The Make Nine Edit: My Crafting Plans for 2026
This year, I’m hoping to take on my crafting hobby with a bit more organization. Nothing too strict, per se, but I do find myself mulling over a ton of options before beginning projects and spinning my wheels quite a bit. I can hear my friends and family laughing – as they seem to think I move on to projects with breakneck speed (to be fair, I kinda do) but there is a LOT of unseen mental juggling going on before I begin any given project. To combat a bit of that hamster wheel feeling, I’ve decided to prescribe myself a “Make Nine Challenge” for 2026.
Make Nine has been around on the internet for quite some time, seeming to originate with this instagram account back in 2015. Since then it’s become pretty ubiquitous in the online crafting community. The idea is simple. Pick 9 projects you would like to complete that year, and then do your best to complete them. A crafty resolution of sorts.
While I find that I generally prefer not to be tied down creatively, the concept of Make Nine feels inspiring to me. If at any moment I feel a “what do I make next?” coming on, I can simply take a glance at the collage above. Oh yeah, it’s those things I said I wanted to make! For many crafters, I can imagine Make Nine could also help prevent impulse purchases, as setting a focus on specific projects makes that aimless run to the craft store a little less appealing. Can’t be mad at that!
To give myself a little wiggle room this year, I took care to focus on the techniques and styles I’d like to work with, rather than proclaiming that I must make a certain pattern for all 9 projects. I like this approach, because it allows for flights of fancy, something I am very fond of!
Now for the projects on my 2026 Make Nine list… let’s discuss!
Tweed Cardigan
This year I’m hoping to knit my first ever cardigan, and I’m planning to use a unique blend of yarns that I’ve found here and there. This idea started with a cone of a brownish tweed wool paired with tan mohair, but I soon realized the combination was on the dull side and looked like dryer lint to me. To jazz it up, I decided to add in a strand of Rico Creative Make it Tweed and another strand of speckled mohair to punch the color up a bit! The result will hopefully be something really cool, kind of funky, and definitely 100% one of a kind! For the pattern, I’ll likely be using the Step by Step Cardigan by Florence Miller.
Stella Quilt Cushion
I’ve wanted to knit a pillow cover for a while now, and quilt motifs have really been speaking to me lately! The Stella Quilt Cushion by Laura Penrose is a great project for stash busting, and I can’t wait to use some of the yarn that I’ve dyed myself. This is one of the items I’m most excited to cast on as soon as possible, so look out for it soon!
A Silk Blouse
For over a year now I’ve been holding onto some silk yarn in a beautiful rose color, and it’s taken me so long to decide what to use it on! I’m hoping to make a silk blouse, the pattern is still yet to be decided, but I’m excited to knit something that I can wear in warmer weather!
Cables, Cables, and More Cables
In 2025 I did my first ever project with cables, the Twist It Beanie by Kutovakika, and now I’m hooked! I want to make qute a few more projects featuring cables, and maybe something a little more intricate than my first beanie. With stipulations of using stash yarn, my plan is to leave this one open for inspiration to strike!
Something Felted
Homemade felted slippers were EVERYWHERE this past holiday season, and for good reason, they’re so stinkin’ cute! The idea of felting has always intrigued me, and I think it would be so fun to knit something big and then shrink it in the dryer! There are so many options out there, but I’m considering making a little basket or two and possibly some Christmas stockings!
Intarsia Colorwork
If you were to ask me to define or explain intarsia colorwork, I’m not sure that I could. I just know I haven’t done it before, and that’s why I want to learn! The Bloom Coaster by Margaret is a small project with good ratings, so that seems like a great place to start!
As Many Socks As Possible
My sock yarn stash is pretty hefty at the moment and I’d like to whittle it down as much as I can this year. That means always having a pair of socks on my needles, which isn’t such a bad thing! I am a bit burnt out on sock knitting at the moment since I made a pair for each of my bridesmaids ahead of my wedding last November (my wrist still hasn’t fully recovered, oops!) but I do still enjoy making them! Now that I’m finished with those 10 identical blue socks, I can get creative and do some funky color combinations! Out of all the socks I’ve made, I only have two boring pairs for myself! It’s like that old saying “the cobbler’s children have no shoes”… in this case, the knitter’s feet have no socks!
Ooey Gooey Cowl
The Ooey Gooey Cowl by Andrea Mowry is something I’ve wanted to make for a while. It has a fun variety of texture and color, and I’m excited to step out of my comfort zone a little and make something really fun! I’m thinking this will likely be my first stranded colorwork project, but I still need to find the perfect yarn for it! I could dye my own, but I will likely go with something like Spincycle yarns because they use a multicolored twist technique that I can’t achieve at home without learning to spin my own yarn!
Cardigan Buddy Knit
This year I’m hoping to knit the Minou Cardigan along with my friend Sabrina. She lives in Germany and I’m in the US, and knitting is one of the things that keeps us in touch since we don’t get to see each other as much as we would like. Last year we paired up to knit the Stripe Hype Sweater together and we got to wear them when she was in town for my wedding in November! This year we’re doing a cabled cardigan, and I’m so excited to get started! Plus, it means we need to make travel plans to see each other when we’re done!
What are you planning to make this year?
Let me know in the comments!
photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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