#knitting notes

💜 LL-K's purple hooded scarf 💜 -- April 1, 2026

My fellow librarian K and I pledged to make gifts for each other, with no rush and accepting that other projects may get in the way. Well, a lot got in my way, but I was able to finish it today.

It's a cushy double-layered knit- just two rectangles seamed together. The hood is generous, even big enough to accommodate my headphones. K has curly hair, so I know she'll appreciate the room for a big hair clip.

Like, I really shouldn't let it discourage me from making whatever I want. But I still feel the (self-imposed) pressure to make appealing things.

On the brighter side, as I browsed patterns, I went searching for projects using the Caron x Pantone palette yarns. @sycamore gifted me two bundles in a cream-and-blues colorway several years ago. They're individual bundles of each color, rather than one continuous strand. How lucky am I, there happened to be a project using my exact colors AND something I'd wear/use.

Bubble Stitch beanie hat by Studio Knits

Because I have two bundles, I can make one to sell. Or I may send it back to sycamore. She's sent me quite a bit of yarn and goodies over the years. (My pumpkin-knitting spree was spurred by all the orange yarn she sent me years ago.)

We're almost halfway through January already and I have some more information on my knitting mood blanket project. I know most of these blankets are crocheted, but I really just wanted to knit and couldn't find a pattern I liked so I'm making it up myself!

I decided to do the blanket in 4 quarters of 90 days, outlined in black ribbing. Each day is 4 rows of flat stockinette stitch in medium weight yarn on size 11 circular needles. I decided to go with three mood categories of 4 moods each, and assign a color family to each for a total of 12 colors of yarns for the middle block.

More details on all but the lightest blue yarn are available on my ravelry project page.

Finally, finally done with the blanket -- Nov 22, 2025

About a month after finishing the body of the blanket, I'm now done with the crocheted trim. This was the smaller of the new yarn I got at the end of August. I skipped every-other stitch, since the scale/gauge was different.

So why bother with trim? I wanted to hide the strands I carried up the side. I'm also loathe to block my stitches, so the trim lessens the curling of stockinette stitch.

Uncabled mitt, finished ! -- Tiny Owl Knits, "Woodland Knits"; "Catching Butterflies" -- April 4, 2026

Last night , I stopped in the middle of futzing with the thumb. Even today, I unknit and reknit this thumb so many times! I ended up picking up extra stitches at the thumb crease (pattern called to pick up 2 or 4, but I think it was like 8 total?). The thumb was all rib stitch in the pattern, but I only did enough to match the main cuff.

That put me in a good enough mood to pick up knitting again. I negotiated that I could make sample swatches, so I didn't have to use much brain power. Then I remembered how hard counting can be sometimes. Ah, the hubris of not using stitch markers!

Needless to say, I'm taking a break after 3 failed attempts. I can feel the need for a snack and a nap. If I can consciously feel it, that means I really shouldn't ignore it.

I'm working on a scarf for Librarian-K, the one who had invited me to her wedding. It's a great project, though I can't work without looking at it. (I tried when I was at the dentist back in May, but it needs attention for the stitches.)

There's no deadline for this project, especially since I started it last December-ish. If I really get my mojo back and need to impulsively start another project, I've already decided to give myself permission. Secretly hoping I might try a doll sweater. *fingers crossed!* Not expecting it to happen, but a girl can dream.

Revisiting the lap blanket - Nov 14, 2023

I originally bought these 3 yarns back in NH. Was it 2021? The two in the striped section only yielded a lap-sized blanket. Then a ball of Lion Brand's "Heartland" was added, but it didn't get far. (I always confused the Heartland and Hometown names, so please forgive me.)

Finally visited another Michael's this summer and found the same types of yarn as last time: LBY Scarfie in "mint" and Loops & Thread Impressions in "rose". (Couldn't find the "Barcelona Big" on the website, but I swear it's the same colors in a smaller yardage.) First, I frogged this dusty purple yarn, to get back to the striped section.

Since taking these photos, I've already knit a new pink section and added the gray-green. I'm somewhere in the mint, and it's a delight to work on this again.