Switchbacks, Stitches, and My First Cardigan
I thought knitting a cardigan as a beginner was a perfectly reasonable idea. Armed with confidence, YouTube tutorials, and a healthy disregard for my actual skill level, I tackled the Lakes Cardigan by Ozetta. Along the way, I encountered saddle shoulders, picked-up stitches, lace-weight yarn, and more than a few knitting switchbacks. This is the story of how persistence, patience, and perhaps a slightly unreasonable amount of confidence helped me reach the summit: a finished cardigan.
Mohair: The Fiber That Seduced Me
Who would have thought mohair would be the fiber to seduce me?
A beautiful reddish-brown shade from Sonder Yarn Co. and a free lace pattern convinced my overly ambitious self that knitting with three strands of mohair was a perfectly reasonable idea.
It wasn't.
Fortunately, I later discovered the Cumulus Blouse O-neck by PetiteKnit: two strands of mohair, simple stockinette, and no lace-induced panic.
Sometimes the secret to knitting success isn't finding the perfect yarn. It's finding a pattern that matches your skill level instead of your imagination.
Knitting Through Grief
After losing my husband, I filled my days with work, parenting, and endless to-do lists. My mind rarely stopped racing, constantly generating new worries and worst-case scenarios. Then I found knitting. What began as a hobby became a refuge—a place where grief softened, anxious thoughts quieted, and I learned to be present again. This is the story of how knitting helped me navigate an unplanned life, one stitch at a time.