Clearing the Decks: A December Wrap-Up
Welcome to the final monthly wrap-up of 2025! December is always a bit of a whirlwind, but this year it felt particularly transformative for Two Little Kits. Between a surprise moment of "going viral" on Instagram and the quiet satisfaction of finishing projects that have been on my hoop for months, it's been a month of both high energy and deep reflection.
As I look back on the last few weeks, I'm struck by that wonderful "clearing the decks" feeling. There is something so restorative about finishing a year-long project or finally winding floss for a new adventure while the house is quiet. Whether you're here for the stitching updates, the design sneak peeks, or just a bit of "real life" chat, I hope this update brings a little bit of that calm, end-of-year clarity to your day.
Jump to:
CrAzY growth over on Instagram
December kicked off with something I genuinely did not see coming: a huge spike in growth over on Instagram — almost entirely thanks to one very spontaneous Reel I shared on December 2nd.
The Reel itself was a simple "sequence" response to a post by @laurensbookdiary, where she shared the idea of embroidering patches of the books you've read onto a jumper (and showed off her own glorious "booktop" as proof). It immediately made my brain light up. I filmed a quick response saying, in essence, "I have to do this", "this idea is incredible", hit post… and thought nothing more of it. The whole thing took maybe 60 seconds from idea to sharing.
Well, apparently the algorithm liked it too. 😅
I started December with 5,770 followers and ended the month on 7,347, which is a jump I've not experienced since early 2021. By the end of December, that single Reel had been viewed over 1 million times, with 38k likes, 529 comments, 29k shares, 346 reposts, and 7k saves — numbers that still feel slightly unreal to type out.
What I loved most about this wasn't just the growth, though, but how it nudged me creatively. It's made me seriously consider turning the "booktop" idea into a fun side project of my own.
I haven't settled on the how yet -whether it's books I've already loved, only books I read in 2026, or something else entirely- but it feels like one of those ideas that deserves follow-through. If I'm going to gush about it online, I may as well put my money (and my stitches) where my mouth is.
Follower Count
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 1st [2025] and the follower count says 5,770](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_0112.jpg?v=1769628398)
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 5th [2025] and the follower count says 6,022](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_0512.jpg?v=1769628398)
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 12th [2025] and the follower count says 6,376](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_1212.jpg?v=1769628398)
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 15th [2025] and the follower count says 6,503](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_1512.jpg?v=1769628398)
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 24th [2025] and the follower count says 6,794](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_2412.jpg?v=1769628398)
![A screenshot of the Instagram profile of Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 31st [2025] and the follower count says 7,306](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-growth-follower_count_3112.jpg?v=1769628398)
Reel Stats
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 4th [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_0412.jpg?v=1769628643)
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 8th [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_0812.jpg?v=1769628643)
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 12th [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_1212.jpg?v=1769628643)
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 24th [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_2412.jpg?v=1769628643)
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 28th [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_2812.jpg?v=1769628643)
![A screenshot of the back-end of an Instagram post by Two Little Kits. The date labled says December 31st [2025] and there is a variety of different stats shown.](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0732/3733/2277/files/260127-post_stats_3112.jpg?v=1769628643)
New in the shop: "Flower Prairie"
December also saw the release of a brand new and final-in-this-series DIY cross-stitch pattern: "Flower Prairie". This one quietly made its way into the shop during what was already a very full month, but it still feels like a meaningful addition to the growing "flower" family of designs here at Two Little Kits.
"Flower Prairie" continues that familiar theme of little florals and considered colour choices, while still being its own distinct piece. Releasing a new pattern in December always feels a little bit bold -everyone is busy, festive, and stretched in a dozen directions- but it also felt like the right time to let it out into the world, especially for the end of the year (in preparation for a brand new year).
Finished Pieces
December turned out to be an unexpectedly productive month when it came to finishes — the kind where you look back at the end and think, wait… I finished how many things?! Between festive stitching, gift-making, and finally wrapping up a few long-standing projects, I managed to complete a surprising number of pieces before the year came to a close.
There's something especially satisfying about finishing projects in December, too. It feels like clearing the decks before the new year begins — tying bows on ideas, literally and figuratively, and giving these pieces a moment to be properly appreciated before moving on to what's next.
Twigs & Tea
Twigs & Tea was one of those projects that felt genuinely relaxing to work on from start to finish. It's a stitch-along cross-stitch pattern by Fine Frog Stitching, and it struck that perfect balance of being engaging without ever feeling overwhelming. Some sections took as little as 30 minutes to complete, which made it incredibly easy to keep momentum going — ideal for fitting stitching into busy December days.
One of my favourite things about this design was the intentional colour palette, particularly the choice to completely avoid greens. It gives the whole piece such a cohesive, cosy feel and really lets the other colours shine. Stitching along with everyone else was a lot of fun, too, and it's definitely left me looking forward to seeing what Steph might release next as a future stitch-along.
Custom Ornaments
This year's holiday ornaments looked a little different to usual, with just three pieces to stitch — all for the same customer.
Having a smaller batch meant I could move through them much more quickly than my typical ornament workload, which was a welcome change during a busy December. Two of the portraits were stitched on 14ct Aida, while the third was done on 18ct to allow me to squeeze in all the necessary details. There was even a small post-stitch tweak required when I discovered a couple of names had been misspelled in the original information — thankfully, the way I finish my pieces meant I could carefully open it up, make the correction, and send it off without any drama, plus my customer was local, so she was still able to gift them on time.
Family Portrait
This family portrait was a particularly interesting piece to work on, as it came to me in a slightly roundabout way. I was commissioned to create the design itself, and once the stitcher realised she wouldn't be able to complete the piece in the timeframe needed, she kindly referred the customer on to me to stitch it as well. It turned into a full-circle project, where I was able to see the piece through from concept all the way to a finished hoop.
The design features six characters -mum, dad, two boys, one girl, and a pet cat- and I used my "Alison" font for the family name underneath. That font holds a special place for me, as it was the very first font I ever released, so it felt fitting to use it here. This piece does come with a bit of bad news attached, though, and while December wasn't the right time to unpack that, it's something I'll be sharing more about in a future blog post where I can talk about the project as a whole in more detail.
Christmas Gifts
It wouldn't be a December wrap-up without mentioning the gifts I made for my daughters. This was actually the fourth year in a row that I've made them a special Christmas stitch.
As of writing, I've actually already written a deep-dive blog post about these specifically, so consider this a little "sneak peek" into the process before you head over there for the full story 😉
I decided to try something a bit different this year by creating full-coverage designs where the blackwork actually wraps right around the edge of the inner hoop. It had been quite a long time since I'd picked up any blackwork stitching, and I truly enjoyed the process of getting back into that rhythmic, geometric flow. Most importantly, my girls absolutely loved their pieces — and at the end of the day, that's really all that matters!
Flower Meadow
It's finished! My second year-long DIY flower project has finally come to a conclusion, and I honestly couldn't be happier with it. Looking at the full meadow now, it feels like such a lovely, tangible record of the year.
I'm planning a much deeper dive in a future blog post—complete with all the stats and technical details — but for now, I just wanted to share the joy of the finish. I'll be the first to admit that I didn't stitch every single flower on the exact day it represented, but that's the beauty of these projects. I am so proud of how it came out, and I love that I finally have a completed physical piece to show you as an example of what this DIY pattern can become.
If you'd like to start your own year-long stitching adventure, you can find the pattern in the shop below!
Works-in-progress
Even with the focus on finishes, I managed to tuck into a few active projects. I'm currently working through part five of the "Flower Dragon Meadow" stitch-along (I am secretly hoping the final dragon is a bright yellow one!) and I eventually sorted a kerfuffle with my email to get a head start on the HAED "Fairytale" SAL. Perhaps most satisfying was stitching the years "banner" for my upcoming "Flower Prairie" piece on New Year's Eve, so I was ready and raring to go for January 1st.
On the design board, I've been busy wrapping up the final pieces of my Zodiac series. I've officially finished the designs for Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces, and it feels like such a weight off my shoulders to have them ready to be turned into actual patterns. I'm really looking forward to getting these out into the world very soon.
Stitched
Designs
Haul
I treated myself to some new bits this month, including enamel pins I'm planning to convert into needleminders and two pairs of scissors from TikTok (because one can never have too many. Right?). One pair is regular and elegant, while the other is a teensy, spring-loaded set with a matching sheath.
I also had a mid-project organisational pivot for my Heaven and Earth Designs piece; I swapped my 88 floss colours from Floss-Away bags to plastic bobbins and a proper container. It took quite a bit of time, but I'm 100% certain it's making the stitching much easier!
Have you treated yourself to any neat stitchy tools or supplies lately? Jump in the comments!
New Blog Posts
Between the general December "madness" and my focus on finishing projects on time, I didn't find as much time for the blog as I'd hoped — a bit of a carry-over from November's trend. I did manage to share some thoughts on realigning our expectations with Etsy and posted regular FlossTubes, the final one of the year being I chatted about a missing pattern (the HAED SAL) and marked 10 years of living in the USA.
I'm really hoping to shift back into a more regular writing rhythm throughout January, so stay tuned for more updates soon!
View The Post
See The Episode
Mini Talk Show - Update
I'm so pleased that I've managed to keep up with my Mini Talk Show tradition throughout the month. While there were certainly weeks where motivation felt a bit thin, the "short and sweet" format makes it so much more doable when life gets busy.
Because December gave us five Wednesdays, I was able to share five mini-episodes covering everything from the practicalities of holiday stitching and using metallic floss to the more personal side of things, like navigating overall burnout and handling negative feedback. I wrapped up the series for the year with a 2025 wrap-up, reflecting on my massive collection of finished pieces within 2025!
IRL
While a lot of my December was spent behind a hoop, there were plenty of "real life" moments that kept me busy outside of Two Little Kits. It wasn't a month filled with huge, sweeping events, but the small traditions and personal updates made it feel special in its own way.
Christmas
Our family continued the tradition of opening our LEGO advent calendars each morning. Even though some days are a bit of a "flop" in terms of what's behind the little door, the ritual itself is something I still love each December. Being a parent on Christmas Day remains such a joy for me. I was actually trying to explain to my daughter that even though I don't have a mountain of presents to open myself, watching them experience the morning brings me more than enough happiness.
I'm also quietly amazed that both of my girls still believe in Santa! It's definitely getting trickier to keep that magic alive for an 11-year-old and a 9-year-old, but my husband and I managed to pull it off for another year — at least, I think we did!
Fun Hair
I finally went through with the "fun colour" I'd been chatting about with my hair stylist. I ended up with a beautiful, deep purple on the left underside of my hair, wrapping around the base to the back. Because my hair is quite fine and delicate, my stylist & I agreed and opted not to do any bleaching beforehand.
While that meant the purple came out a bit darker than I'd originally envisioned, I still absolutely love how it looks!
And Other Life Stuff
The rest of the month was a bit of a mix. The colder weather has brought back some recurring toe issues, so I've been using my foot bath much more than I'd like just to keep things warm. On the brighter side, I received some new LEGO sets for Christmas, so I've been happily knuckling down with those. I also nearly made it through a full year of using the Finch app — I think I hit 362 days, which I'm pretty proud of!
Whenever the weather was kind (and my toe wasn't acting up), my youngest and I would head out for walks around the neighbourhood. She's still using her pedal-less bike, and while I love our time together, I do find myself wishing she'd finally give the pedals a go! 😂
Ready for January's First Stitch
Wrapping up December always feels like closing a book, and this year is no different. From the bright pops of colour in my finished "Flower Meadow" to the quiet, geometric rhythm of the blackwork gifts for my girls, it's been a month that reminded me why I love this craft so much. Stitching remains such a grounding practice for me, especially during the holiday rush, and I'm so grateful to have had these moments of slow, intentional handwork to keep me centered.
As we step into January, I'm feeling refreshed and ready for what's next. I have new patterns to format, a fresh year-long prairie to grow, and hopefully, a few more walks around the neighbourhood (perhaps with some pedals involved this time!). Thank you for being part of this journey with me throughout 2025.
I can't wait to see what we all create in the year ahead. Happy stitching!
👋 Kate
