iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Guess who found, and used, the one section of the pattern that gave the opposite results it should have? Because of course, with a one in four chance, that would be what I managed to do. This is the second knitting pattern where I have ended up staring at a chart, wondering what I am missing. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I was curious about the history of the knit lace pattern that I had seen called feather and fan or old shale, and learned that these are actually two different lace patterns, that somehow got jumbled together, names wise 🧶: www.susannawinter.net/post/feather...

susannawinter.net

Feather and Fan vs. Old Shale: What's the Difference? :: talvi knits.

Feather and Fan and Old Shale are often confused, but they’re two distinct, traditional Shetland lace stitch patterns with unique looks and structures. In this post, you’ll learn why the mix-up happen...

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I have a window open because the weather and air quality allow for it. I didn't think it was that cold, but Sundae snuggled up, trembling. So I tucked him in under my second blanket, and now he's asleep and making little rumbling sleep noises.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

If I am doing a pfb with an eastern mount in knitting, I reverse it as compared to the western purl, yes? For the western purl front and back, it's telling you to purl into the leading leg, then the following leg. With an eastern mount, it's the reverse? So it's a pbf, purl back and front. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

A measurement of my latest gauge swatches says that I am still having the same problem I have been: knitting is generally supposed to be wider than it is tall. Mine wishes to be taller than it is wide. At least it seems to be slightly improved compared to where it was earlier this year. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I started some socks 🧦 because I wanted a change from gauge swatching, and surely, I could do this? Only to realize, I regret this decision, and have now started the appropriate gauge swatch. I had to shuffle my DPNs around a bit, but since I can't knit both at the same time, it works out. 🧶

A small ball of dark red yarn (hollyberry) attached to the beginnings of a gauge swatch of stockinette in the round, going across two wooden double pointed needles. A third double pointed needle is lying on top of the started gauge swatch.
Next to this lies a larger skein of yarn, attached to the beginning of a sock, in a teal heathered yarn (rainstorm heather), also on double pointed needles of the same size as the ones in the gauge swatch. The cuff is done in one by one ribbing, and half the leg is done, in a pretty textured pattern that alternates between rows of knit stitches, and knits and purls in two different configurations.
There are bulb-shaped stitch markers attached at the beginning and the end of the cuff ribbing, as well as to mark the beginning of each pattern repeat. There are eight stitch markers in pale yellow and orange, to mark the pattern repeats, and one stitch marker in red, on the first stitch, to mark the beginning of the row.

Both are lying on a beige bedsheet.
In the top left corner, part of a blanket cover is visible. It is white, with irregular black dots. Also visible on the bottom left is the long edge of an orchid purple warming mitten, made of minky fabric.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

I just tried drop spindling while cycling. Twas great fun, I'll be trying it again next time. 🧶 (I get a little bit bored while cycling, even with an audiobook running, and it's hands free (it's a desk cycle), so I end up looking for something to do with my hands. This might work? We'll see!)

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Today Sunshine discovered that I was cutting the brown sugar cookie bars that I'd baked yesterday, and needed a moment. He spun in a thinking circle, and then appeared himself on the kitchen mat. Once there, he was rewarded with what he had hoped for: a tiny cookie bit. #DogsOfBluesky

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Re-gauge swatching after re-reading Let The Tool Do The Work, again. And Patty Lyon's Bag of Knitting Tricks. My gauge lately has been wildly unpredictable. How does it get smaller when I am knitting on larger needles? Apparently tension, and technique. 🧶 www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/as...

moderndailyknitting.com

Ask Patty: Let the Tool Do the Work – Modern Daily Knitting

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

In today's Brain Fog Adventures, I had in one hand, a paper towel, to throw away. In the other, a measuring cup, for washing. I'm sure you can guess which one went into the trash with a nice thunk noise, and had to be fished out again. #ChronicIllness

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

This is knitting adjacent, I suppose? 🧶 The final goal is to spin my dog's fur, and knit something delightful. It doesn't really matter what. It'll be delightful because it's a little bit of Sundae, and he's delightful. So this is the first step towards that.

A medium weight drop spindle, with a warm red stain, in a steampunk gear style, hanging by a spun white thread that goes around the whorl, in one of the gear notches. and wraps around under the whorl, where the already spun thread is temporarily being stored.
The background is a white bedspread, with multi colored flowers and leaves, in a cheerful summer pattern that makes one think of an early morning summer walk.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

I made the same mistake more than once, I discovered. While it would be faster to fix them, or even leave them, and just keep going, I think I am going to rip back to just before the bubbles. I'm in no rush, and I learned a lot from this round. I think I'll enjoy redoing this! 🧶

A small section of a deep purple and lavender knitted shawl in progress, on the cord of a circular needle, lying on a white bedspread with a colorful flower and leaf print.

The section contains slightly uneven lavender bubbles with deep purple borders, and slightly wobbly brioche ribbing, the deep purple being the main color, showing as knit stitches, the lavender, with an additional neon pink, white, and black tweed yarn running along with it, as the contrast/background color, as purls in between.

There are red stitch markers on the needles to show where there is a small mistake that could be fixed if one laddered down those three stitches: it looks like in one of the earliest brioche rows, I accidentally pulled the yarn up from the previous row, so the yarn strand is moving through a higher row than it should.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

I'm not sure how long I just spent fixing a very small brioche mistake that nobody else would notice, but it was an enjoyable period of time. I had to undo and ladder down three stitches to fix it. I didn't think to take photos, maybe I'll remember to do that next time I am fixing my knitting. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Sundae has decided that it's time to phase out his cone. He has communicated this by taking it off himself, whenever he feels like it. Since he's not licking, mostly, he's getting his wish. At least during the day, when supervised. #DogsOfBluesky

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

I am gauge swatching (still? Again? It doesn't really end.), and I'm tempted to skip knitting the next swatch, based on what I have learned from the previous one. 🧶 I can now make a reasonably good guess that going down two needle sizes should be pretty close to the gauge I need.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

Sometimes I use my stitch stoppers not to keep my knitting from escaping, but to keep my stitch markers from disappearing into the ether, if I happen to stop at one of those points where a marker is at the edge of a needle. This happens surprisingly frequently. 🧶

A partially knitted shawl, in lavender and deep purple stripes, one set of stripes going in a semi circular pattern, one set attaching to the semi circle in straight lines, lying on a black and white striped background. A piece of magenta scrap yarn is crossing over the shawl.

There is a square, textured metal circular knitting needle lying on top of the partially knitted shawl, with a copper colored pear shaped safety pin stitch marker on it. A bright pink heart shaped stitch stopper is on the end of the needle, preventing the stitch marker from falling off the needle.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

I have now learned why one should tie hanks in multiple places. 🧶 It's fine, really. I oddly enjoy detangling? Worst case: this, or any other silly eventuality, is why I got an extra skein of each color, just in case. Either way, I'll be knitting the next set of gauge swatches soon enough!

Five small hanks of light purple sock yarn, wet from washing, and in various states of tangled, tied with ties of magenta yarn, lying on a gray cotton t shirt with a yellow flower print, on a bathroom floor. There are some speckles of water on the t-shirt from the yarn.

The amount of tangling in each hank seems to be related to the number of ties in the hank, and if and how often they have been woven through the hank.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

I made a gluten free, dairy free version of this bread, and it turned out very edible! I tried to keep my expectations low, because when you make substitutions, results can vary accordingly. But I will probably bake this again. www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/mult...

kingarthurbaking.com

Multi-Grain Molasses Bread

A multi-grain bread featuring teff flour.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

Sunshine has now managed to alert to a migraine prodrome so early on that the next time he does this, I'll have to set calendar alerts for the next few days, to check in on symptoms and such. At that point, I had barely registered the eye pain. I only noticed because he noticed. He's the best.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

In case this information is useful to anyone else: if you freeze water in a half cup Souper Cube mold (or a similar butter stick mold), you can fit two to three of the resulting ice cubes in a 32oz wide mouth Hydro Flask, depending on the lid, or two in the 24oz wide mouth Hydro Flask.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Well, the brioche is a little bit wobbly, but I think I will try the neon pink tweed lace 🧶 on the shawl, when I get back there. I find it amusing, and what better reason is there to try these things?

A knitted swatch of two color brioche, still on the needles, lying on a dark blue blanket.

There are two brioche sections, separated by three rows of eyelets in stripes.

The main color is a deep bright purple, the contrast color is a light lavender purple.

The second brioche section also has a lace yarn of Make It Tweed in neon pink, which has neon pink, white, black, and black and white/gray tweed nepps on a lace weight yarn that is made up of three lighter threads, one each in pink, white, and black.
This yarn was held with the lavender purple contrast color, to add extra visual and textural interest and entertainment.

As this is the front of the swatch, the knitted ribs are deep purple, the main color, and are more prominent, with the lavender purple contrast color showing through in between,

A knitted swatch of two color brioche, still on the needles, lying on a dark blue blanket. The swatch is turned over to show the reverse side.

There are two brioche sections, separated by three rows of eyelets in stripes.

The main color is a deep bright purple, the contrast color is a light lavender purple.

The second brioche section also has a lace yarn of Make It Tweed in neon pink, which has neon pink, white, black, and black and white/gray tweed nepps on a lace weight yarn that is made up of three lighter threads, one each in pink, white, and black.
This yarn was held with the lavender purple contrast color, to add extra visual and textural interest and entertainment.

Because this is the reverse side, in the brioche sections, the lavender purple contrast color is the more prominent color. This shows both the lavender, and the neon pink tweed thread off a little bit more.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Gauge swatching, to see if and how my gauge changes from wooden DPNs, to Addi Rocket². I would like to try out magic loop and two at a time on circulars. So, I'm swatching in the round on the 3mm/US#2.5 needles that I have both of, to find the most likely size for smaller circular needles. 🧶

Two wooden double pointed needles, with the start of a gauge swatch on them. The yarn for the swatch is a burgundy red. The swatch is knit in the round, so it has strings of yarn going around the back hanging loosely, and it's knit in stockinette.

The needles and swatch are lying on a sheet of pale yellow cotton flannel with a print of white daisies with orange centers.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

I am restarting my shawl, because the Mohair Situation has contaminated the previous attempt too badly to fix at this point. I also noticed that my gauge seemed off. I checked my swatch, and yes, my gauge was off! I must have misread the pattern gauge originally, or miscounted on the swatch.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Trying Addi Rockets². So far, they definitely feel easier to hold than the knit pro novas of the same size that I was using previously. We'll see if it lasts, and how the gauge swatch compares.

A set of fixed metal circular knitting needles, square, with slight indentations at regular intervals. One needle is holding a few rows of garter stitch, starting with a deep purple yarn, then a light purple yarn.
They are lying on a light purple, and a deep purple ball of yarn.
The yarn is lying on a blanket that is covered in a black blanket cover with white spots, and is reversed on the other side, as is visible at the lower left and upper right corners.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Sunshine 🐕 saw that we were having treats in our breakfast, and so he couldn't eat until he had some in his, too. He got a bit of chicken sprinkled on his mix of kibble and wet food.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

Fluffernutter 🐕 has been alerting late at night when I am doing irresponsible things. Like washing dishes. As we are indoors, he doesn't feel comfortable doing his preferred jump alert, because the floor is slippery. Instead, he looks at me with extreme worry until I sit down. It's very effective.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

My mohair yarn 🧶 experiment is over, I think. Even if I can mitigate the immediate effects of the mohair while knitting, it sheds everywhere. Even with the air filters running on high, I can't contain it well enough to prevent a flare the next day. To top it all off, the stuff is still itchy!

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

The mohair 🧶 saga continues: I kept thinking, wouldn't it be nice if I had an easier way to try all this out, without needing to wash the whole shawl? Eventually, I remembered that swatches exist for many reasons, and this is one of them! So, I knitted a little swatch.

A small rectangular knitted swatch that is much longer than it is tall. It is knitted in two color brioche, with i-cord borders. As it's a swatch, the ends are hanging loose, and haven't been woven in.
The main color is a deep but bright purple, the contrast color is a light purple, held with a bright pink mohair lace yarn, creating a fuzzy and marled effect.
The swatch is lying on a pale yellow cotton flannel background that has a pattern of white flowers with orange centers, similar to daisies.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

If I wear nitrile gloves, an N95 mask, and my glasses, and take antihistamines as tablets, nose spray, and eye drops, as well as using magic masto lotion on my hands before and after, I can knit with mohair yarn 🧶! MCAS meets knitting, I guess? Mohair fuzz can be a little bit much.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 06/03/2026

I have successfully knitted two socks! The second one was knit with slightly higher tension than the first, so they aren't the same size. I hear that's a classic? I don't have quite enough yarn 🧶 for a third sock. The second sock is not quite dry yet, so we'll see.

Two knitted dark red socks, pattern: Dustland, by Stephen West. They have textured guernsey style patterns, rotating through three variations of knit and purl repeats, after a folded ribbed cuff at the top, all the way down to the stockinette toe. The heel is in garter stitch, and the bottom half of the foot section is stockinette stitch.
They are lying on a broken down brown cardboard box, on a wooden floor.
The top sock is slightly smaller than the bottom sock, which is particularly noticeable in the ribbing around the top of the sock.
The length is fairly similar, but the top sock looks like it's going to be slightly more snug around the foot than the bottom sock.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Little sheep on a little island, brought in with dogs and a boat: youtu.be/b2-JXb129jQ?...

youtu.be

Getting Sheep Off a Tiny Uninhabited Island

YouTube video by BBC Scotland

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

I don't know how, but after going up a needle size while swatching, my gauge actually got tighter? I didn't think I was knitting with higher tension, either, if anything, I thought I was pretty relaxed. Apparently not. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Fixed some knitting mistakes on one of my current gauge swatches. 🧶 It probably wouldn't affect the gauge, so I didn't really have to do this, but because it's a swatch, it's a low pressure way to practice these things?

A medium purple gauge swatch, still on the circular, wooden, needles.
The swatch is all stockinette, so the bottom is curling up. The bottom right is showing four yarn over holes in one row, and a set of purl bumps over two rows.
This swatch is knit in the round, so there's a lot of loose yarn visible, hanging down and past the bottom of the gauge swatch, vaguely reminiscent of tentacles on a jellyfish. Or purple spaghetti.

The background is a white duvet cover, with a print of brightly colored leaves, twigs, and flowers.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

I unraveled the last row and a half in my Go Go Dynamo shawl, because the Mohair Dare was making me angry. I can't really explain it. But I could fix it. There's plenty of things that I can't fix in my life, but this isn't one of them. I think this is one thing I really like about knitting. 🧶

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

I finished knitting my first sock, and it feels like some kind of magic? 🧶 And now, I get to do it all over again for the second one! Pattern: Dustland Socks: www.westknits.com/products/dus... Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll in Hollyberry

A red sock with a textured Guernsey pattern, with a ribbed cuff, a garter stitch heel, and a stockinette toe. There are a few white dog hairs on it.
The ends are not woven in yet, so the one at the cuff is hanging loose.
The sock is lying on a gray-brown faux wood background.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Today I learned that if you have one of three measurements - ankle circumference, foot circumference, or foot length - you can calculate the other two from it, and use those to knit the right size socks! 🧶 knitty.com/sizing.html

knitty.com

Untitled Document

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Using eyelets and purls to encode the needle size into the gauge swatch is the only reason that I just noticed that I'd accidentally measured and blocked my first gauge swatch twice, instead of moving on to the second. 🧶 nimble-needles.com/tutorials/kn...

A gauge swatch knitted in 1x2 rib, in an undyed, worsted weight corriedale alpaca yarn. It's roughly 20cmx20cm.
It has five eyelets in the bottom right corner, and two purl bumps on the next rib in the same row as the eyelets, and one row up. These show the needle size used.
There are strands of yarn coming off the back, as this gauge swatch was knit in the round.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 08/01/2026

I'm doing gauge swatches for two different sweaters. Using the recommended needle sizes, both of the initial swatches are off. One I will need to size up a needle size, one down. And then swatch again. It's pretty interesting to see this happening, and it's good practice for the final sweater?

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

I finished my Whispering Whiskers Shawlette! I know I say this for everything, but it was so much fun. I learned a lot, and I already miss working on it enough that I am about to wind up my second hank of Brown Tabby yarn, 🧶, so I can start knitting another one!

A part of the Whispering Whiskers Shawlette, in Ancient Arts Yarns Little Nettle Brown Tabby, a variegated yarn in shades of brown that look just like a brown tabby cat, pinned on cardboard, with the points of the shawlette on lace blocking wires.
The shawlette is a triangle, the main triangle has lace paw prints running down and facing out from the middle. The edges are a lacey pattern of zig zags, and stockinette points that start from the lowest point of each zig zag.

A Whispering Whiskers Shawlette, in Ancient Arts Yarns Little Nettle Brown Tabby, a variegated yarn in shades of brown that look just like a brown tabby cat, pinned on cardboard, with the points of the shawlette on lace blocking wires.
The shawlette is a triangle, the main triangle has lace paw prints running down and facing out from the middle. The edges are a lacey pattern of zig zags, and stockinette points that start from the lowest point of each zig zag.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

My Gothic Lace Cowl, Chaos Purl Edition, is done! Or at least, it's off the needles, washed, and drying. I still need to weave in the ends and figure out the buttons, both size and color. This was really fun, even if I probably frogged enough to knit two cowls along the way. 🧶

A knitted lace cowl, in magenta yarn, with a series of v shapes across the cowl, lying on a piece of light brown cardboard.
The edges are slightly uneven, but it generally forms a rectangle.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Fluffy is Hungry, and needs Extra Breakfast. He's happy to work for it in the form of puzzles. I think he sees the work as a bonus. It's that time of year where his body suddenly remembers that he needs to grow a heavier coat, and that takes extra fuel.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Fluffernutter has, the last few days, requested that I hand- or spoon-feed him a few pieces of wet food (it's a dense meatloaf consistency), before he eats his breakfast, which is a mix of wet food and kibble. He's absolutely adorable, and of course he gets his breakfast appetizer.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Walter and Walternate, helping me wind yarn 🧶. Ikea sharks are endlessly helpful.

Two large Ikea sharks on a multicolored flower patterned bedspread, with a hank of magenta yarn looped and wrapped around both of them. To the left of the sharks is some ongoing knitting, in the same magenta yarn.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I was trying the maize mittens: tincanknits.com/pattern/maiz... After my first one, I realized that I'd used DPNs two sizes larger. When I checked my gauge, it was still too small! I was nervous about my knitting falling off the needles, and knit too tightly. I'll try to relax for the next one. 🧶

tincanknits.com

Maize

Learn to knit with Alexa and Emily! Maize is part of The Simple Collection - a learn to knit series with excellent free patterns and clear tutorials. From your first hat, to socks and sweaters, learn ...

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

It's a work in progress, but it has visible lace paw prints! I'm having such fun with this pattern, it's bringing me endless glee. 🧶 Pattern: Whispering Whiskers Shawlette, by Michelle Miller www.ravelry.com/patterns/lib... Yarn: Ancient Arts Yarn - Little Nettle Soft Fingering, in Brown Tabby

The beginning of a knitted triangular lace shawl, in a variegated brown fingering weight yarn that resembles the coloration of a brown tabby cat.

It is two rounds in, so there are two rows of paw prints, one on each side of the triangle on the first repeat, then two on each side of the second round.
There are removable stitch markers set in the middle yarn over increases to mark the beginning of each new round of the lace pattern.

It's still on the circular needles, and stretched out a little bit on the cable to try to show the pattern that is emerging.

The background is a light blue warming mitten set on a pale yellow flannel bedsheet patterned with white daisies with an orange center.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Having one of those days where my ambition wildly outruns my mental capacity: I somehow lost ground on the Whispering Whiskers Shawlette (www.ravelry.com/patterns/lib...), I can't even break even. So, it's time for a break. I'll get there, it just might not be today. And I'll learn a lot as I do.

ravelry.com

Whispering Whiskers One Skein Shawlette pattern by Michelle Miller

The Whispering Whiskers Shawlette One Skein Shawl features individual paw prints knit into the main body of the shawl and is knit with Baah Yarn’s La Jolla sock. The shawlette only uses 304 yards of s...

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Update on purling vs knitting the garter edges: Purling the edges seems to have given me a few extra centimeters in width at the bottom. And it's been pretty fun! (I learned how to Norwegian Purl for this!) This is unblocked, of course. We'll have to wait and see how that goes. 🧶

Two unfinished, unblocked, Gothic Lace Cowls in a magenta yarn, lying next to each other, with the garter edges at the bottom facing each other. The second, shorter of the unfinished objects is a little bit over an inch/two to three centimeters less wide at the garter edge than the first. The first is however wider at the bottom garter edge than it is through the actual pattern. The second is more even throughout.

Both are lying on a dark blue blanket.

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Isabelle @itsisabelle.bsky.social · 18/10/2025

Debating frogging my gothic lace cowl, again. I'm four pattern repeats in, so I won't be losing that much. I'm actually pretty happy with it? But I just learned how to get a more elastic garter stitch edge, and I am tempted to try purling that. 🧶 www.moderndailyknitting.com/community/as...

A magenta scarf in progress, still on the (wooden, square, circular) needles, with a garter stitch edge, and a cathedral lace pattern repeating five times across the scarf, and four times up the scarf. There are stitch markers going across to mark each repeating lace section, and going up to show the beginning of each repeat of the lace pattern.
The garter stitch border is slightly compressing the lace pattern.

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