Knitting, Crochet and Crafts

Author: amysolovay

  • DIY Thanksgiving Decorations and Project Ideas

    Pumpkin spice candle -- Learn how to make this candle using instructions from Home Candle Making by Stephanie Rose, published by Leisure Arts
    This Pumpkin spice candle is a fantastic project to consider if you’re hoping to find the best DIY Thanksgiving Decorations and Project Ideas. You’ll learn how to make this candle using instructions from Home Candle Making by Stephanie Rose, published by Leisure Arts

    If you’re looking for DIY Thanksgiving decorations, place settings and other ideas for craft projects to make or fun things to do this Thanksgiving, you’re invited to check out this roundup of Thanksgiving crafts. We’ve collected a wide range of ideas for you. Whether you are looking to create Thanksgiving decorations for your table or home, you’ll find plenty of Thanksgiving crafts and hobbies to inspire you.

    Pictured above, these Pumpkin Spice Candles are from the book Home Candle Making by Stephanie Rose, published by Leisure Arts. Wouldn’t these be delightful inclusions on your Thanksgiving table this year?


    If you enjoy crocheting, you’ll definitely want to check the list because it includes a lovely selection of table linens and napkin rings you can crochet to dress up your table for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and every dinner during the entire holiday season.

    We hope you’ll enjoy these Thanksgiving projects. Don’t forget to leave a comment below and let us know what you will be making this year for Thanksgiving!

  • November Crafts: Fall-Friendly Craft Ideas to Work on This Month

    November Garden Journal Pages for Discbound Planners Including Happy Planner, Tul and Arc
    November Garden Journal Pages for Discbound Planners Including Happy Planner, Tul and Arc

    Craft Ideas for the Month of November

    Happy November, creative friends!


    As November unfolds here in the USA, it’s obvious that fall is already well underway — and that winter will be here soon.


    The first day of fall this year was September 23, 2024. If you’re located in the Northern hemisphere, I hope your autumn season got off to a spectacular start — and that you’ve had plenty of time for enjoying fun fall activities like leaf peeping, college football games and tailgate parties.


    What types of craft projects are you interested in working on this November?


    Whether you’re a beginner at crafts, you’ve been working at your favorite craft technique(s) for decades, or you’re somewhere in between those two extremes, in any case, this website is a fantastic place to find fall-friendly craft project ideas you might be interested in working on this month. You’re invited to browse through our pages on the topics of needlecrafts, paper crafts, and other crafts to find patterns, tutorials, and project ideas that interest you.


    If you aren’t sure what, exactly, you want to work on making right now, please keep reading; below, I’ve rounded up a bunch of project ideas and suggestions for November craft ideas you can use this month. If you have other suggestions to add to this list, I invite you to post a comment at the end letting me and the other readers here know about them.


    Fall Craft Ideas

    Crochet Projects for Keeping Warm Despite November’s Chilly Weather

    Want to make yourself a new scarf to wear this fall? Check out these crochet scarf patterns.
    Want to make yourself a new scarf to wear this fall? Check out these crochet scarf patterns. Pictured here is a shell stitch scarf that’s perfect for wearing in fall and winter. If this one isn’t what you want to make right now, you might find an option that’s more to your liking amongst the others.

    If you’ve noticed that the weather’s cooling off in your neighborhood, you might enjoy snuggling up with a warm, cozy crochet project. There are many possibilities including scarves, blankets, fingerless gloves and others.


    Ruffled Fingerless Gloves Pattern by Amy Solovay, Originally Published in the Book Delicate Crochet by Sharon Silverman -- Published by Stackpole Books
    Ruffled Fingerless Gloves Pattern by Amy Solovay, Originally Published in the Book Delicate Crochet by Sharon Silverman; Now Also Available as a Standalone Digital PDF Pattern Download With No Shipping Required!

    November Planner Crafts

    November Planner Layout Featuring Fall Garden Themed Stickers
    November Planner Layout Featuring Fall Garden Themed Stickers

    If you maintain a physical planner, junk journal, scrapbook, or art journal, you might want to decorate your November calendar pages, journal pages or scrapbooking layouts with seasonal stamped images or embellishments. I invite you to check out the following pages for ideas:

    November Happy Planner Dashboard and Monthly Habit Tracker
    November Happy Planner Dashboard and Monthly Habit Tracker

    November Scrapbooking and Journaling Ideas

    Fall Themed 6x8 Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layout With Photo of Utah's Dixie National Forest
    Fall Themed 6×8 Pocket Page Scrapbooking Layout With Photo of Utah’s Dixie National Forest

    You’ll miss out on seeing some of the world’s most inspiring scenery if you sit at home on your couch during the month of November. This is the time of year when the trees are showing off their most splendid color schemes. If you have a park or a hiking trail nearby, you can feast your eyes as you go for a stroll. You’ll want to grab a friend and your phone or camera and take photos of the all the beauty that you encounter along the way.

    If you do that, then you’ll have the most important material you need for making autumn-themed scrapbooking layouts, mini books and art journal pages.


    You’re invited to check out this page of scrapbooking ideas if you’d like to find even more scrapbooking project ideas and inspiration.

    November Holiday Crafts and Celebrations

    Christmas Crafting in November


    Are you planning to make Christmas cards this November? If so, check out these ideas for making Christmas cards. You can make a cute Christmas card with a Santa design similar to the one pictured here, but if this one isn't quite what you had in mind, you'll find many other additional options posted as well.
    Are you planning to make Christmas cards this November? If so, check out these ideas for making Christmas cards. You can make a cute Christmas card with a Santa design similar to the one pictured here, but if this one isn’t quite what you had in mind, you’ll find many other additional options posted as well.

    Christmas will be here before you know it. If you celebrate this holiday, perhaps you have a mile-long list of Christmas card and gift recipients to make things for.


    Winter card making ideas featuring Christmas motifs, themes and sentiments
    Winter card making ideas featuring Christmas motifs, themes and sentiments

    If you hustle, you still have time to make a stack of Christmas cards, or to whip up some unique, one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts for your loved ones before the holiday rush really gets going.

    Veterans Day Crafts

    Veterans Day in the USA falls on Monday, November 11, 2024 this year. This is a day of remembrance; we pay homage to both our living veterans and those who have passed away.


    Although I don’t have a list of craft project ideas specifically for Veteran’s Day, I do have one for Fourth of July – and you could use all the same project ideas to celebrate Veteran’s Day, too.

    November Is Native American Heritage Month

    This November, many people will be gathering to celebrate and learn about Native Americans’ traditions, languages and stories. In particular, the Smithsonian Museums have a calendar of events that you might be interested in attending. Some local public libraries and school libraries also offer Native American Heritage Month events or reading programs that make educational materials and resources available.


    Beyond just learning about Native American history and heritage, there are many ways to show your solidarity with Native American people. One example that has direct relevance to you as a crafter: You can donate handcrafted items or other items to Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation this month (or any month!)


    If you’re a knitter, crocheter, quilter or sewist, November is a particularly fantastic month to keep this organization in mind — because they urgently need warm blankets and clothing to give to people who are inadequately sheltered at Pine Ridge Reservation.


    The weather in the fall and winter months on the reservation is unimaginably harsh. People there freeze to death each winter. So if you’re thinking of donating some of your handcrafted projects to people in need, these peoples’ plight is worth your consideration.


    I donate to them when I am able, and they are exceptionally easy to work with, unlike some organizations that do not want handmade items. I can say from experience that they genuinely want, appreciate, and use the handmade items that are donated to them.

    Thanksgiving Crafts

    If you celebrate Thanksgiving, you might be interested in checking out this list of Thanksgiving craft ideas.

    Find More Fall Craft Ideas to Carry You Through the Month of November and Beyond

    The projects posted above are just a small sampling of the ideas posted on this website. I’ve put together a list of fall crafts that are seasonally appropriate for November crafting in many regions of the Western hemisphere.


    Of course, if you are in Australia, you’re likelier to need spring project ideas right now, so I offer you this list of spring ideas instead.


    For even more ideas, you’re invited to check out our main index of craft project ideas. Happy crafting!!


    If you found this page helpful, I invite you to return to this site often for more craft tutorials, project ideas and inspiration! You can make sure you keep this site on your radar by signing up for my newsletter and community at Substack. .



    Basic subscriptions are free; I send out regular newsletters to let my subscribers know about new craft articles and tutorials as they are posted. I also share details about the craft projects I’m working on, and invite my readers to share their projects, too. So there is no need to feel like it’s just you, crafting all alone at home. I’d love to have you join us! You’re invited!!

    By Amy Solovay

    Please Visit My Ko-Fi Shop HERE to Find My Sample Sale, Destash Sale and Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    Please Visit My Ravelry Store HERE to Find Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    About the Author:

    Amy Solovay
    Amy Solovay

    Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College; she has also earned a separate Associate of Arts degree in textile design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles). She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.


    Amy learned to crochet as a small child, and she still enjoys crocheting all these years later.


    I'm excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you'll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!
    I’m excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! ! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you’ll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!

    As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles.


    Nowadays, Amy uses her textile design and trend forecasting skills to design crochet patterns for free and for sale. If you crochet, you’re invited to make good use of them!


    Thanks for visiting!

  • Winter Card Making: Make Delightful Handmade Cards for the Holidays and Beyond

    Winter is fast approaching! Are you looking forward to winter card making?

    Winter Card Making Ideas: These cards feature a variety of fun winter characters and themes including polar bears, penguins and Santa Claus.
    Winter Card Making Ideas: These cards feature a variety of fun winter characters and themes including polar bears, penguins, foxes, snowmen and Santa Claus.

    I am!


    Actually, I have already begun making cards to send during the winter holiday season this year.

    Winter card making ideas featuring Christmas motifs, themes and sentiments
    Winter card making ideas featuring Christmas motifs, themes and sentiments

    In the Winter season, people typically indulge in baking breads and sweets or having fun with winter sports like sledding, skiing and ice skating.


    At this time of year, we card makers have historically drawn inspiration from a broad variety of sources when we choose which card designs we’ll focus on making:

    • Winter weather and the motifs that relate to it, like snowflakes and snowpeople;
    • Winter activities, like snowball wars and Christmas caroling;
    • Baked goods like gingerbread;
    • Winter-resistant critters like cardinals, penguins, deer / reindeer, and polar bears;
    • And wintry landscapes filled with evergreen trees.

    The Winter holidays also typically provide inspiration for many card makers; we enjoy making cards to celebrate a variety of winter holidays:


    Christmas Card Making Ideas Featuring Cute Craft Supplies by Doodlebug Designs
    Christmas Card Making Ideas Featuring Cute Craft Supplies by Doodlebug Designs

    • Christmas Eve;
    • Christmas Day;
    • Kwanzaa;
    • Hanukkah (sometimes — the date of this holiday changes each year, but it’s technically more typical for Hanukkah to happen in fall than winter);
    • Winter solstice;
    • New Year’s Eve;
    • New Year’s Day;
    • Valentine’s Day;
    • and others. (If I missed your favorite, please comment!)

    Some of winter’s most popular motifs, like candy canes, Christmas trees, poinsettias, reindeer, elves and Santa Claus are associated with these holidays.


    Other winter-friendly motifs such as hearts, snowflakes, evergreen trees, yetis and polar bears can be used for holiday card making projects, but they can also continue to be used for winter card making long after the holidays are over.


    Card makers frequently also use lyrics from Christmas carols and popular Christmas songs as card sentiments.


    If you celebrate Christmas, but you can’t think of a theme for the Christmas cards you want to make, you can come up with bunches of ideas simply by humming your own favorite Christmas tunes. Think “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,” “I’ll be home for Christmas,” “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” and “Angels we have heard on high.” Don’t those song titles spark all kinds of fun card-making ideas and imagery in your imagination?


    If you’re hoping to find project ideas and inspiration for winter card making, you’ll be delighted to find a variety of tutorials and projects for creating your own cards that incorporate festive poinsettias, Santas and evergreen trees, along with polar bears, yetis and 2024’s other trendiest winter-friendly motifs.

    Christmas Cards

    Handmade Slimline Christmas Cards
    Handmade Slimline Christmas Cards

    Christmas cards can be cutesy and playful; they can be casual and homey; or they can be elegant and luxurious. You’ll want to tailor the cards you make and choose a mood or style that best suits the card’s recipients.


    For example, the fun, cutesy Christmas card designs are ideal to give to little kids (or to kids-at-heart; the grownups who collect Beanie Babies or other toys are also good prospective recipients for these types of Christmas cards).


    Santa Claus Cards


    Christmas Card Making Idea Featuring Winter Motifs Like Santa Claus and Snowflakes
    Christmas Card Making Idea Featuring Winter Motifs Like Santa Claus and Snowflakes

    Doodlebug Designs is a manufacturer that makes super cute Christmas-themed craft supplies you’ll want to consider using for your holiday card making efforts. I used Doodlebug’s die cuts from the “Candy Cane Lane” collection and papers from their “Snow Much Fun” collection to make the Santa Claus themed Christmas card pictured above.


    Elegant Candy Cane Themed Christmas Card


    Elegant Candy Cane-Themed Christmas Card Making Idea
    Elegant Candy Cane-Themed Christmas Card Making Idea

    If you’re hoping to make Christmas cards that are over-the-top gorgeous, there are some products that should be on your radar.


    The first product you need to know about is Altenew’s Elegant Swirls stencil, which I used to make the background on the Christmas card pictured above.


    This stencil isn’t specifically a Christmas stencil; it’s actually an everyday design. However, it works really well for making stenciled images to suit any fancy occasion, including but not limited to Christmas.


    You’ll also want to know about Scrapbook.com’s “Pops of Color,” which you can use with your stencils to make sophisticated backgrounds like the one pictured here. I used the Seafoam Pearl-colored pops of color to create the stenciled background for this card design.


    There are bunches of different effects you can get from the Pops of Color; some of them are pearlescent; some of them are glittery; and some of them are glossy. They’re all fantastic!


    Other than that, the card is pretty simple; it just requires some foam tape, some stickers and a few other doodads to complete it. You can find more details about this card design HERE.


    See Also: Candy Cane Crafts

    Festive Poinsettia Cards

    Make Sparkling Christmas Cards Featuring Elegant White Poinsettia Motifs


    Craft Supplies from the Sparkling Christmas Collection by Ciao Bella
    Craft Supplies from the Sparkling Christmas Collection by Ciao Bella

    I purchased Ciao Bella’s “Sparkling Christmas” vellum pad and one of their coordinating “Sparkling Christmas” damask stamp sets with the intention of using them to make Christmas cards.


    I haven’t yet made any of the cards I’m planning with this collection, but I will let you know what I come up with. You’re invited to subscribe to my craft newsletter if you’d like to be updated when I make new projects available in the future!


    In the meanwhile, if you’re hoping to make Christmas cards featuring poinsettia motifs, I highly recommend taking a look at the “Sparkling Christmas” collection. These supplies are exquisite, and there is an entire page in the 6×6 vellum fussy cut paper pack that’s devoted to usable images of lovely white poinsettias with green foliage. I found the entire pack of designs super inspiring – perfect to use for Christmas card making, December Daily layouts or any other Christmas paper crafting activity.


    Poinsettias are one of my favorite winter design themes. Below, I’m sharing more poinsettia-themed cards from winters past, but please be aware that it is now getting hard to find the “Time to Flourish” collection of patterned papers that I used to make these designs. Of course, you can use any patterned papers to make your winter holiday cards — so feel free to adapt these ideas for use with other papers that are now available.

    Holiday Wishes Card Featuring Red Poinsettias


    Holiday Wishes Christmas Card Featuring Patterned Paper by Graphic 45
    Holiday Wishes Christmas Card Featuring Patterned Paper by Graphic 45

    Very Merry Christmas Card Featuring Poinsettia Flowers


    Very Merry Christmas Card Making Idea Featuring Poinsettia Themed Paper by Graphic 45 From the Time to Flourish 8x8 Pad of Patterned Paper.
    Very Merry Christmas Card Making Idea Featuring Poinsettia Themed Paper by Graphic 45 From the Time to Flourish 8×8 Pad of Patterned Paper.

    Red, Green and White “Celebrate the Season” Christmas / Holiday Card


    Celebrate the Season Red, White and Green Christmas Card
    Celebrate the Season Red, White and Green Christmas Card

    This festive slimline card could be a Christmas card if you make it in shades of red, green and white, as pictured.


    However, this card making idea could be a jumping-off point for making cards to celebrate virtually any holiday or occasion.

    >

    For example, some quick color changes could make this a Valentine’s Day card instead of a Christmas card.


    Instead of using green dotted cardstock, a green frame and green paint, you could use pink supplies; then choose a Valentine-friendly sentiment stamp instead of the Christmas greeting I used to make the project sample. With those easy changes, the card would become a suitable Valentine’s Day design.

    General Winter-Themed Cards

    Polar Bear Cards


    Winter Greeting Card Featuring Supplies by Doodlebug Designs: Cute Polar Bear Walking in a Winter Wonderland
    Winter Greeting Card Featuring Supplies by Doodlebug Designs: Cute Polar Bear Walking in a Winter Wonderland

    Valentine Cards

    DIY Valentine's Day Cards You Can Make and Send to Your Loved Ones
    DIY Valentine’s Day Cards You Can Make and Send to Your Loved Ones

    I have a separate page that’s specifically dedicated to the topic of Valentine’s Day card making ideas; I invite you to visit that page for bunches more romantic, lovey-dovey card making ideas.


    The page also includes some card making ideas that aren’t intended to be romantic at all, because there are lots of lonely people out there who aren’t “coupled up.” If your inner circle includes some of those people, and you’re a kindhearted soul who doesn’t want them to feel left out of the Valentine fun, you can send them some love in the form of a handmade card. So, this project idea list includes some fun, friendly Valentine card making ideas that omit all mentions of “undying love” and “happily ever after”.

    So that’s my roundup of winter card making ideas!


    I hope you enjoyed checkout out these winter cards. I hope you found some card making project ideas you can use! Happy crafting!

    If you found this page helpful, I invite you to return to this site often for more craft tutorials, project ideas and inspiration! You can make sure you keep this site on your radar by signing up for my newsletter and community at Substack. .



    Basic subscriptions are free; I send out regular newsletters to let my subscribers know about new craft articles and tutorials as they are posted. I also share details about the craft projects I’m working on, and invite my readers to share their projects, too. So there is no need to feel like it’s just you, crafting all alone at home. I’d love to have you join us! You’re invited!!

    By Amy Solovay

    Please Visit My Ko-Fi Shop HERE to Find My Sample Sale, Destash Sale and Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    Please Visit My Ravelry Store HERE to Find Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    About the Author:

    Amy Solovay
    Amy Solovay

    Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College; she has also earned a separate Associate of Arts degree in textile design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles). She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.


    Amy learned to make cards as a small child, and she still enjoys card making techniques all these years later.


    As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles.


    If you’re interested in reading Amy’s personal blog, she invites you to visit her official website, AmySolovay.com; and, if you’re interested in earning income while spending time crafting, she encourages you to check out Crafterprise.com.

    Over to You:

    Are you making winter cards this year? How many cards have you made so far, and how are they turning out? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

    This page was last updated on 11-8-2024.

  • Christmas Crochet Potholder With Candy Cane Stripes

    Crochet Potholder With Candy  Cane Stripes: Free Crochet Pattern
    Christmas Crochet Potholder With Candy Cane Stripes: Free Crochet Pattern

    Ready to get your Christmas baking and Christmas crafting on? You have plenty of time to crochet some Christmas-y potholders! They make excellent gifts, but they’re also nice to keep on hand — especially if you do a lot of baking during the holiday season.

    These fun potholders are decorated with eye-catching red and white stripes, which remind me of a candy cane. If you change the colors, the design becomes suitable for year-around use.


    You can get the freepotholder pattern here, and you can also check out a couple of additional colorways including a blue and green variegated colorway and a red, white and blue design. The red white and blue version has additional surface crocheted details; surface crochet slip stitch is a technique you can use for easily adding a third color to the design without having to completely redesign the crochet color chart.

    No matter which version of the potholders you decide to try, you’ll need to have an understanding of the single crochet stitch, plus the tapestry crochet technique to do the color changes. People generally think of tapestry crochet as being an intermediate, or maybe even advanced level technique; I personally don’t think it’s that difficult. It does require a bit of patience to master, but once you’ve practiced a bit it’s a piece o’ cake.

    Please note: if this is your first experience with tapestry crochet, I do recommend picking an easier pattern than this one to start with. For example, try this checkerboard chart, which is a better starter pattern with this technique. There’s also a Christmas version of the checkerboard, which you could use for making a Christmas blanket or Christmas pillow if you like.

    If you found this blog post helpful, I invite you to return to this site often for more craft tutorials, project ideas and inspiration! You can make sure you keep this site on your radar by signing up for my newsletter and community at Substack. .



    Basic subscriptions are free; I send out regular newsletters to let my subscribers know about new craft articles and tutorials as they are posted. I also share details about the craft projects I’m working on, and invite my readers to share their projects, too. So there is no need to feel like it’s just you, crafting all alone at home. I’d love to have you join us! You’re invited!!

    By Amy Solovay

    Please Visit My Ko-Fi Shop HERE to Find My Sample Sale, Destash Sale and Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    Please Visit My Ravelry Store HERE to Find Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    About the Author:

    Amy Solovay
    Amy Solovay

    Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College; she has also earned a separate Associate of Arts degree in textile design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles). She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.


    Amy learned to crochet as a small child, and she still enjoys crocheting all these years later.


    I'm excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you'll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!
    I’m excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! ! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you’ll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!

    As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles.


    If you’re interested in reading Amy’s personal blog, she invites you to visit her official website, AmySolovay.com; and, if you’re interested in earning income while spending time crafting, she encourages you to check out Crafterprise.com.

    See Also:

  • Make Christmas Napkin Rings With These Free Crochet Patterns

    If there’s ever a time that you want to set a pretty table, it’s Christmas dinner.


    This is because the table sets the mood for the entire meal. You want it to look amazing for your loved ones, not to mention for the family photos (especially if you’ll be posting them online.)

    There are many possible ways to pretty up your table, and many different elements that could enhance you table settings and make them spectacular.


    A Christmas Place Setting That Includes a Beaded Crochet Napkin Ring, Plus Crocheted Table Linens
    A Christmas Place Setting That Includes a Beaded Crochet Napkin Ring, Plus Crocheted Table Linens

    Of course, if you have a set of fine china or holiday dishes, it’s the ideal time to get them out and put them to use. Christmas is also the ideal occasion for using a pretty tablecloth or table runner. If you own a beautiful vase, it would be lovely to fill it with flowers and create a unique centerpiece.

    And once you’ve done all that, you’d feel pretty silly putting paper towels on the table to use as napkins, wouldn’t you? Of course you would.


    Cloth napkins are admittedly more of a hassle than paper napkins are, but there are 3 excellent reasons you’d want to make the effort:

    1. Cloth napkins look so much prettier and more festive on your holiday table (or everyday table, for that matter).
    2. Cloth napkins are more sustainable and environmentally-friendly than paper napkins are.
    3. Over the long term, you’ll save a bundle by using cloth napkins. Yes, cloth napkins cost more upfront than paper napkins or paper towels do — but over the long term, you’re likely to save a substantial sum by eliminating your long-term expense of paper towels / paper napkins.

    So if you’ve come to the conclusion that you really want to increase your use of cloth napkins, this realization could lead you down a whole new rabbit hole: How do you fold cloth napkins and keep them in place?

    The answer, of course, is that you’ll want to use napkin rings to do that.

    For you DIY types who like to make creative pretties to dress up your home decor, I invite you to consider the following free patterns for crafting your own napkin rings:


  • If you like the idea of making napkin rings, but the ones pictured above aren’t quite what you have in mind for your table, you’re invited to check out this list of 7 ways to make napkin rings. The list includes bunches more ideas, some of which involve craft techniques other than knitting or crocheting.

    More Ideas for Christmas Table Settings

    I wish you a joyous holiday season this year, filled with peace, love, light, creativity and blessings.

    If you found this blog post helpful, I invite you to return to this site often for more posts, craft tutorials, project ideas and inspiration! You can make sure you keep this site on your radar by signing up for my newsletter and community at Substack. .



    Basic subscriptions are free; I send out regular newsletters to let my subscribers know about new craft articles and tutorials as they are posted. I also share details about the craft projects I’m working on, and invite my readers to share their projects, too. So there is no need to feel like it’s just you, crafting all alone at home. I’d love to have you join us! You’re invited!!

    By Amy Solovay

    Please Visit My Ko-Fi Shop HERE to Find My Sample Sale, Destash Sale and Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    Please Visit My Ravelry Store HERE to Find Digital PDF Pattern Downloads for Sale.

    About the Author:

    Amy Solovay
    Amy Solovay

    Amy Solovay is a real, live, human content creator and educator who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Sweet Briar College; she has also earned a separate Associate of Arts degree in textile design from FIDM LA (The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles). She is NOT a robot and does not use artificial intelligence (AI) to write book reviews or articles for this website.


    Amy learned to crochet as a small child, and she still enjoys crocheting all these years later.


    I'm excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you'll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!
    I’m excited about this book, Delicate Crochet by Sharon Hernes Silverman! ! I am super proud of the 2 patterns I contributed to this pattern collection. I hope you’ll check out the fingerless gloves and the beaded necklace I designed for this book. Thanks for taking a look at them!

    As an educator, Amy Solovay used to teach in-person college courses in trend forecasting, marketing and surface design at California Design College in Los Angeles.


    If you’re interested in reading Amy’s personal blog, she invites you to visit her official website, AmySolovay.com; and, if you’re interested in earning income while spending time crafting, she encourages you to check out Crafterprise.com.