Top Eight PieceWork Posts of 2024

The holiday season and end of the year are upon us: a time for family, traditions, and a bit of reflection before diving into a new year. The week between Christmas and New Year’s, what I like to call “Limbo Week,” is my favorite time to spend with my family, celebrate our traditions, and look forward to the year ahead. This past year was a big one for me and my daughters, with one of them graduating from high school, one graduating from college, and me having ankle surgery over the summer.

As I look back on the past year, I also remember the projects and articles we published in PieceWork. My favorites from this year include my Timeless Shawl in the Summer 2024 issue and Judith Copeland’s article about Martha G. Stearns in the Winter 2024 issue.

Readers had their favorite PieceWork projects and articles this year, too! We covered a lot in 2024, including articles on sewing, projects on kumihimo and cabling, and features on those ever-popular Victorians and their knitting. Here is a look back on the gems you, our readers, enjoyed most this year from PieceWork.

Projects

Two favorite projects this year came from our staff.

1) Angela K. Schneider, our project editor, intrigued readers with her Kanzashi flower project.

This lovely fabric Kanzashi flower by Angela K. Schneider is easy to make on the go and makes a lovely embellishment. Photo by Angela K. Schneider

2) Lavon Peters, our managing editor, taught us how to make a folded fabric star ornament that is a delightful and quick gift for the holiday season.

This folded fabric star ornament by Lavon Peters makes a great gift. Photo by Lavon Peters

History

3) PieceWork loves to not only delve into various handcrafts, but also share the history behind those crafts and the times in which they were created. One reader favorite was Knitters of World War I, explaining how knitting hepled support the troops.

Knitting for Daddy. Photograph by Miss Boardman, 1919. Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photography Division

4) Another interesting aspect of knitting history is the development and evolution of the craft. For example, knitting in the round was a hidden gem from this year.

The Magic Loop method, used to make two socks at once on a long circular needle. Knitting sample and items from the collection of the author. Photo by Donald Scott

Pocketbooks

A popular subject in general this year was pocketbooks.

5) For example, readers learned how to sew a pocketbook of their own.

The exterior of Karen W. MacGregor’s Irish-stitch pocketbook. Photo by Joe Coca

6) In addition, we presented the history of pocketbooks and purses crafted by Mary Wright Alsop.

Pocketbook made by Mary Wright Alsop. Middletown, Connecticut, 1814. Silk, Linen, Canvas, Cardboard, 1955.0003.003. Gift of Henry Francis du Pont, Courtesy of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library

Legacy

One hallmark of an enduring craft is its ability to be passed along to the next generation, which keeps our curiousity about the craft alive and ensures that others can learn the skills necessary to pursue it.

7) Both teaching and learning a craft can be difficult tasks, as shared by Linda Ligon about her experience learning to tat as a child.

Linda Ligon's attempts at tatting. Photo by Linda Ligon

8) A slightly easier craft to start with might be learning how to tie Cavandoli bracelets!

The Cavandoli friendship bracelet pattern lines move diagonally, but this technique is often worked horizontally. Photo by Ann Swanson

I hope you enjoyed these offerings from PieceWork this year. We look forward to sharing more exciting articles and projects with you in the future!

Katrina King is the assistant editor of PieceWork and the editorial assistant for Long Thread Media. She is an avid crafter and student of life.