• 2026 - Blanket - Cats - Crochet - Garment - Knitting - Socks - Sweater

    March 2026 Projects Update

    March 2, 2026 - By 

    It’s hard to believe it’s already March and I haven’t posted a finished project for 2026. I have been crocheting and knitting a lot this year, I just haven’t completed anything yet!

    I started off the year working on a crochet along with Attic24, the Wildshore Blanket CAL. The CAL takes about 2 months, with the border being released last Friday I should have finished it this past weekend, but I’m just not sure if I’m going to follow the border pattern, or pick something else. It’s the look of the final row that has me uncertain.

    I also started a raglan sweater for myself, that I have knit and frogged multiple times. I received the yarn and pattern as a Christmas gift and I started off knitting it from that, but it was a raglan sweater knit bottom up in pieces and I got frustrated with it. I thought I should switch to a top down raglan knit in once piece that I could try on as I went. Which sounded like a good plan, but then when I finished it, it ended up too big in circumference. When I told James about the latest fitting he said “you always seem to knit your sweaters a few times” I replied, “because I’m not good at it!” LOL I have the techniques down, but I really seem to struggle with garment sizing. So it’s in a time out right now while I think about how I want to fix it.

    I also started a loosey goosey sock knitalong with my friend Terri, I was meant to knit one pair of socks per month throughout the year. I started a pair in January but lost interest in the pattern and frogged it. So no January socks. I started a different pair in February, did I finish them? Also no. I am knitting them two at a time and have managed to knit the legs, do the heel turns and gusset decreases, so I think I am in the home stretch. But then I have to think of March socks…

    You’ll notice that the cats have been spending a lot of time near me as I work. Trixie is very good about leaving my yarn alone, but Miss Marple is a very naughty knitty kitty, she’s always keeping an eye on the yarn and trying to eat it, so that has contributed a bit to my slowness. Hopefully I’ll be adding a flurry of completed project posts in the next few weeks. 😉

    With that thought in mind, I have a couple changes to the blog for this year. I think I’m going to get back to the chatty blog posts I used to write, this past year of only adding projects hasn’t been as creative for me. So fair warning. I’ve also added a “spotlight” page you can access from the top menu, I’ll add photos I particularly like there. I also thought about changing the blog theme and appearance, I even purchased a new “pro” theme but I can’t get it to work the way I want. I need to learn more about working with it, maybe that will be a 2027 update.

  • 2025 - Cats - Knitting - Socks

    2025-30 Fang Socks

    January 9, 2026 - By 

    When I saw this pattern the first person I thought of making them for was my daughter Keely, who has a blank cat named Fang. The pattern uses a grey yarn for the cat, but black is in perfect contrast to the green.

    Pattern: Cat-astrophe from Biscotte Yarns

    Craft: knitting

    Made for: Keely

    Size: one size

    Needle: 2.5mm and 3 mm

    Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll – black, Sea Turtle Fiber Arts Ridley Sock – Meadow

    Notes: Turkish cast on, then knit one more round. Made shorties because I only had 50 grams of black.

  • 2025 - Knitting - Socks

    2025-21 & 22 Basic 64 Stitch Socks

    January 9, 2026 - By 

    I made two pairs of basic socks to keep my hands busy. The purple ones I added to my gifting box, the second pair I forgot to take a photo of before giving them to someone (I can’t remember), but they used up the yarn left over from a previous project. https://micheleleigh.ca/2025-10-11-socks-for-e-j/

    21 Basic 64 Stitch Sock

    Pattern: nothing specific

    Made for: ?

    Craft: knit

    Size 64 sts

    Needle: 2.5mm

    Yarn: Patons Kroy Sock Effects

    Notes: cast on 64 sts, worked 1×1 rib for 1 ¼” then knit stockinette stitch until leg is 6” long. Heel flap is garter edged eye of partridge as in Hermione’s Everyday Sock pattern. Knit foot until 7” ending after finishing sole stitches.

    22 Basic 64 Stitch Sock

    Pattern: 2×2 rib

    Made for: I forget

    Craft: knit

    Size 64 sts

    Needle: 2.25mm

    Yarn: Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Weight

    Colourway: Indigo

    Notes: Used the heel flap pattern from Hermione’s Every Day Socks.

  • 2025 - Hat - Knitting

    2025-25 Moose Cap

    January 8, 2026 - By 

    I made this hat in grey’s for my son Rowan a few years ago. When I shared a photo with my friend Terri, she asked me if I could make one for her husband for Christmas, I had enjoyed knitting it and I had the yarn in my stash so I said sure. This one is made in brown’s.

    Pattern: Moose Cap from Saltwater Classics book

    Made for: Terri

    Craft: knitting

    Needle: 3.5, 4.5, 5mm DPNs, 16” 5mm circ

    Yarn: Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted

    Colour: Natural Mix, Chestnut Brown, Aran

    Notes: use 5mm for colourwork portion.

  • 2025 - Hat - Knitting

    2025-24 Where’s Waldo Toques

    January 8, 2026 - By 

    My husbands co-workers decided on a Where’s Waldo theme for their office Halloween, I got recruited to knit hats. Five in total, took a week. Definitely a last minute project.

    Pattern: Last Minute Waldo by Robyn Wade

    Made for: James & coworkers 

    Craft: knitting

    Size: One size

    Needle: 5.5 mm

    Yarn: Loops & Threads Impeccable (White)

    Loops & Threads Colour Crafter (White)

    Loops & Threads Soft Classic (Red)

    Notes: use yarn doubled. 

    Used 63 gms of white and 36 gms of red per hat.

  • 2025 - Knitting - Socks

    2025-20 Scrap Yarn Socks

    January 6, 2026 - By 

    Amy is my youngest sons girlfriend, who also happens to be one of my daughters best friends, we LOVE her! I thought it was time to make her a pair of socks, she is a big crafter, she quilts and makes wonderful articles of clothing with reclaimed fabric, so these scrap yarn socks seemed like the perfect fit for her. She loves them!

    20 Scrap Yarn Socks

    Pattern: from Leftover Sock Yarn Socks — Knitting Squirrel

    Made for: Amy

    Craft: knit

    Size: 64 stitches

    Needle: 2.25 mm

    Yarn: 10-15 colours of about 10 grams each of scrap yarn.

    Notes: First stripe is cast on plus 3. Then 5 stripes of each colour.

    I followed the advice in the pattern to weave my ends in as I went, because there were so many of them! To do this, I wove in the tail of the yarn of the previous section on the first round, then the tail end of the yarn of the current section on the second round. I wanted to make it feel a bit less bulky. I also followed the advice to do a jogless join, I used this method – How to do the Jogless Jog — Knitting Squirrel 

    15 stripes for leg.

    Work 32 rows for heel flap to end with 18 sts after heel turn.

    Pick up and knit 16 stitches plus one more in the gap for each side of gusset. Knit into the back loop for 2nd side of gusset. 

  • 2025 - Baby Blanket - Blanket - Knitting

    2025-18 Archie Baby Blanket

    January 1, 2026 - By 

    James asked for a baby gift for his friend whose son was born in August. I really liked the feel of this Caron Cotton Cake, it knit up really nicely, and feels very cozy. He won’t be seeing Merwin until February, so I hope they love it!

    18 Archie Baby Blanket 

    Pattern: Archie Baby Blanket – Free Knitting Pattern & Video Tutorial! – Snufflebean Yarn 

    Made for: James friend Merwins baby

    Craft: knit

    Size: 30 x 32”

    Needle: 4mm

    Yarn: Caron Cotton Cake

    Colourway: Beachwalk

    Notes: Cast on 151 sts. Used 1 ⅔ cakes of yarn.

  • 2025 - Cardigan - Garment - Knitting - Vest

    2025-15 & 16 Good Grandpa Cardigan + Vest

    January 1, 2026 - By 

    I saw this cardigan knit by Madeline from Fruity Knitting and immediately thought it would be amazing for my daughter. You can see it here in Episode 148 of their vlog. Even the colour she used was perfect. I found something similar at Wool Warehouse, the King Cole Chunky Tweed in the colour Benecula, it’s an acrylic and wool blend, with a lovely tweed.

    Keely picked out the buttons from a shop on Etsy, Red Poppy Crafting out of Nanaimo BC. They look great with this yarn! She loves the cardigan and wears it all the time.

    Pattern: Good Grandpa Cardigan by Caidree

    Made for: Keely 

    Craft: knitting

    Size: Large

    Needle: 5mm, 4mm, 3.5mm

    Yarn:  King Cole Chunky Tweed

    Colourway:  Benecula

    Notes: used 6.3 balls, went down two needle sizes from pattern throughout. 

    With the leftover yarn I made a vest for my BFF’s daughter, who reluctantly modelled it for aunt Michele to take a photo. I know, I’m a trial *sigh* I do love making things for the girls though!

    16 Vest for Catie

    Pattern: See My Vest Chunky by Emily from Maker Maker

    Made for: Catie

    Craft: knitting

    Size: Small

    Needle: 6mm, 5mm

    Yarn:  King Cole Chunky Tweed

    Colourway:  Benecula

    Notes: Making a vest for Catie with the yarn leftover from Keely’s cardigan. The pattern is an adult size made with 7mm needles and chunky yarn. But I am using tighter gauge with 6mm needles. 14 sts and 20 rows to 10 cm. Catie would like it 19” (48 cm) long from her shoulder. Use split hem, slip first stitch on each row. Cast in off all ribbing with sewn tubular bind off.

  • 2025 - Baby Blanket - Blanket - Cardigan - Crochet - Garment - Hat - Knitting

    2025-12 & 13 Gifts for a New Baby in the Family

    August 29, 2025 - By 

    We have a new baby in the family! My cousins became grandparents to a beautiful baby girl named Maevan Jean on April 3rd, so of course I had to make something. I usually go with the standard baby blanket, but I fell in love with the knit Silver Fox Bonnet by Frogginette, then realized there was an adorable cardigan to match. I had ordered enough yarn to make a blanket anyway, so I decided to crochet a Classic Shell Stitch, the cardigan and bonnet only used 1 1/2 balls of the 6 that I ordered, so I had just enough.

    I love the braid effect of the cable pattern on the button band and shoulders of the cardigan, it’s the same cable stitch found in the front panels, it’s just done continuously.

    The yarn is Stylecraft Bambino DK from Wool Warehouse UK, it’s 100% acrylic, so easy care for new parents. The colour is Misty Mallow, which is in the purple family, it has a lovely vintage feel to it. It shows off the cables beautifully, and was very nice to work with. I have 6 balls of the Sage colourway as well, so it will pop up in a future project.

    12 Silverfox Cardigan and Bonnet

    Pattern: Silverfox Cardigan, Silverfox Bonnet by Frogginette

    Size: cardigan – 12 months/bonnet -child

    Craft: knitting

    Made for: cousin’s granddaughter Maevan 

    Needle: 3.5mm and 3 mm

    Yarn: Stylecraft Bambino DK

    Colourway: Misty Mallow

    Notes: cast on sleeves with German long tail

    Used 1 ½ balls (150 grams) for cardigan and bonnet.

    13 Classic Shell Stitch Baby Blanket 

    Pattern: Classic Shell Stitch Baby Blanket from Daisy Farm Crafts

    Size: 31 x 34”

    Craft: crochet

    Made for: cousin’s granddaughter Maevan

    Hook: 4mm

    Yarn: Stylecraft Bambino DK

    Colourway: Misty Mallow

  • 2025 - Knitting - Socks

    2025-10 & 11 Socks for E & J

    July 18, 2025 - By 

    I work with a couple of really great women, who are definitely knitworthy. We also have some pretty great clients, one of whom offered me some sock yarn this tax season because she had been given quite a bit from someone else and couldn’t possibly use it all. Our office colours are turquoise and silver, so of course I asked her for turquoise options if she had any, and she came through! I knit a pair for both Erika and Jeanette after tax season, I still have some yarn left, so into the stash it goes, to be pulled out another day. Maybe I’ll get a pair of sock out of it?

    Cheers to a new project!

    10 Socks for Erika

    Pattern: Petty Harbour by Reyna Curtis

    Craft: knitting

    Made for: Erika

    Needle: 2.25mm

    Yarn: Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Weight

    Colourway: Indigo

    Notes: Foot length 10” 

    Switched out the heel flap pattern for eye of partridge. I used 75 grams of yarn, I was gifted three balls, so I have enough left to make a second pair.

    11 Socks for Jeanette

    Pattern: Simple Skyp Socks by Adrienne Ku

    Size: 72 sts

    Craft: knitting

    Made for: Jeanette

    Needle: 2.25mm

    Yarn: Woll Butt Watzmann 

    Colourway: 82357

    Notes: Foot length 9.25”

    First two rounds of picked up stitches ktbl