Monthly Archives: January 2024

Changes in 2024

My dear kittens: like a lot of us, I have been pulling back from social media the last four years and trying to decide where and how I want to share what I’ve been up to—if I want to share at all. And I think I’ve decided I would like to revive this blog and write long form more often; kick it back to 2008 before IG inspired us all to microblog on their social media app… before Meta came in, gutted it, and turned it into a capitalistic advertising hellscape, shredding the communities we had built there and leaving a lot of us adrift.

My hope is that in this coming year, I will finally be able to finish the blog/site “rebrand” I had started before I was diagnosed with cancer in March 2023, finally making this Cozy Cryptid Crafts instead Knit Cute with the wrong name on it. As time has changed, so have I, and the old name doesn’t really fit anymore. It’s time for a change.

So what will I use this space for? Well, there will still be some old standbys—monthly yardage tallies for what I knit up, and I will still stash track, but it will be bi-annual now instead of three times a year or quarterly—as well as I’d like to revive posts with images, sharing what I’ve finished and maybe even discussing what I’m currently working on. Since I consider journaling/planning craft-adjacent, I may throw in some posts about that too. Everyone likes photos and looking at what other people are up to, right? It’s what made Flickr and IG so great in the beginning. When I do happen to record vlogs, I will likely post those here too, for anyone interested in hearing me talk about crafts rather than write about them. I’m not promising a lot of content or even consistent postings, but I will still be around in this space. As I start to feel more human after my treatments, I will hopefully find more energy to put into writing and making in general.

So. Thank you to anyone who has stuck with me over the years and still takes an interest in what I’m up to. I’m hoping 2024 will be full of better things for all of us, and I hope to see you all more in this coming year.

All the best,
Manda

January 2024: Wrap-Up

Yardage Totals 2024:

January: 988
February:
March:
April:
May:
June:
July:
August:
September:
October:
November:
December:

2024 Totals: 988 yds or 0.56 miles

And here comes 2024. I know most people have been complaining that January is the longest month to have ever monthed, but here at Chez Manda, January passed pretty quickly. And a good amount of knitting happened during that time.

I finished the Boxy sweater I made for my daughter—a project that took four months of active labor to finish—starting off the month with a stash win and some good crafting feelings. I’m very happy with how it turned out, and it felt so nice to see some of my old shop overstock used and made for the person whose love of cartoons inspired the colorway utilized.

Once I finished the sweater, I started what will be another long term project for this year: the first of (hopefully) two modular ten stitch blankets for family members. The first is well on its way, having used just over a skein of sock yarn so far, making a decent dent in the project.

In 2024, my only yarny goal is to knit something every month—the same goal I’ve had for all of the 2020s so far. YES. Goal achieved.

So. What about you, kitten? Do you have any crafty plans or goals for this coming year? Or have you given up on those and gone into feral crafter mode? Have you started any new projects for 2024?

Take care of yourselves and each other,

XO,
Manda

Stash Track 2023: T3 + Wrap Up

2023 Stash Tracking

T1:
Fiber in: 0.0 oz
Fiber out: 0.0 oz
Ratio out/in: neutral
Total fiber stash change: 0.0 oz

Yarn in: 4,811 yds
Yarn out: 10,181 yds
Ratio out/in: 2.12
Total yarn stash change: -5,370 yds

T2:
Fiber in: 0 oz
Fiber out: 0 oz
Ratio out/in: neutral
Total fiber stash change: 0 oz

Yarn in: 28,954 yds
Yarn out: 1,934 yds
Ratio out/in: 0.07
Total yarn stash change: +27,020 yds

T3:
Fiber in: 14.0 oz
Fiber out: 0.0 oz
Ratio out/in: -14.0
Total fiber stash change: +14.0 oz

Yarn in: 26,116 yds
Yarn out: 11,741 yds
Ratio out/in: 0.45
Total yarn stash change: +14,375 yds

2023 Totals:
Fiber in: 14.0 oz
Fiber out: 0.0 oz
Ratio out/in: -14.0
Total fiber stash change: +14.0 oz

Yarn in: 59,881 yds
Yarn out: 23,856 yds
Ratio out/in: 0.40
Total yarn stash change: +36,025 yds

Well, that’s a wrap, and the numbers speak for themselves. I did some stashing this year with not as much making because I was down and sick for most of it.

I’m currently deciding if I want to keep tracking in the new year or not. You’ll know when I do.

What about you? How did your 2023 go? Do you have any plans for 2024?

Stay safe, keep wearing your masks and cleaning your hands, hydrate, and take care of yourselves.

XO,
Manda

December 2023: Wrap-Up

Yardage Totals 2023:

January: 530

February: 293

March: 1087

April: 1102

May: 236

June: 1323

July: 144

August: 231

September: 0

October: 736

November: 454

December: 125

2023 Totals: 6,261 yds or 3.56 miles

And that wraps December. And 2024.

Pick at the Boxy sweater, I did—at the beginning of the month, I knit a bit and then was stalled while having to take a simple measurement to see if I could move onto the next set of instructions for it. I had hoped I would finish it this month, but it wasn’t in the cards for me. I’m a creature of Moods these days, and if I’m not feeling it, I don’t make myself do it. So. The sweater will continue into 2024 and hopefully I’ll knit the last few bits for an early in the year FO.

In 2023, my only yarny goal is to knit something every month. Ehhhh. Yes.

So. What about you, kitten? What have you been working? Do you have any exciting makes in your future? Are you in a more quiet phase where you aren’t doing yarny things as much?

Take care of yourselves and each other,

XO,
Manda