March always does this to me.
The days start to stretch a little. The noise of the world doesn’t quiet down — but my tolerance for it changes. I find myself reaching for projects that help me slow my breathing, focus my hands, and stay where I am.
Not projects I need to finish quickly. Projects that hold me while I’m working on them. These are the ones doing that for me right now.
A Sweater That Started in Japan
Shibui Knits x Madelinetosh Tosh Silk Cloud + Tosh Pebble
This sweater started in Japan, literally.
I cast it on while traveling, in that strange headspace where you’re both overstimulated and oddly calm. New place, unfamiliar sounds, lots to take in. I needed something repetitive but special.
Silk Cloud + Pebble was perfect for that moment.
The fabric is light but intentional. You have to pay attention, but not too much. It rewards steady hands and a calm pace. I found myself knitting in hotel rooms, on trains, in quiet moments between days, and it anchored me.
This project reminds me that some yarns don’t rush you. They invite you to stay.
Socks for Doug
I always have a sock project going, but socks for someone else feel different.
These are for Doug, knit from Urth Yarns Uneek Sock Kits, and they’ve become my default “pick it up when everything feels loud” project. Sock knitting is contained. Familiar. Purposeful.
Heel turns, gussets, decreases. There’s comfort in knowing what comes next.
Knitting for someone you love is its own kind of presence. It’s quiet care. It’s time made tangible.
Baby Blankets, Everywhere
JBW Beanstalk Worsted + Scheepjes Stone Washed Squares
This quarter, we have five babies on the way across our team. Five.
So there are a lot of baby blankets happening, and honestly, it’s been one of my favorite things about this moment.
We’re using Beanstalk and Scheepjes Stonewashed for simple square blankets. Nothing fussy. Nothing precious. Just soft yarn, repeatable stitches, and the kind of knitting you can do while talking, laughing, or sitting together.
These projects are communal. They’re about care, not complexity. And they remind me that making is often about marking moments, not showing off skills.
A Sweater Dyed in Texas
Modern Daily Knitting x Madelinetosh Atlas
This one carries a lot of history.
MDK Atlas is dyed in Texas and comes from people I genuinely love and respect. Every time I work with it, I’m reminded that yarn can hold friendship, collaboration, and shared values, not just color and fiber.
This sweater has been slower. Intentionally so.
It’s a project I return to when I want to feel connected, to people, to place, to the bigger story behind what I’m making. It’s grounding in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve felt it.
Stripes That Keep Me Honest
Yarn Citizen Affinity + Trinity Cashmere
And then there’s the striped sweater: Affinity paired with Trinity Cashmere.
Stripes are sneaky. They demand consistency. They show everything. You can’t rush them, and you can’t zone out too far.
This project keeps me honest.
The yarn combination is incredibly satisfying: soft, structured, forgiving, but not sloppy. It asks for attention without punishment. It’s the kind of knitting that pulls you back into your body when your brain is racing ahead.
Why These Projects Matter Right Now
None of these projects are about novelty.
They’re about:
- Familiar motions
- Yarn that behaves well
- Stories I’m connected to
- People I care about
They’re keeping me present because they give me a reason to stay, stitch by stitch, in the moment I’m in.
And that’s something I don’t take lightly.
Making as a Way to Stay
I don’t always knit to finish something. Sometimes I knit to remember where I am. Who I’m making for. Why I started in the first place.
These projects are doing that for me right now. And I have a feeling you have a few like this, too.
