Making Miscellany: 10

Keeping Track

Hello friend,

Today I’ll begin with a question for you: do you use any tools of methods to keep track of your projects?

Over the years, I’ve acquired many things and tried many ways to make sense of my knitting projects. I’ve resolved to log every detail on Ravelry; tried notebooks of various sizes and shapes; experimented with the Notes function on my phone to hold details I don’t want to forget; kept tallies on patterns, both paper and PDF; and trialled all manner of row counters, from the beautiful to the very mundane.

There’s virtues to all these things, but sometimes it’s best to be honest with yourself: I never pause to make notes at the start of a project, and I also cannot for the life of me remember to click a counter of any ilk when I finish a row (this was true before children, but small people also make row counters nearly impossible to use — they are just too fun for little hands!).

So I’ve found, with trial and error, that what works best for me is keeping track, as much as I’m able, on the project itself. These days, I find myself putting as many aides-memoires as I can in a project, no matter how simple.

Take my glacially growing Sophie Shawl, a pattern as easy as they come, but one that I’ve picked up and put down for the better part of the year. A length of yarn running through the project quickly orients me every time I pick it up. Sure, I could hunt for my last increase and count garter rows, but why bother when this is so much easier? (And if you need any help getting started using a running yarn, I’ll point you to Jen Arnall-Culliford, always my first point of call for knitting how-tos; she of course has a video for it!)

My cardigan is littered with removable stitch markers to help me keep my place. (Pattern is Calix Cardigan by Orlane Sucche, yarn is De Rerum Natura Gilliatt)

For my in-progress Calix, removable stitch markers let me quickly see the last row I cabled (and also helped me track the v-neck increases, just finished.)

Beloved, in progress and on the head, knit in a long discontinued hand-dyed sportweight yarn.

And for the Beloved Bonnet I knit for Hazel this month, even though it must be my—sixth? seventh? eighth?—I find popping stitch markers between the garter border and stockinette ever so handy (even though they’re not strictly necessary or suggested by the pattern); no matter how many times I knit it, without markers, my hands often miss the transition from reverse stockinette to garter on the wrong side of the bonnet.

All of these “hacks”, in the parlance of our times, are often suggested to novice knitters, things I would have perhaps years ago proudly eschewed as unnecessary if you knew how to “read” your knitting. Now though, just as I’m happy to take the option of child’s pose over the extra vinyasa when I make it to yoga classes, I’m glad for little helps and reminders that keep my tired eyes and hands on track when I sit down for a few minutes with my knitting at the end of full days.

Of course, keeping track of where you are is a different matter to keeping notes that might help you in the future—I still have not entirely despaired of picking a method of keeping important project information, like needle size used and modifications made and sticking to it for my knitting. I was reminded how useful this is, what a gift to your future self it can be, when I pulled out my Donny pattern earlier this month to begin a second version.

I like to use these pattern storage envelopes from Patterntrace to keep my pattern pieces and instructions together. They are a decent size, and while of course you could just buy some plain envelopes, I find the invitation to include Maker’s Notes helpful, a gentle reminder as I put away the pattern pieces to record size made and any other pertinent thoughts. (I suppose this is why I find notes easier for sewing projects, as there’s a set point in my sewing workflow when I will, hopefully, make them.) As I unpacked my Donny pattern pieces and got cutting, I was thankful for the reminder to take extra care at a certain point with the facings, and for my notes on when would be best to sew in a label.

None of my notes managed to save me from turning my Donny into a messy moeibus of gingham double gauze (there’s always a new way to go wrong!) … but I’ve now righted it, and think I might reasonably hope to finish it in time for my birthday.

We’ve turned over a new meal planning leaf this month, and I have to say two changes are making a world of difference. We tend to meal plan and do a weekly shop, with meals for the week and items needed hastily scrawled on whatever loose sheet of paper is to hand. By mid-week, the list—if it even made it to the grocery and home again—is lost, and we’ve forgotten what we planned. A few weeks ago, a revolutionary thought occurred to me: we could have a dedicated meal planning/grocery list notebook (how did it take me this many years to think of it!) Keeping track in this way not means we both know where the week’s meal plan is (and it’s harder to mislay) but when we, as often happens, end up with an extra idea or two by the end of our weekly meal plan, we can just pop it on the following page for next week’s menu.

The second, even more recent change is our Riverford veg box. We’re only two weeks in, and I am loving it. The vegetables have been absolutely delicious, but I also like the ways having certain set veg coming helps our meal planning take shape. I find a blank page asking for a week of dinners daunting; having a box of veg to start with has been a lovely exercise in creative constraint (plus the Riverford recipe recommendations have been great). I’ve written here before about missing having a local farmers’ markets, and this feels like a great alternative. (And if you’re interested in a subscription, can I cheekily say here’s my referral link — if you decide to sign up, we’ll both get some money off a veg box!)

Scenes from a wet doughnut pilgrimage, with a cameo of W's new yellow Musselburgh. We ate sheltered under the overhang of the locked Swiss Chalet, which, contrary to the informational sign informing us it has been used to shelter from the weather since it was built in the 1850s, was locked up tight.

On the subject of food I miss living abroad: we recently spent a very rainy Tuesday on a pilgrimage to Holy Grounds in Preston. I love a good doughnut, and don’t come across them very often, so was eager to give these a try. I am happy to report they were absolutely delicious, with a base that was substantial and not too sweet, a perfect vessel for the seasonal flavors that graced the top. It was a lovely excuse to finally visit Avenham Park, and even though our wanders were a bit curtailed by very steady rain, the autumn colors were all the brighter for the grey day. (And if I’m honest, I’m not mad I have an excuse to return to explore more and revisit Holy Grounds, whose flavors change each month).

A pre-exhibit play in the Gruffalo’s Kitchen. It does my making mama heart proud seeing them both play in their handknits.

We’ve had a few adventures recently that have reminded us to, if not quite begin keeping track of how many are left, at least fully appreciate spontaneous weekday adventures unconstrained by school schedules. A few weeks ago we made a little trip to The Lowry to see the current (free!) Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler exhibit. I found it unexpectedly inspiring to see the quotidian notebooks Donaldson drafted her wildly popular books in, and I think we all enjoyed having a bit of time and space to really explore the exhibit before the half term hordes!

There have been many other things this month—projects finished, projects started, plans made and remade, fabric bought, plenty of daydreaming—alongside the birthdays, catch ups, a broken hand (not mine, for which I’m grateful!) and a bustle of daily life that has somehow felt a little more insistent than usual. I find myself, more nights than not, sitting down with my knitting, only to drift off with it clasped it in my hands. Still, I’m thankful for making, the continuity and connections it brings, through all the ups and downs.

I hope you are well, with a project or two that’s bringing you some joy.

xo Katherine