iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Knitting is just wild. You make a bunch of little loops over and over (and over and over) again and all of a sudden you end up having something that’s really starting to look like a sweater. Your sweater is coming along nicely, @pagnificent.myatproto.social!

I am sitting on the couch with my legs stretched out on the couch in front of me. From my hips to down past my knees is the body of an indigo sweater I am knitting. It still doesn’t have the arms on it so it just looks like a nice little blanket on my legs.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

I had to make space so I could fold our cloth napkins.

A white plastic basket with wood handles, sitting on its side. Inside are 18 neatly folded cloth napkins. They are kind of a cream color with different width stripes in different colors (red, blue, yellow, green, and black)

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/10/2026

Every two to three days my crafting space starts looking pretty cluttered. I just shove everything to the left until it starts creeping onto my cutting mat and then I have to reorganize. There are like 3 different projects here.

Looking down the length of a long Costco folding table. In the foreground is a green self-healing cutting board, it has a few bits and bobs on the far end. After that, for the rest of the table, there’s just a pile of different fabrics and other materials.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

I have such an obsession with stripes. I have so many stripes jersey fabrics. I also love a good headband.

A home-sewn headband made from a cotton jersey fabric that is white and hot pink striped.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 15/10/2026

I still need to figure out what to do with the cord ends, but I have fucking outdone myself.

Same little gift bag made from pink fabric with cute little elves but this time I have a white and red twisted cord as the drawstring. It looks like a candy cane.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Alright, I’ve made some good progress. I gotta stop on the pouches for a minute while I figure out the snap sitch, but I’m already so happy with how this looks! This is the ambitious prototype, I already know some things I would change, but this is really good practice!!

The inside of a knitting needle folded case. It is divided into three sections (left to right): four big pouches stacked on each other, three sets of narrower pouches stacked on each other, two rows of elastic that are lined up so you could stick knitting needles through both of them. The pouches are white and the main bag color is an awesome teal.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Here are the results! Kinda shocked nothing boiled over, but glad it didn’t.

Now the two pies are baked and on my countertop.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

The nephew and I are baking apple pie(s) today. It reminded me of all the times I made pies with my grandma. I held back tears.

An apple pie in a round pie pan and an apple pie in a tiny casserole dish. They are unbaked and on a tinfoil-covered pan. They have lattice tops.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

It may come as a surprise to absolutely no one, but I have all the fabrics I need. I’m using a teal duck canvas and a pink quilting cotton that my sister and I used to make bags back in 2022 (we both still use them!) and this thicker white cotton is from the year the kid was Fire Mario for Halloween

A long strip of teal duck canvas, some white cotton, and a quilting fabric that has rows of triangles in various shades of pinks and white.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Proof of concept: jar gripper thingy I have some kinks to work out, but I think it’s gonna work.

Approx 4.5x4.5 inch square of fabric with squishmallow cats.

The back side reveals that it’s a jar gripper.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

So I think I have enough potholders to start putting them in my Fybe shop. Watch this space for when I finally go live!

A white basket filled with potholders and then even more stacked on top. There are 45. All you can see are the edges, which are one of the following: red, navy blue, purple, a lighter grunge purple, hot pink, a lighter pink with a crossed lines pattern, yellow, and light green.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I cannot even with how fucking cute this bag is. This is just an ambitious prototype. I need to figure out the exact size I want and I need to find the perfect ribbon. But this is soooo good.

A draw string bag that is approximately 10” tall, 5” wide, and 3” deep. It’s a little holiday gift bag made with pink speckled fabric with cute little elves and reindeer. Right now the draw string is a piece of yarn, but I want to have a candy and striped ribbon if I can find one.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

She ain’t super pretty but she’s going to taste delicious

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Everytime I make this tort I have to say thank you to @joshuajfriedman.com for giving me the recipe. Sure, it’s supposed to have plums, but I loooooove peaches.

An unbaked peach tort in a springform pan. It’s absolutely covered with cut up peach bits.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You can tell that I was trying to maximize the number of potholders I could get out of this fabric. Don’t worry this one is staying home with me.

A potholder with rounded corners that hasn’t been sewn together yet. On the bottom left side you can see the selvedge, where the label for the fabric is. You’re not supposed to use this part.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This was just delivered to my house and there are going to be so many fucking potholders. I apologize in advance for being annoying. It will happen again.

A 20 yard bolt of insul-bright batting, which is heat resistant.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

These were the three most accessible colors I had. Thoughts?

Three potholders made with identical fabric except for the binding. From left to right: tangerine orange, dark blue, red. The fabric is a lightish blue with little breakfast food characters, looking all happy and ready to be eaten.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sharing with alt text because it’s that important.

The incident fits a broader pattern in the discourse around 'free speech' and 'cancel culture': whatever comes from the top down is freedom; whatever comes from the bottom up is bullying and censorship. When Macklemore is dropped at the behest of the billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft, it's an exercise of the freedom of businesses to 'demonstrate their values' by deciding whom to platform. But when Ed Sheeran's fans decide not to buy tickets to his performances, or even demand refunds, it's bullying, mob behaviour. Since most people are not billionaires and do not own stadiums, they can exercise meaningful power only collectively. The collective exercise of power must therefore be demonised

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

What color would you pick for a border(binding) for this potholder?

A light blue fabric that has cartoon breakfast foods all over it, and they all have simple happy faces. There are pieces of bacon, sausages, French toast, a cereal bowl, waffles, an iced coffee, a half an avocado, and an apple. There are little blueberries, strawberries, and banana slices floating around; they do not have faces.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This is quite possibly the cutest thing I have ever made.

A potholder with a square corner in the top left and the rest are rounded. The fabric is white squish mellow cats, some of whom have brown and black ears. Most are smiling, some are winking. The binding is a bright red, with a little loop in the square corner.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

@pagnificent.myatproto.social we have arm holes!! Also, thank you for buying this yarn and letting me make you a sweater. I’m a million times more confident the second time around.

My white lady hand holding up a sweater that I’m knitting. You can see a big circular hole, on which I will eventually knit a sleeve. The yarn is a beautiful indigo blue. Through the hole you can see a Pokémon weight blanket and a book with the title mostly hidden (it’s an R book).

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This is what I call it when a bunch of white people hang out.

A variety box of crackers from Kellogg’s called “CRACKER COLLECTION”

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Yup, I’ve got it now. It’s over for these bitches* *my yards of ridiculous fabrics

The same potholders as before (white fabric with hedgehogs in hats, with royal blue binding and a loop to hang), but now there are two of them and I did a much better job stitching.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Ok, I still need to work on my binding (I’m not showing you the other side but let’s just say the binding isn’t connected everywhere) but I think I’ve cracked the code.

A hand-made potholder. The fabric is white with little hedgehogs going in all directions. Some of them have little Santa-looking hats on, in various colors. The binding is royal blue with a cute little loop in one of the corners.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

This fabric pen I am using—it turns out—erases when it is ironed. Fuck it, we’ll do it live!

A piece of navy blue fabric with a diagonal seam. There are white lines at a 45 degree angle to the seam, but the parts of the lines near the seam have disappeared.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

My posting has been absolutely all over the place tonight, so I’m going to keep going by complaining about this One Piece/SpongeBob nonsense. I get that SB and Patrick are best friends like Luffy and Zoro, but Patrick is no Zoro. I will defend that directionally challenged hottie until the day I die

A sign at a McDonald’s drive-thru for a completely messed up One Piece / SpongeBob collab that no one asked for. SpongeBob is Luffy, because he’s wearing the straw hat and a red shirt and his hand is in a big fish. Patrick is Zoro, with a terrible green hair piece and a green shirt with a deep… square? Like a deep V but it’s square shaped? Anyway I hate everything about this.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Pocket friends! My irl friend Evelyn WROTE A BOOK! She isn’t on here, so I told her I’d let you all know about it. Evelyn is an absolutely delightful human and a legit expert, I can’t wait to dive in.

My white lady hand holding a hard cover book titled “Was That Racist? How to Detect, Interrupt, and Unlearn Bias in Everyday Life” by Evelyn R. Carter, PhD.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I just dropped off probably my most favorite blankets I’ve ever made. That’s saying a lot because I’ve made a lot a blankets (including one for myself!). These were matching blankets for @spindlypete.bsky.social’s little guys.

Two 32x44in weighted blankets. One side is a funky shade of green with silly little frogs in witch hats. The other side is white and blue stripes at a 45 degree angle. The binding is bright orange.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My mom bought me this little glass pin magnet and I have been incredibly successful at using it while I work on the couch. So much so that I have not lost a single needle since I started using it. Mom FTW.

A little round disc thing that kinda looks like a paperweight that is indented a bit in the center. It’s kinda peppermint striped, with stripes of red alternating with stripes of white and red. There is a little lonely needle on it. It is a magnet. For my needles. It’s conveniently on the top of the back of my couch, right where I would normally stick needles.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I *just* got this alert on my phone. I have *no* room to criticize.

A calendar remember I set for tomorrow at 9am and there are absolutely no details at all. I have no idea what this is for.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Now that I have the filling figured out, I’m trying to find the best way to connect all the layers. I have been using my serger with suboptimal results, so I tried a zigzag stitch on this guy. I’m not totally in love but also feel much better about this than the serger. That thing’s too fast.

A potholder that has been lightly quilted in diagonal lines and has bright pink zigzag stitches all the way around. The fabric is pink with silly little pink flamingos all over it.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

test this one out when I cook dinner right after I post this.

A square potholder with rounded corners. The fabric is a soft yellow and there are cartoon raccoons doing relaxing things (meditating, drinking coffee, sleeping) there are a few clouds and trees, too, but it’s mostly yellow. The binding is a royal blue. There is a pocket covering the diagonal upper left half of the potholder

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Another ambitious prototype. I need to get *a lot* better at sewing on bias tape, and I need to figure out how to make this loop, but otherwise I’m pretty satisfied.

A squarish potholder with a pocket covering the upper left half of the front, with the opening diagonal across the front. There is also bias tape around all the edges, and there is a loop of the bias tape in the upper left corner.

The fabric on this gem is kind of a dotted light green. Why I own this fabric is because there are silly hedgehogs riding bikes in all directions. The binding fabric is white with outlines of bees and swirls in yellow.

This is a view inside the potholder pouch. The top (which you can’t see) is the same fabric as the rest of the potholder, and the inside is white flannel.

Back of the potholder. Same fabric as the front.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

My potholders are not ready for prime time, but this is an ambitious prototype.

The same potholder as before (derpy bears in striped attire in various states of trying to be bees/get honey), now with binding around the edges. The bias binding is made with white fabric that has delicate little outlines of bees with some swirly lines.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

This is the kind of cuteness that will beat me up, steal all my money, and I will thank it for the privilege.

A quilted potholder. Ignore the sloppy serging around the edges and focus on the white fabric with little bears in striped shirts, all pretending to be bees.

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Whatever these things are (I call them hair ties), I love to shoot them at Tom’s butt. There’s no better time than in the morning when he’s lying on his side, facing away from me. I have a whole arsenal in my trusty robot nightstand and I’m at close range. I swear, we do actually love each other.

A bunch of brightly colored hair elastics on my weighted blanket (navy fabric with little white flowers).

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Tom Wambsgans’ Second Wife, PhD @drwambsgans.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I have a cast iron skillet in the oven. I’m waiting for it to heat up so I can test these two potholders. The bees has 3 layers of batting. The hedgehogs have two layers of batting and two layers of flannel.

Two potholder-shaped things on my counter. The one on the left is a darker blue with cute bumble bees and the one on the right is white with hedgehogs, some of whom are wearing hats.

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