About Me

My name is Kristin Roach, it’s nice to meet you! I’m 25 and am playing at being a self employed artist and pattern writer. I feel the need for a part time job looming at my front door, and every month I can keep that door shut tight I am thankful!

How did Craft Leftovers get started and where did I learn to knit, crochet, and sew? Well…..

The Long Story: My grandma always let me use her sewing machine to make “creations” and had a huge stock of craft supplies that she let me use when I was growing up. As soon as I went to high school I dropped craft like a bad habit, it wasn’t “cool” enough for me. Being a painter, not a seamstress like my grandma, was my dream. But when my grandma passed away I hoarded her supplies, I felt it was my last connection to her. What to do with it? I hadn’t made anything with “craft” supplies in years. I started to teach myself to sew, then crochet. Knitting always alluded me. Enter Jason, my partner. He taught me to knit and that really got things rolling. I started Craft Leftovers shortly after that, I needed a way to keep mine and my grandma’s stash accountable.

My grandma’s influence on my life lasted long after she passed and continues to this day. Art and craft have combined in my life, just like her life. I graduated with a BFA in Painting this past May. I am still working through my grandma’s stash, but with the help of Craft Leftovers, I am making much headway. My sister says that she knows our Grandma would be of me. I hope so, I think of her all the time, especially when I have a question that I know she would have an answer for!

To Sum Up: The Craft Leftovers project was my answer to the question, “What does one do with all the leftover bits after a project is finished?” I found that every time I made something, I was left with a half of a skein of this, a half of a yard of that. Although I am driven to create, I am not driven to create more waste. I am setting out to write patterns specifically for those leftovers and to encourage everyone I meet to use up their unwanted bits.

Please join my mission not just to de-stash, but also to find fabulous uses for materials others have found to be without purpose.

Patterns or interviews are posted most weeks on Fridays. Project techniques include: sewing, knitting, crochet, and sometimes other things. I interview artists, crafters, and small business owners.

Weekday posts on Monday and Wednesday cover various craft leftovers related topics: contests, artist, crafters, book reviews, tutorials, and things I find online that I love and want to share with you.

Sign up for the mailing list for monthly craft trivia contests with glorious crafty prizes, craft leftovers updates, and more (not sure what the more is, but it’s something I’m sure of it). Mailing list newsletters are sent out once a month if not less often, so don’t worry about your inbox getting bogged down.

Want to send me a random note in the mail? I just got a mailbox, I have fantasies of getting craft leftover related mail, haha.

Questions, Comments, Fun Things :: Mail to:
Craft Leftovers
217 Welch Ave., #101
Ames, IA 50104

Hear Me ramble:
On Craft Sanity
On the CraftyPod

My Other Projects:
Green Prairie Fibers
Kro Postal
My Personal Blog