am embracing this challenge. I am choosing to live, eat, and create within a 100-mile radius of home.

This isn’t just about food. It’s about weaving a life that reflects simplicity, sustainability, and gratitude for what’s close at hand.

Why a 30-Day Challenge?

Thirty days feels approachable. It’s long enough to notice shifts in habits and perspective, but short enough that it doesn’t feel overwhelming. I wanted to give myself a set time frame to experiment, track, and think. It would be almost like a season of mindful living.

What the Challenge Includes

Here’s how I’m approaching it:

  • Food: Visiting farmers’ markets, local farms, and small shops to fill my pantry. I’m aiming to cook at least three meals each week made entirely from local ingredients.
  • Fiber: Sourcing wool and yarn from within my 100-mile circle and committing to one project made completely from local fiber.
  • Faith & Reflection: Writing down what I learn each week, giving thanks for abundance, and noticing where the gaps are.
  • Community: Supporting local makers, sharing my progress with you, and inviting others to join.

Early Discoveries

Even in the first few days, when I walked into this in March, I learned so much. Seasonal produce shines in a whole new way when it’s the foundation of your meals. And talking with local farmers brings a joy and connection you just can’t get in a supermarket aisle.

Holding wool that was grown and milled close to home gives me the feeling of being rooted. It turns each stitch into an act of gratitude.

The Challenges

It’s not all easy! Coffee and spices aren’t grown nearby, so I’m learning to use them more sparingly and substitute where I can. Convenience also plays a big role — sometimes it feels easier to order online or grab something quick. But that’s where the heart of the challenge lies: slowing down, choosing intentionally, and letting go of “instant.”

How You Can Join Me

I’d love for you to try this alongside me — even in small ways. Maybe it’s one farmers’ market visit, one local craft buy, or one meal cooked entirely from nearby ingredients. Share your steps with me using #100MileLife so we can celebrate together.

A Reflection

As I start this 30-day journey, I’m reminded of these words:

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)

Each choice I make feels like a way of honoring that truth. This is true whether I am in my kitchen, craft room, or community.

Here’s to 30 days of learning, growing, and rediscovering the beauty that’s already around us.

✨
I’ll be sharing updates here, as well as on YouTube and Instagram. Make sure to follow along — and let me know if you’re ready to take your own 100 Mile Challenge!

We are grateful for every small step we take toward living locally. — Doll Creelman “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” — Psalm 24:1 Living gently within 100 miles

Hope you’ll join me: 100 Mile Check List

Grannie and slow fashion meet — August 19, 2025

Grannie and slow fashion meet

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As a Grandma, I’ve learned that less really is more. I don’t need to fill my closet or overflow my yarn stash to feel content. Instead, I embrace slow fashion—cherishing what I already own, repairing when I can, and creating with love.

May I can sew something like this.

When something new is needed, I’ll thrift, swap, or repurpose. It’s not about chasing trends but about choosing wisely, wearing with joy, and passing on pieces that tell a story.

Slow fashion feels like wisdom: steady, thoughtful, and deeply connected to both the past and the future.

How do you work your slow fashion?

I ponder — June 25, 2025

I ponder

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

In the Stillness, the Thread Unwinds

The world hums warm beyond my window,

but here, in this cool cocoon,

time softens its edges.

The spindle turns like a whispered prayer,

each twist a story,

each draft a sigh of peace.

Wool slips through my fingers—

ancient, gentle, knowing.

It remembers the sheep,

the pasture, the wind.

Knitting waits patiently beside me,

loops and rows like heartbeats,

quietly stitching joy into being.

In this hush, I am enough.

No striving, no noise—

just the sacred rhythm of hand and fiber,

and the deep exhale of summer grace.

Join me?

Crafting as Prayer: How I Find Peace in Every Stitch — May 29, 2025

Crafting as Prayer: How I Find Peace in Every Stitch

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There’s a rhythm to spinning wool that feels like a heartbeat. There’s a stillness in knitting rows that speaks louder than words. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that for me, crafting is more than a hobby—it’s a form of prayer.

In a noisy world full of fast answers, there’s something sacred about sitting quietly with wool in your hands. Anxious scrolling fades away. This allows your thoughts to settle. Your spirit rises as a result.

The Sacred Stillness of Spinning

When I spin on my drop spindle or wheel, I start with raw fleece. Sometimes it still holds the scent of sheep and earth. There’s something humbling about starting from such a basic place. Washing, carding, spinning—it’s a process that requires presence.

As the wool twists into yarn, I whisper simple prayers:

Lord, give me patience in the drafting.
Thank you for the hands that raised this sheep.
This yarn bring comfort to someone in need.

These aren’t formal prayers, but gentle beating of the heart—offered with each turn of the spindle.

Knitting Peace, One Stitch at a Time

Knitting is where my prayers become visible. Each stitch holds intention. When I’m knitting for someone, I imagine wrapping them in hope. When I’m knitting just for the joy of it, I let my worries fall away with the passing rows.

There are moments when the rhythm lulls me into a quiet place of worship. I don’t need words. I just need the steady clink of needles and the softness of wool. I feel the awareness that I’m held by something greater than myself.

A Simple “Spin & Pray” Practice

Here’s a gentle rhythm I’ve started to follow. Maybe it will inspire your own crafting prayer time:

  1. Prepare a quiet space. Light a candle or play calming music.
  2. Choose a simple project. Something repetitive—like spinning, garter stitch, or hand carding.
  3. Set an intention. Pray for someone by name, think about a scripture, or simply sit in gratitude.
  4. Work with your hands. Let the motion of the craft guide your meditation.
  5. Close with thanks. A whispered “Amen,” a stretch, or a note in your journal.

In Every Strand, a Story

When we make with our hands, we make space for peace. We untangle knots in our minds. We remember that slow is holy. We rediscover that prayer can be soft, quiet, and full of wool.

So today, whether you’re spinning, stitching, sewing, or simply resting—know that your hands can be your prayer. And in every fiber, there is grace.

🧶 Want to Try It for Yourself?

👉Gentle Crafting Prayer Guide It includes a simple ritual and a short prayer.
👉 Or join me on YouTube for a quiet moment of spinning and prayer. Watch here.

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

How to Ply Yarn with a Spindle: My Simple Method — March 29, 2025

How to Ply Yarn with a Spindle: My Simple Method

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

Hi friends! Welcome to this tutorial where I share my personal method of plying yarn from a spindle. While there are many techniques out there, this is the one that works best for me, and I hope it helps you too. (this is not a word for word transcript)

Getting Started

Before we begin, here’s what you’ll need:

  • Your favorite spindle (or one of them, if you’re like me and have several!)
  • A small amount of spun singles
  • Your hands—no fancy tools required!

This method works best with a fiber that has some grip to it. Today, I’m using a beautiful fiber from Germany that’s naturally grabby, making for a warm and fuzzy finished yarn.

Step-by-Step Plying Process

1. Preparing the Singles

  • Remove the spun singles from your spindle.
  • Wrap the singles around your hand by first looping it around a finger and then wrapping it around your open hand.
  • Once fully wound, slide the loops down onto your wrist, creating a bracelet of yarn.

2. Setting Up for Plying

  • Find the two ends: the one from the inside of the bracelet and the outermost strand.
  • Make a slipknot with these two ends and attach them to your spindle.
  • Start spinning in the opposite direction from how you originally spun the singles.

3. Plying the Yarn

  • Hold the two strands together and let the twist distribute evenly as you spin.
  • If needed, gently guide the twist so that the yarn plies consistently.
  • Wind the newly plied yarn onto your spindle and repeat until all singles have been plied.

Finishing the Yarn

1. Making a Skein

  • Once all the yarn is plied, remove it from the spindle.
  • If you don’t have a niddy noddy, use the old-fashioned elbow method: wrap the yarn around your forearm to measure out a small skein.

2. Setting the Twist

  • If your yarn has extra twist, give it a quick flick or a gentle shake to distribute it evenly.
  • Soak the yarn in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes to set the twist.
  • Squeeze out excess water and hang it to dry.

Tips & Encouragement

  • If you’re new to spinning, don’t stress about perfection! It’s all about practice and enjoying the process.
  • Your yarn’s characteristics (twist, thickness, and texture) will determine its best use. Sometimes, the fiber itself will tell you what it wants to be.
  • Spinning can be addictive, and it’s easy to fall down the fiber arts rabbit hole! Enjoy the journey and explore different tools and techniques at your own pace.

Join the Spinning Community!

Are you taking part in a spinning challenge? I’m currently spindling for 100 days, leading up to the Tour de Fleece! Whether you’re just beginning or have been spinning for years, I’d love to hear from you.

Leave a comment below: Are you new to spindle plying? What projects are you working on? Need any extra help? Let me know!

If you found this tutorial helpful, consider subscribing to my channel or blog for more fiber arts content. Let’s grow together—my goal is to reach 200 subscribers, and I’d love for you to be part of that journey!

Happy spinning, and may your yarn bring joy to your hands and heart!

Until next time,

Doll from Doll Can Create

(Like, share, and subscribe to help support the channel and blog!)

Light Cherry Sock Yarn — March 16, 2025
Lilac colourway sock yarn — March 15, 2025
Knitting a Log Cabin Blanket for Lent: A 40-Day Journey — March 4, 2025

Knitting a Log Cabin Blanket for Lent: A 40-Day Journey

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

The video explains all about it

Lent is a season of reflection, prayer, and preparation—a time to slow down and focus on what truly matters. This year, I’m incorporating that spirit into my knitting with a Lenten Log Cabin Blanket. Over 40 days, I’ll knit one section each day, allowing the project to grow as a visual and tangible reminder of this sacred season.

If you’re looking for a meaningful way to blend faith and fiber arts, I invite you to join me in this project!

What is a Log Cabin Blanket?

A log cabin blanket is a modular knitting technique that starts with a small center square, then builds outward by adding strips one by one. There’s no seaming—just picking up stitches and knitting in a continuous, meditative process.

It’s a perfect metaphor for Lent—layering our faith, growing in discipline, and building on a strong foundation. As each strip is added, we are reminded that faith is not built in a day but in steady, intentional steps.

The Lenten Knitting Plan: 40 Sections in 40 Days

This project is structured around daily knitting goals, making it both manageable and meaningful. Each day, I’ll add a new section to the blanket, sometimes incorporating special stitch patterns that reflect the themes of Lent.

Choosing Colors for Lent

Your color choices can add another layer of meaning:

  • Purple – The traditional color of Lent, representing repentance and reflection.
  • Earth Tones – Symbolizing simplicity and fasting.
  • A Gradient from Dark to Light – Moving from reflection to renewal as Easter approaches.

How to Get Started

Step 1: Knit the Center Square

We begin with a simple garter stitch square—the foundation of the blanket. This represents the foundation of faith and sets the stage for everything that follows.

Step 2: Adding Log Strips

Once the center square is finished, I’ll pick up stitches along one edge and knit a new strip. Each day, a new strip is added in a clockwise direction, causing the blanket to grow outward in a natural rhythm.

This daily practice of knitting a section becomes a spiritual discipline, just like prayer or fasting. It offers a chance to slow down, reflect, and be mindful.

Symbolism & Stitch Patterns for Lent

To make this project even more meaningful, I’m incorporating different stitch patterns that reflect the themes of Lent:

  • Garter stitch – Simplicity and steadfastness.
  • Moss stitch – Growth in faith.
  • Broken rib – The struggles and perseverance of the journey.
  • Cross motifs – A visible reminder of faith.
  • Lace and eyelets – Light breaking through, symbolizing renewal.

Each stitch carries significance, turning this blanket into a tapestry of devotion and reflection.

A Daily Practice for Lent

By the time Easter arrives, this blanket will be a physical representation of the season—each section carrying the prayers, thoughts, and reflections from the journey. Whether you knit in quiet prayer, meditate on scripture, or simply use this time to slow down, this project can be a deeply spiritual practice.

Join Me in This Lenten Knitting Journey!

Are you knitting a Lenten project this year? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments what colors you’re using, what reflections you’re bringing into your stitches, or if you have any special traditions that combine faith and fiber arts.

And if you want to see the progress of my Lenten Log Cabin Blanket, be sure to follow along on my [YouTube channel] (or insert social media links)!

Happy knitting, and may your Lenten journey be filled with peace and reflection.

Here’s your printable guide for the Lenten Log Cabin Blanket! (my gift to you)

Wrapping Up the Month: Local Living, Crafting & More! — February 28, 2025

Wrapping Up the Month: Local Living, Crafting & More!

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Reflecting on My Journey – February Highlights & What’s Next!

As February comes to a close and March begins, it’s a great time to reflect on the progress I’ve made in our commitment to a more sustainable and mindful lifestyle. This past month, I’ve explored ways to source local wool, deepen my spinning and knitting practices, and integrate intentional prayer into my daily crafts.

Highlights from This Month:
✔ Continued progress on the 100 Mile Life in 100 Days challenge – discovering amazing local products!
✔ Exploring the beauty of handcrafted wooden items and their place in sustainable living.
✔ Strengthening our connection between spinning, knitting, and personal reflection.
✔ Embracing frugal living by finding creative ways to reduce waste and make the most of what we have.

Looking ahead, March will bring new opportunities to refine my practices, connect with local artisans, and expand my creativity. Stay tuned for upcoming challenges, local finds, and inspiration for living intentionally.

What’s Next?
📌 More insights on sourcing sustainable fibers locally
📌 Exciting new spinning and dying projects
📌 Special reflections on mindfulness in crafting
📌 Practical tips on frugal living and making the most of every resource

I’d love to hear about your journey too! What were your biggest takeaways this month? Hit reply and share your thoughts.

Here’s to another great month ahead! March will come; lion or lamb? I’m ready for whatever. Are you?

Blessings
Doll

*graphic found on Pintrest