I don’t think I want to knit tonight. But then I sit there, and I do want to knit tonight.

Yesterday, after an intense day of working from home, I was utterly exhausted. I went for a short walk—cut short by drizzle—had a lovely supper made by my husband, and then just sat. Fiddling. Not wanting to watch TV. Knowing I wanted to keep knitting, to fix that mistake. But also knowing I was too tired.

Eventually, the energy returned. I picked up my knitting. Tackled the difficult bit.

This is a really special project. I’ve hand-spun all the yarn—fingering weight, two-ply, naturally coloured wool. I’m knitting it together with silk mohair that’s so fine it feels like dust. This is for It’s Not a Sweatshirt by Knitting for Olive. I love the design. When I say simple, I don’t mean easy—but clear, refined. A pure jumper shape. Exactly right for this precious yarn, which I spun during the Sydney to Hobart race, at the turn of the year. Hours and hours of spinning.

I wanted something that would show off the beauty and depth of that yarn. That’s why I chose this pattern.

I’m a fairly experienced knitter, but I’ve found this pattern challenging—especially the yoke. I followed the instructions carefully, from my copy of the book. But still: second time around, I’d missed the right number of stitch markers. Last night, around half past eleven, I discovered that I am not alone. Many others have struggled with this same section. I’ve now learned that Danish knitting patterns don’t always detail every single step of placing markers. Ah.

When I’m ready to face a mistake—like this tricky yoke—I clear everything off my desk. I already keep it pretty sparse: bright light, bamboo tabletop, standing desk. But when it’s time to solve a problem, I go further. I remove everything. Just me, the issue, the yarn. My laptop and screen stay, but that’s it. I like the focus, the clarity. It’s funny—some parts of the creative process are all about spread and mess and gathering ideas. But when it’s time to make, I prefer the opposite. Clean. Refined. Nothing between me and the work.

So here I am. About to attempt the yoke for the third time. Testing not just my knitting, but my yarn too—undoing, ravelling, and reknitting. Again.

I hope the rest of the jumper isn’t quite so complex. I’d love to master this. And I’d really love to wear it this winter in Melbourne. My goal? To wear it at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show.

Let’s see how I go.

A Quiet Battle With the Yoke

Third Time Lucky: The Yoke That Finally Worked

Handspun Beginnings: A Quiet Jersey Project