Doll Can Create

100 Mile Life/Grandma Core

Tag: knit

Tour de Fleece: The Calm Before the Spin The preparation continues. — June 20, 2025

Tour de Fleece: The Calm Before the Spin The preparation continues.

/Barbara (Doll) Creelman/Leave a comment

🧶

Tour de Fleece is right around the corner—and I’m getting ready for the spin of the season! Whether you’re a longtime spinner or new to the joy of the draft, I invite you to prep alongside me. Let’s talk bobbins, fiber prep, common challenges, and how we can all enjoy a slower, more intentional spin this year.

🌀 Clear the Bobbins, Clear the Mind

Step one: clear off those bobbins!
I’m starting with a multicolored purple merino blend that’s just begging to be chain-plied into a soft three-ply yarn. It’s a simple task, but it gets the energy flowing and makes room for what’s next.

✨ Bonus: I’ll be recording the process, so follow along for inspiration!

🤯 The Too-Many-Choices Problem

Let’s be honest—fiber stashes have a way of multiplying. The biggest challenge for me is deciding what to spin. Should I:

  • Spin for a sweater?
  • Tackle a luxury fiber?
  • Work through stash from local sources?

This year, I’m simplifying. I’ve picked:

  • One main fiber for the wheel
  • A few smaller samples for the spindle

Less decision fatigue = more time at the wheel.

💭 Over-planning Is Real

Ever plan to spin two pounds in three weeks? Me too. And when it doesn’t happen, the guilt creeps in.

So here’s my Tour mantra:
🌿 Be realistic. Be gentle. Show up with joy.

I’m setting a time-based goal instead:

  • 15 minutes on busy days
  • 30 minutes for flexibility
  • 1 hour when I’m home and can relax into it

No pressure, just presence.

🧵 Tricky Fibers to Watch Out For

Every spinner has met their match. Mine?

  • Vacuum-sealed combed top – too compressed and slippery
  • Short staple fibers – easy to over-spin and hard to manage

If it frustrates me, it’s not going in the Tour basket. I’m choosing fiber that inspires, not irritates.

🎯 Making It Fun with a Tour de Fleece Bingo

Sometimes a little structure sparks creativity. I love using a Tour de Fleece Bingo card—either one of the many shared online or one I’ve made myself. It adds variety, keeps things playful, and gives me small wins to celebrate along the way. Check out Patreon for spinning folk who are on board.

✔️ Challenge met. Square marked. Spinner happy.

🌾 Local and Purposeful: My Spinning Focus

Aligned with my 100 Mile Life challenge, I’m focusing on:

  • Fiber from local farms and makers
  • No new purchases until I’ve spun what I have
  • Spinning with intention—thinking ahead to sweaters, vests, or cozy winter knits

This isn’t just about making yarn. It’s about making choices that align with my values.

💬 Final Thoughts

Tour de Fleece is more than a spinning challenge. It’s a celebration of creativity, community, and commitment—whether you spin for 5 minutes or 5 miles of yarn.

Let’s keep it light, joyful, and grounded.
And if you need a reminder: You’re already doing great.

🧵 Tell me in the comments: What’s the one fiber you can’t wait to spin this year?

🧶 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

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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.

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

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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

A Basket, A Journey, and a Bit of Decluttering — April 12, 2025

A Basket, A Journey, and a Bit of Decluttering

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Hi friends,

Today, I’m bringing you along on a little journey that’s been a long time coming. You see, beside my favorite chair — where I do most of my knitting, spindle spinning, reading, and general life-living — there’s a humble little basket. And that basket has been… let’s just say, “collecting life” for quite some time. (scroll down for the full video)

*how I’d love my space to look

So I sat down (iced coffee in hand) and decided it was time to dig in. Literally. If you’ve ever had a crafting corner or a cozy nook that gradually grows into a black hole of projects, odds and ends, and mystery items — you’ll understand. Today’s mission: declutter the basket.

Treasures, Tools & Thrift Box Tales

The first thing I pulled out was a lovely little bag I picked up at a church sale. Inside? All my short needles — the perfect sizes for socks and mittens. I’ve decided that anything belonging in that bag is going right back in, including a couple of needle sets. (Side note: nitpick shorties — not my thing!)

Then out came a purple pouch filled with crochet hooks, loom hooks, and some needles that honestly baffle me. There’s even a handy little guidebook, which I’ve left open to the first page… just in case.

A skein of yarn dyed with acorns was next. It already has a home, so off it goes. One lonely wooden needle that snags yarn? Off to the thrift box. (Goodbye and thank you.)

I even found a book I’m reading — How to Be a Craftivist — still in the basket. It’s going back in, along with some fiber that’s destined for spinning. Little tufts of leftover fiber went into my bits-and-pieces jar. Those tiny leftovers are great for my modular knitting projects, and they always make me smile.

Nick made me a beautiful homemade niddy noddy, and that’s a keeper. Into the basket it goes. I found pieces of another one too, so those are staying as well. Oh! And a sweet little note from a fiber gift — that’s being tucked in with its corresponding wool.

Yarn, Cords, and Questions

Bits and bobs of sock yarn turned up — those went into their designated bags (yes, I have a few). A random blue chunky yarn? Not my vibe anymore. Thrift store pile. A cracked old Zing needle? Tossed. And I found an ornament I thought might be a spindle in disguise… we’ll see.

Circular needles, cords for electronic gadgets of mysterious origin, a sock gauge ruler, and a pile of “maybe someday” things… all sorted, tested, and either re-homed or released.

I even rediscovered a one-row scarf knit in hand-dyed Lincoln wool. That’s officially a project again — spring seems like the perfect time to pick it back up.

The Deep End

As I neared the bottom of the basket, the real forgotten bits started appearing — tiny scraps of yarn, a lone slipper (I don’t enjoy making them — thank goodness for friends who do!), a defunct mini music player accessory, and a fabric basket that was literally falling apart. Into the garbage it all went.

And then I found it — an old pillowcase. I’ve had it for years. It never quite felt right for sleeping, but it’s perfect for fiber storage. So I tucked it inside my newly cleared basket, turned it into a soft liner, and started filling it back up: needles, niddy noddies, books, current projects, and a few well-loved tools.

The Reward

By the end, my basket was organized, intentional, and calm. I can see what I have, access what I need, and enjoy this cozy corner again. It’s amazing how something as simple as decluttering a basket can clear your mind and make space for inspiration to flow.

It’s funny — this basket has been beside me since we moved here in 2021, and yet I hadn’t reached the bottom until now. Sometimes it takes a moment (or three years!) to make space, but once you do… oh, what a difference it makes.

Life Lately

As I sipped the last of my (unsweetened!) iced coffee, I started mixing up a homemade electrolyte drink — pineapple juice, coconut water, a pinch of salt, and a bit of cream of tartar. Hydration, here I come.

I’m also realizing my clothes are all hanging off me now, so a wardrobe declutter may be next on the list. When nothing fits quite right, it’s hard to feel grounded — even in your own home.

And yes, for those who are kindly concerned — I am looking into dental work, probably this summer when I can properly heal. It’s a big thing for me, and your prayers and support mean the world.

Looking Ahead

Lent may officially end on Palm Sunday, but I’ll be continuing my Lenten knitting project through Good Friday. I’ll be writing a blog post on that project (and the reflections that came with it) soon after Easter.

In the meantime, I’ll be:

  • Carding wool
  • Spindle spinning
  • Plying yarn
  • Knitting socks, mittens, and a Lenten blanket

I like having a few projects on the go — the variation keeps me grounded and engaged.

Thank you for keeping me company during this decluttering journey. If you’re staring at your own version of “the basket,” maybe this is your sign to dig in, sort it out, and breathe a little easier.

With love, yarn, and the promise of a tidy corner,

Doll

Project for Lent — April 4, 2025

Project for Lent

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This is not a transcript but some additional thoughts:

In this video I share a bit of a tutorial as I knit the 10 row blanket – adding in a new colour/section.

What does this project mean to me? While I knit, I meditate. I meditate on the day, the weekly scripture. I pray for my family, friends, and community.

With so much chaos in our world today a few moments of relaxation, stillness, and prayer is just what the Doctor would order – if I had a GP that is.

Watch the recording of Facebook live:

I think I chose a especially a modular one, because it’s only 10 stitches and it’s something I can work on every day.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ten-stitch-blanket (free on Ravelry)

While working on this blanket, I’m not finding specific emotions connected with it, possibly joy. It’s very calming to work on it. I don’t have stress or anxiety about needing to get it done or moving forward with it. It’s just coming together.

The colors I use are coming from bits and pieces that I have had spindle spun over the last few months that are in jars. And when I choose a color, the only thing I’m looking at is that it’s not the same as what is the row before. So it needs to be contrasting or complementary, but not the same. But I’m not creating a specific color pattern as I go.

Working on a modular design means I don’t have to worry about getting through, like, 200 stitches in a day or in an hour or whatever. Ten ten stitches and then 10 stitches back, so 20 stitches. It it isn’t very much. And I try to work on whatever little ball of yarn I have. I try to finish that color when I sit. But it’s not time it doesn’t hold me up whether or not I have enough time to do it. It’s the time I have intentionally decided to pick it up.

In the last week of working on this blanket, I realized that there is a message to be found here about diversity, about differences, and how things can all mesh together, that we’re all interwoven. So I believe there’s a sermon in there.

So do my colors reflect my personal journey? I don’t believe so. I’m drawn to purple, blues, pinks, but the bulk of the blanket are more neutral earth tones. So I’m not sure color plays into the emotion for me.

So the colors I choose might reflect my day. Or if I’m tired of working on neutral tones, maybe I want a splash of color in there to brighten things up. Or maybe the day’s dark because it’s raining and cloudy and foggy. And so I need something in purples or pinks, gold or yellow to lift my spirit.

I think the modular design connects with my personal journey in that small changes are helpful, that although it’s been a long road in life to get to where I am, there have been bits and pieces of my life that have come together in beautiful ways and helped me to move forward in much the same way as this blanket does, in much the same way as my faith does.

May you continue to find blessings as you walk through Lent to the celebration of Resurrection Day!

Pastor Barb aka Doll

What’s in your tool kit? — March 24, 2025

What’s in your tool kit?

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Finding Calm: How Spinning & Knitting Help My Anxiety

When life feels overwhelming, I reach for my fiber. The rhythm, the movement, the texture—these are the things that bring me back to myself. Spinning and knitting have become more than just hobbies for me; they are lifelines, gentle anchors that steady me when my thoughts start to spiral.

I can always tell when my anxiety is creeping in. It starts with staying up too late, doom-scrolling through news headlines, or lying in bed as my mind races through worries—especially about my family. My heart beats faster, and suddenly, the world feels a little too big, a little too out of control. I need something steady to hold onto.

That’s when I sit down at my spinning wheel. I place my foot on the treadle, letting the motion slow my thoughts. My hands draft the fibre, watching as it twists into yarn, transforming from something loose and chaotic into something whole. Also picking up my spindle and a small amount of floof works well. It’s a small act of control in a world that often feels uncontrollable. The wheel hums, the fibre moves through my fingers, and with each turn, I feel a little more grounded.

Knitting offers me the same comfort. The repetitive motion of each stitch feels like breathing—it moves in, it moves out. I don’t have to think too hard; I just follow the rhythm, letting my hands lead the way. Each row is a prayer, each stitch a step toward calm. There’s something about soft wool, warm colors, and familiar patterns that soothes me when words fail.

Over time, I’ve learned that my anxiety doesn’t just disappear, but I can meet it with tools—tools that bring me back to the present, that remind me I’m okay. A spindle, a pair of needles, a skein of wool. Simple things, but powerful in their quiet way.

Anxiety still comes, but now I know I’m not powerless against it. I have my fiber. I have my stitches. I have my breath and I have my faith.

What helps you find calm when life feels overwhelming? Maybe it’s fibre, or maybe it’s something else. But I think we all need a thread to hold onto.

Till next time,

Doll

Light Cherry Sock Yarn — March 16, 2025
Lilac colourway sock yarn — March 15, 2025
Rocking Chair Knit & Chat | 100-Mile Life & Lent Knitting — March 10, 2025

Rocking Chair Knit & Chat | 100-Mile Life & Lent Knitting

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Have you ever wondered what I do when I’m not sitting in the rocking chair? Stay tuned! Sometimes I’m in the furnace room, carding wool. Other times, I’m at the spinning wheel, spinning wool. I spend time at the kitchen table doing my journals, and sometimes, I just settle in with a good book.

Hi friends! This is Doll from DollCanCreate, and I’m so glad you popped in today while we have our rocking chair knit and chat. I normally do this at the end of the week, but life got busy, and I fell a couple of days behind. But I know you understand that all too well! So here I am, rocking away with my beautiful purple prayer shawl—a special gift from 2013 that still brings me comfort, especially now, during Lent.

Grab your favorite beverage! Mine is almost gone, and yes, it’s coffee—of course, of course! I’m sipping it from my beautiful cup featuring Maxine Noel’s Indigenous woman design. Let’s chat about my 100 Mile Life adventure, what’s working, what’s not, and where we’re at now. It’s so easy to forget and pick up something from the store that doesn’t quite fit the 100-mile radius goal. That’s part of what we’ll talk about, along with my works in progress, some spinning, and spindling.

Lenten Knitting and Works in Progress

We are in Lent—day five, I think! I’ve been working on my blanket, praying and meditating as I knit. It’s a simple ten-row pattern, and I placed a red heart in the middle, much like a log cabin design. I’m using bits and pieces from my jar, and as it empties, I have more yarn ready to go. There’s even a bit of gold in there waiting for its turn.

I believe I linked the pattern on my blog and in my last YouTube video. Speaking of which, I’ll try to add the last video about the blanket for reference. Many of these yarns I spun myself—some merino, some local wool. That’s where I’m focusing my efforts, sourcing local fibers.

I’m also working on my first sock for March! The pattern is Heel Toe Do Si Do by the Crazy Sock Lady. It’s such an easy, enjoyable knit. I opted for a long leg with a one-by-one twisted rib. I just finished the heel and am working on the gusset now. The colorway is dyed using food coloring, giving it beautiful shading. My goal is to finish these by the end of March.

Spinning Adventures

I’m spinning a lovely brown fiber gifted to me by my Elfster partner in Germany. There’s quite a bit left to 1go, and I haven’t decided what I’ll make with it yet—maybe a hat? Maybe something else? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I’m using a 3D-printed spindle with a Celtic design, one of my favorites. I bought it years ago from a shop in Kitchener, which has since moved. I miss that store! But I love my spindles and always seem to be on the lookout for new ones.

In the dye bath right now, I have sock yarn taking on a beautiful purple hue using Wilton’s Violet. This dye splits into shades of blue, pink, and purple—my absolute favorite! Once it’s ready, it will be available in my shop. Other colorways include Sunrise, Peacock, Copper, and Dusty Rose. No black or yellow at the moment, but that could change!

I’m also carding local wool and may naturally dye it once I have 100–200 grams ready. I have an acorn dye bath left, or I might try pine needles or even the lone walnut the squirrel abandoned in my driveway. Who knows what I’ll come up with?

The 100 Mile Life Update

So, what’s working? I found a produce delivery company sourcing Canadian-grown vegetables, likely from the New Market area. The box was good, though I’d love to know exactly where each item comes from. I did sneak in four bananas from Costa Rica—I still want bananas in my life!

The big news? We joined Summit Dairy! It’s out past Dundas, and as of Thursday, we’ll get milk and cream delivered weekly. Their dairy is high quality, coming directly from their herd, and delivered in glass bottles with a deposit system. I’ll set the cooler out Wednesday night for the early morning delivery. I go through about a liter of cream a week, plus milk and their delicious chocolate milk as a treat.

Meat sourcing is a work in progress. I bought Canadian meat from Walmart but need to find out where exactly it’s sourced. I plan to visit Denninger’s for local meat and their incredible liverwurst. Other options include meat processors within the 100-mile radius.

Flour was another challenge. I bought no-name flour but couldn’t confirm the exact source. Moving forward, I’ll return to Arva Flour Mills. Their flour is fantastic, and I may order in bulk to make delivery worthwhile.

Garden Dreams and Final Thoughts

As I plan my tiny garden, I’m considering shade-friendly plants. Last year’s cucumbers did well, and I might try potatoes again with better trimming. Tomatoes are unlikely due to lack of sun, but radishes and peas can go in early, which is exciting! Friends have a garden and grew zucchini and beets for me last year—maybe I can work with them again this season.

So, that’s my check-in! The 100 Mile Life is on track, more or less. The key is remembering that I don’t need to order flour and coffee from big-box stores when I have local options. Every small choice makes a difference.

If you have any questions about the 100 Mile Life, knitting, spinning, or my dyed yarns, let me know! I’d love to hear from you. Whatever you do, I hope it brings you joy and allows you to bless others.

This is Doll from DollCanCreate. You can too! Until next time, friends—bye for now!

  1. gif found on Pintrest ↩︎