The Very Serious Crafts Podcast · Mollie Johanson and Haley Pierson-Cox

S6E2: Itty Bitty Birthday Dresses, Spooky Sardines, and Cozy Autumn Outfits

·42 min·3 clips

Haley's daughter demands a split-color gingham dress, forcing her to sew a whimsical birthday surprise.

This episode features hosts Molly, Hannah, and Haley discussing their crafting plans for the autumn season. The conversation covers knitting, sewing, quilting, and various seasonal projects, blending personal updates with creative inspiration. Hannah is knitting the Billie T sweater in lightweight merino, planning to add lavender stripes for her upcoming trip to London. Haley mentions a sweater she has been working on for five years and prefers knitting socks for the cooler weather using a recipe from Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's book *Knitting Rules*. Molly is sewing a birthday dress for her six-year-old daughter, combining purple and yellow gingham in a mini Ogden dress pattern. Haley is drawn to the Ghost Party Quilt by Wooly Petals and has previously made a micro version with fused five-eighths inch squares. Hannah is lengthening a Heather blazer into a duster coat and successfully muslined a Zadie jumpsuit in a fig jam linen. Molly is designing haunted house cross-stitch patterns for Caterpillar Cross-Stitch, with one based on Haley's house. Haley plans to transform a Magnolia brand dollhouse into a haunted house using slate from her own roof. Molly also mentions making "not so spooky" felt ornaments and sardine ornaments, considering a Halloween version with skeleton fish. The hosts share anecdotes about backyard wildlife, including a chipmunk named Frank eating strawberries and another eating a handmade cornhole beanbag. A surprising moment occurs when the sound cuts out immediately after discussing a ghost in the studio, adding unintended spooky atmosphere. The idea of turning sardine ornaments into little skeletons with fangs was suggested by a friend, sparking new project inspiration. Haley reveals her house was recently repainted in a light slate green and dark blue after considering many unusual color combinations, including bright pink. The hosts joke about the long timelines of some projects, with one sock unfinished since around 2015 and a dollhouse kit still sitting incomplete. Hannah notes that having a baby changed her body temperature, making lightweight fingering weight sweaters more appealing for layering. The tone is casual, conversational, and warmly supportive, with hosts frequently encouraging each other's projects. The style is lighthearted and relatable, filled with personal anecdotes and tangents about daily life and pets. Listeners who enjoy hearing about realistic, in-progress crafting amidst everyday chaos will appreciate this episode. Those seeking highly structured tutorials or focused deep dives into single techniques might find the conversational detours less engaging.

As heard by us

A warm, funny craft chat that catches autumn as the season starts to turn.

The Very Serious Crafts Podcast lands on that first real stretch of autumn when people start reaching for layers, soft routines, and projects they will almost certainly overcommit to.

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Why you'd press play

Press play for cozy craft talk as autumn begins and spooky season starts to creep in.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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