So many knitters I know scribble highly abbreviated project notes on scraps of paper like old envelopes or on the edges of the pattern photocopy–or worse, on the pages of the actual book.

My question is, why?

Make the Project Again

Do you think you’ll never make another project from the pattern? You might make a size large this year, but what if next year you need to make a size medium? If you highlighted or scribbled on the original while you made the large, you’re just asking to accidentally use the size-large numbers while you’re making the medium.

Use the Same Pattern Stitch Again

Maybe you decided to make the bobble with only three stitches instead of the designed four.

Wouldn’t it be nice to capture that information?

Write Down How You Solved a Problem

You spent countless hours trying to understand some oddity in a pattern. Maybe you had to frog once or twice. But eventually you figured it out. (Good for you!)

Now, did you write down exactly what you did? Did you record how your understanding of the pattern differed from the pattern’s actual wording? Did you capture your hard-won knowledge of what you had to do to make the pattern work?

Even if you never make this exact project again, a future difficulty may trigger your memories of this project, so being able to read how you solved this project’s problem can help you solve that future project’s nit.

You Did Your Own Thing Continue reading...