There are three things you should know about me. Number one: I love making things. All the things. If it can be stitched, kneaded, grown, painted, or otherwise crafted into existence, I want to do it. My enthusiasm is boundless; my success rate...well, let’s just say it varies. Number two: Ivy, loves when I make her things, which is all the encouragement I need to continue my relentless pursuit of creation. Number three: I am obsessed with Only Murders in the Building. Seriously, it’s a problem. But also, it’s not a problem at all because it has inspired my latest project: a Mabel Mora-style granny square sweater for Ivy. And here’s how that’s going.

Now, you may be wondering, "What does a cozy, twisty murder mystery series have to do with crafting?" The answer is: everything. Mabel Mora, played by the effortlessly cool Selena Gomez, wears some of the best sweaters I’ve ever seen. And when I spotted her wearing a granny square sweater, I knew what I had to do. I had to make one. For Ivy. With love. And possibly a little cursing.

Lucky for me, I already had a stack of granny squares that were originally meant to be a blanket. (Here’s a bonus fact about me: I don’t always finish what I start. Shocking, I know.) But look! This time, my chronic project abandonment has worked in my favor! I had a head start! This was destiny! Except that now I had to figure out how to turn these squares into a sweater instead of a half-finished blanket stuffed in a basket.

Step one: Lay out the squares. This should be simple. Just arrange them in a way that makes sense, right? WRONG. Because no matter how I placed them, I was convinced they weren’t quite right. Too many dark squares on one side. Too much color clumping in another. I moved them around for an amount of time I refuse to disclose because it is deeply embarrassing. (It was hours. HOURS.)

Turns out, I resorted to an etsy pattern and now I need to make more squares.  The good news is that we're headed to Arizona for a baseball tournament for Zander and I've got hours in the car to get my crochet on.

Will I make enough to finish by the time we get home? Maybe. Probably. Eventually. Will it look exactly like Mabel’s? Absolutely not. But will it be made with love, determination, and a slightly chaotic energy that Ivy has come to expect from my creations? You bet.

Stay tuned for updates. And if this project somehow takes a dramatic turn, don’t be surprised if I start my own true crime podcast: Only Sweaters in the Basket—a gripping tale of abandoned projects, yarn-based mysteries, and a mom just trying to keep it all together.

Until next time, happy making!