#how I create knitting patterns

[mariana-oconnor]

How do you design your patterns for knitting?? They are so pretty! 😍

In Excel (or the spreadsheet program of your choice*). First I set the ratio of the cells so each cell is one stitch. Double knitting, like for the blanket is a 2:3 ratio, roughly, which means that every two stitches across is about the same length as three stitches upwards. So I set the width of each column to 0.3 cm and the height of each cell to 0.2 cm. (For contrast, standard colourwork is usually closer to a 4:5 ratio, so don't use double knitting diagrams for single knitting or vice versa)

(Weirdly, in Excel you only seem to be able to adjust in centimetres if you put the spreadsheet in print view first, so it looks like different pages, idk why. Excel sucks like that I guess.)

*Not Google Sheets, because last time I checked it doesn't allow background images. This may have changed since.

Then I put a thick black border around the limits of my pattern. For the baby blankets it's about 176 columns by 264 rows, though the width is subject to change a little based on the pattern (if I decide on a repeating border it has to be divisible by the right number), and if I change that, I might adjust the length as well because I want the blankets to be roughly square.

Once that's done, I decide on a theme and a rough idea of what I want it to look like. For my most recent blanket I knew I wanted mountains because my friends like to hike. I knew I wanted space because one of them is really into space stuff. And I knew I wanted chickens because the other has chickens that she loves.

When I know roughly what elements I want to include, I do an image search for silhouettes of that thing. This is one of the reasons I haven't made any of the patterns available, because copyright. I do transform the images I find, and some of the elements (borders, patterns) are entirely from my own mind, but there's a lot that's based off images I find. I don't specifically go searching for creative commons images because it's personal use and the only place I even show pictures of them is here on Tumblr. Like I said, I transform them, and it's personal use, so I'm pretty sure I'm clear just making my blankets for my friends, but any further might be questionable. Idk. Copyright is a thorny sort of a thing.

ANYWAY. I get a silhouette image (silhouettes because they're clearer, although one of the chickens on the latest blanket is from a photograph, but that's trickier to work with). Then I set it as the background of my Excel spreadsheet.

One interesting thing about Excel is that the zooming in and out doesn't affect the background image like it does the cells, so I zoom in or out until the image is about the size I want in relation to the size of the whole blanket. Then I colour in the cells on top of it. At first it's just the cells that are completely filled in in the image below, then it's the ones that are half filled in or more.

Once that's done, I remove the background image and I fuck around with what's left (essentially a pixel art version of the silhouette). This is the stage that takes a lot of time, because there's often a lot of tweaking to do to make it look good. Fine lines and curves are difficult, and sometimes things just need to be changed. For instance, the owl on my most recent blanket started out life as a long-eared owl and I changed it into a barn owl because that suited my aesthetic more. The mouse I adjusted the size of multiple times and the shape of the back and the ears and the nose... and the tail... to make it fit the space I wanted it in and also to make it look more mouse-like. Literally changing one cell can make a huge difference to how something looks, it's crazy.

For borders and decorative bits, I tend to just mess around with colouring in the cells in swirly patterns until I come up with a shape I like. Repeating patterns are a lot easier to do, but do require you to do maths to make sure they fit properly. This probably requires patience, but I find it strangely addictive and zen-like.

For the ivy on my last one, I used silhouettes for the leaves, then used the transform tools in excel to mirror the five or six different leaf silhouettes I had vertically and horizontally, then moved them around and connected them with twisting lines to create the impression of vines.

Once I've got all the separate pieces, I copy them all into the outline I have of the blanket and move them around (it's important to keep the originals separate, because when you move things in excel you can often copy over something and chop off an ear or a tail or half a bird).

But yeah, then I move stuff around until the layout works for me. Sometimes at this point I have to resize things, which is annoying.

Then, when I've got things roughly in place, I mess around with them some more until they look right. It's a lot of trial and error at this stage

For example, in the dragon and unicorn blanket I did, the dragon's tail was messed around with a lot at this point. I had it curling one way, then the other way. I made it really long. I made it really short. I had it end with spikes. I had it end with the spade.

As a final touch, I then add the more random details that don't need as much work, like the stars or the snowflakes, which are fairly easy to just design on the spot. I move those around as well, until I'm happy with them.

Then I start knitting.

The design does often evolve as I'm knitting. For instance, after seeing how the tension worked on the mouse in my most recent blanket, I realised that the planet was going to be stretched thin the way I had initially designed it, so I tweaked it to be fatter so it would appear more round in the finished product. Similarly I added some more leaves to the tree and moved the top branch down a bit for better framing.

That got kind of long, but I hope it helps.

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

Garland Cowl by Galzanne Knits.

Made this delightful cowl for a friend's birthday using hand-painted pure mulberry silk by Araucanía Yarns (which appears to be a thing they no longer make?? We won't talk about how long I've had this stashed). The big worsted-weight lace was a lot of fun and worked up quickly once I got my gauge issues sorted out. I'd never worked with silk before! I'm a fan. Learned a new cast on for this, and I turned my bamboo knitting needles and fingers VERY blue, but I sort of like when my crafts stain my hands--it's bright evidence that I'm Out Here Making Things, y'know?

[your-fave-is-bi]

i love how knitting patterns have super detailed and exact instructions on what to use etc etc and every time i look at one im like. what if i....didn't exactly do that? and just kinda fucked with your instructions a bit hm?

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

I'm in the middle of a knitting project right fucking now, and I'm already looking at other projects to do. I'm not even close to finishing the current project and I'm looking at like three others. It's a real problem

[astrologydray]

💖 Venus Sign = inner fashion Aesthetic

(Your Venus sign reveals your inner fashion signature — the way you dress to attract, indulge, and express beauty.)

♈ Venus in Aries = Bold Bombshell

You love statement pieces, spicy silhouettes, and fearless outfits that say “I’m here, I’m hot, let’s go.” Leather, red lips, cutouts, and sporty-chic combos are your vibe. You flirt with fire.

Don't be afraid to experiment and lead trends. You might find yourself drawn to mixing masculine and feminine elements, or even incorporating sporty elements into your outfits.

Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Alexandra Daddario, Helena Bonham Carter, Miranda Cosgrove, Valerie Bertinelli, Lupita Nyong'o, Janet Jackson, Rosa parks, Queen Latifah, Elizabeth Taylor, Shakira have a Aries Venus💗💗.

♉ Venus in Taurus = Sensual Muse

You radiate luxury and softness. Think cashmere sweaters, gold jewelry, garden tones, and linen dresses. You’re all about fabrics that feel good — your style whispers, “Touch me.”

Look for subtle, feminine floral patterns rather than overly bold or busy designs. classic, well-fitting pieces that exude effortless elegance.

Iggy Azalea, Brenda Song, Wanda Sykes, Princess Diana, Lana Del Rey, Ariana Grande, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Fergie, Jessie J, Jessica Alba all have a Taurus Venus.

♊ Venus in Gemini = Playful Trendsetter

Your look is flirty, unpredictable, and mentally stimulating. You experiment with prints, layers, and accessories. Think coquette-core meets Y2K meets chaotic-good Gen Z pop star energy.

Lightweight & Flowy Fabrics, Versatile & Adaptable Layers. Button-down shirts, cardigans, and light jackets are examples. Styles like jumpsuits, rompers, and slip dresses that are comfortable, stylish, and allow for freedom of movement. Experimentation is encouraged. Versatility is key.

Margot Robbie, Amy Schumer, Melissa McBride, Tina Fey, Vivica A. Fox, Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell, Megan Fox, Venus Williams, Cher, Sandra Bullock have a Gemini Venus💗💗.

♋ Venus in Cancer = Soft Romantic

Vintage nightgown aesthetics, moonstone jewelry, soft knits, and dreamy color palettes. You dress like a love letter. Think “I bake in lace and cry to old records” energy.

Soft and Romantic, Feminine and Nurturing, Nostalgic and Vintage-Inspired. pieces that hold special memories or have a story behind them, like family heirlooms or vintage finds.

Zendaya, Adriana Lima, Jourdan Dunn, Keke Palmer, Jennette McCurdy, Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Halle Berry, Khloé Kardashian Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen all have a Venus in cancer.

♌ Venus in Leo = Glam Queen

You embody “main character” style — bold patterns, gold accents, dramatic silhouettes, and fierce hair. You are the fashion moment. If it sparkles, you’re wearing it.

Don't shy away from attention-grabbing pieces and dramatic silhouettes. Think bold prints, unique cuts, and luxurious fabrics. Regal and Glamorous. Confident and Playful. Own Your Style. Experiment and Have Fun but Focus on How You Feel.

Zoe Saldana, Lindsay Lohan, Marie Avgeropoulos, Madonna, Angela Bassett, Selena Gomez, Amy Winehouse have a Leo Venus.

♍ Venus in Virgo = Clean Girl Classic

You’re minimal but polished. Crisp collars, neutral palettes, quiet luxury, and attention to detail. Your vibe is “effortless perfection,” and people notice how curated you are.

Classic Pieces; timeless items that can be easily mixed and matched, creating a versatile and chic wardrobe. Subtle Details garments with subtle yet sophisticated details, such as delicate embroidery, fine stitching, or a unique neckline.

Natural Tones and Muted Hues. If incorporating color, choose strategic pops that complement the overall earthy and neutral palette.

Feminine and Effortless Style. Flowy Silhouettes Comfortable Fabrics. overall appearance is always polished and put-together.

Michelle Rodriguez, Blake Lively, Mila Kunis, Vera Farmiga, Meghan Markle, Jennifer Tilly, Viola Davis, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Meagan Good and Tracee Ellis Ross all have a Virgo Venus💗💗.

♎ Venus in Libra = Chic Siren

You serve grace and balance. Think ballet flats, pastels, silk, and designer touches. You love coordinated looks, romantic cuts, and always having the perfect accessory. A walking Pinterest board.

exude sophistication and refinement without appearing overly fussy or trying too hard, creating a sense of effortless chic. have a keen eye for aesthetics and a love for beautiful things, which is reflected in their clothing choices.

Classic with a Modern Twist. Emphasis on Quality. Harmonious Color Palettes like Pastels, soft neutrals, and colors that complement their natural features are often preferred.

Hilary Duff, Emma Stone, Jada Pinkett Smith, Loretta Devine, Lea Michele, Thandie Newton, Jennifer Hudson, Ciara, Beyoncé have a Libra Venus.

♏ Venus in Scorpio = Magnetic Seductress

You dress with mystery and power. Black, burgundy, mesh, corsets, and signature scents. You make eye contact and they melt. Your fashion says, “I’m deep — and dangerous.”

Emphasis on Depth. Luxurious and Dramatic; Look for fabrics like leather, silk, velvet, lace, and heavier materials that add a touch of drama and intrigue.

Form-fitting: Styles that highlight the silhouette and curves. Gothic & Edgy. Seductive but Sophisticated. Chokers, bold belts, unique jewelry, Sleek and Bold. Smoldering and Sultry makeup; Smoky eyes, defined brows, and a classic red lip

Anne Hathaway, Taraji P. Henson, Kris Jenner, Nia Long, Christina Milian, Dakota Johnson, Milla Jovovich, Cardi b, Demi Moore, Winona Ryder, Ellen Pompeo, Halsey, Emily Deschanel, Serena Williams, Regina Hall, Ava Gardner have a Scorpio Venus💗💗.

♐ Venus in Sagittarius = Boho Jetsetter

Your look is free-spirited, colorful, and wanderlust-inspired. Think fringe, scarves, flowy skirts, or anything you could wear on a desert retreat or in a dive bar in Morocco. Prints and Patterns. Unique Silhouettes. Layering. Comfortable Fabrics like linen, cotton, wool, and straw. Sporty Influences; Athleisure or sporty-chic elements can be incorporated.

Play with Color Vibrant Hues. Balance bold colors with neutral shades like navy blue, cream, white, and black. Mix and match different styles and textures. Free-Spirited & Bohemian Versatile & Adaptable.

Bella Thorne, Olga Kurylenko, Amanda Seyfried, Nicki Minaj, Kendall Jenner, Christina Aguilera, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rachelle Lefevre, Rita Ora, Naya Rivera, Whoopi Goldberg, Regina King have a Sagittarius Venus 💗💗.

♑ Venus in Capricorn = Luxe Executive

You dress like the CEO of desire. Structured silhouettes, high-quality materials, and quiet authority. Think power suits, fine watches, and sensual minimalism. You own every room.

Neutral & Earthy Color Palette. Muted Tones. Monochrome Looks. timeless jewelry pieces like a delicate watch, simple earrings, or a gold necklace. A stylish belt can cinch the waist and add structure. Opt for well-made, structured bags in neutral colors.

Focus on Skincare: A healthy, glowing complexion is key. Minimal Makeup: A touch of mascara, a subtle lip color, and groomed brows.

Scarlett Johansson, Megan Thee Stallion, Ariel Winter, Lucy Liu, Lauren London, Sarah Paulson, Dolly Parton, Betty White, SZA, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus, Tyra Banks, Olivia Rodrigo, Cindy Crawford, Kesha have a Capricorn Venus💗💗.

♒ Venus in Aquarius = Style Rebel

You’re avant-garde, offbeat, and always ahead of the trend curve. Metallics, asymmetry, cyber-core, or thrifted pieces with a story. You flirt by being unforgettable.

Eclectic & Unconventional. Unique Accessories; Statement pieces are key. Gender-Fluid & Androgynous; styles that break away from traditional gender norms, such as unisex clothing or androgynous silhouettes. Sustainable & Ethical produced clothing.

Bold & Vibrant Color Palettes; electric blue, neon greens, and metallics. Shimmery & Iridescent fabrics.

Lauren Cohan, Ali Larter, Jenna Fischer, Kate Moss, Eva Mendes, Bridgit Mendler, Ellen DeGeneres, Paris Hilton, Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Eartha Kitt, Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Jordin Sparks, Pearl Bailey have a Aquarius Venus.

♓ Venus in Pisces = Dreamy Siren

You’re ethereal and romantic, with a fantasy flair. Think sheer fabrics, iridescent tones, celestial prints, and outfits that feel like a poem. You dress like a dream they can’t quite catch.

Flowing Silhouettes; Think flowy dresses, skirts, and blouses. lightweight fabrics like chiffon, silk, and lace. Soft and Delicate Detail; think romantic touches like lace, ruffles, embroidery, and delicate embellishments.

Soft and luxurious materials like satin, velvet, and chiffon. Pastel hues, watery colors, Iridescent Finishes. Feminine, graceful and romantic with a touch of whimsy and dreaminess.

Danai Gurira, Kourtney Kardashian, Lindy Booth, Michelle Obama, Drew Barrymore, Maya Angelou, Camila Cabello, Peyton List, Lisa Stansfield, Jazmine Sullivan, Becky G, Queen Elizabeth II have Venus in Pisces💗💗.

[margecouture]

guide to becoming unrecognizable in 3 months ✉️

𐙚 do you desire to have clear and healthy skin? what about having the perfect morning and evening routine? we all want THE glow up. doing 75 hard challenges, cutting out toxic people, deleting our social medias, finding new workout routines.. the type of glow up where even you don't recognize you. so, here's a helpful guide with tips and tricks to becoming unrecognizable in the next 3 months :

༘⋆ healthy skin starts from within -

i. eat what's good for your gut, not what tastes good to your mouth. prioritize gut health by cutting out constant grease and sugar, drink lemon water and herbal teas. include skin loving nutrients in your meals: blueberries, almonds, spinach, cucumbers. 🍋

ii. try out a healthy skin juice recipe. the ultimate juicing recipe for glowy skin includes oranges, pineapple, ginger, and carrots. green juices are amazing as well! aim to have a juice every day or every other morning. 🍊

iii. let go of stress. stress and holding in any suffocating emotions can cause the stress to show in your skin. dark eyes, breakouts, wrinkles. i recommend keeping a cozy small journal to keep around you at all times to write out any heavy emotions. not attaching and letting it go = no stress = good skin. 🍒

༘⋆ invest in yourself and personal growth -

i. pick up a new book to read. SELF HELP BOOKS ARE A MUST! reading books give you a new perspective and are always better than doom scrolling. some of the best self help books i've read that changed my life are good vibes good life by vex king, the power of positive self-talk by kim fredrickson, and your faith is your fortune by neville goddard. 📖

ii. have a soft hobby. becoming unrecognizable means changing up what you do and what you engage in. what you absorb becomes you. having a soft hobby such as painting or knitting can make you more creative. reading next to candle light or writing while having a cup of tea daily can help soften your heart and calm your emotions. pick up a new hobby to become a new you. 💌

iii. love yourself more. i am a firm believer that self-love is the key to unlocking your best self. by loving yourself, you refuse to let yourself settle for anything less from others and yourself! loving yourself more means getting rid of old patterns, doing what's best for you, setting goals and achieving them. making yourself proud. say affirmations, have slow showers, buy yourself flowers. remember that you are human and this is also your first time at life. do what makes your spirit happy!

༘⋆ "becoming the best me" routines -

i. having a morning routine is important. the perfect morning routine sets the foundation for each day. a calm morning routine can include: no screen time, pray & meditate, make the bed, skincare & brush teeth, drink water & eat breakfast, journal, and take vitamins. how you start your day sets the tone for how your day will go. 💐

ii. create a skincare routine. to become unrecognizable, include skincare practices like icing your face, practice gua sha, have hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in your products, and dry brush your skin before showering. facial products from youth to people and tatcha are the best. glowy yet healthy skin is a must and will help you feel good too. make sure to stay moisturized! 🫧

iii. before bed i will. simple night habits allow for a peaceful rest. having a before bed routine creates a smooth mind and a cozy atmosphere. create a "before bed i will" list and include habits like putting your phone away, laying out clothes for the next day, pampering yourself, and reading 1 chapter of a good book. 🌖

iv. work towards your dream body. one of the best ways to become unrecognizable is exercising! getting and being active feels amazing. do morning yoga poses, have an afternoon wall pilates session, make time for at least 45min- 1 hour at the gym, or even do at home workouts with dumbbells. 🎀

𐙚 becoming unrecognizable won't happen overnight but as long as you're consistent and persist, you'll see results sooner than later. best of luck to becoming the best you!

[subliminalghoest]

Ghost x f!reader (reader is a knitter and knits items for all the tf141 boys)

The mess hall was quiet, save for the soft clinking of cutlery against trays and the occasional murmur of conversation. You sat at your usual spot, a ball of yarn in your lap, currently working on a swatch for your next project. Knitting had always been a way to unwind, a small slice of home amidst the chaos of the barracks.

Soap sat across from you, elbows on the table as he watched your hands move. “Dunno how you do it,” he muttered, squinting at the intricate pattern forming. “Looks complicated.”

“It’s not,” you said, lips twitching. “You just don’t have the patience for it.”

Ghost, seated beside you, let out a small, amused huff. Neither of you had told the others about that time he came to your room asking you to teach him, rather unsuccessfully. You kept the mess of wool he’d created, never bothering to untangle the mess.

Price was at the end of the table, reading over a report, and Gaz was busy demolishing his second helping of whatever cake was on offer today. It was a rare moment of peace.

Until some new guy, a younger recruit, strolled in and spotted you.

He paused, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Knitting?” He let out a short laugh. “Didn’t realize we had a fucking grandma on the team. Get a life, am I right?” The patronising tone dripping like honey.

You barely reacted, too used to comments like that. But what surprised you was the way the entire table shifted.

Soap leaned forward, forearms resting against the table, a slow, wolfish grin spreading across his face. “You wanna say that again, mate?”

The recruit hesitated, glancing between them. “I mean—it’s just—” He chuckled nervously. “It’s an old person’s hobby, yeah? Didn’t think someone in this line of work would be into that kinda thing.”

Price exhaled through his nose, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe the sheer stupidity unfolding before him.

“It was just a joke, dude.” Looking around for someone who would come back him up, he shifted uncomfortably on his feet again.

Gaz wiped his mouth with a napkin, then leaned back in his chair, gesturing toward you. “Tell me, mate—what kind of hobbies do you have? Anything as useful as hers?”

The recruit blinked. “Uh…”

“Didn’t think so,” Ghost muttered, setting his mug down with a dull thunk. His voice was even, but there was an edge to it, something dangerous.

The guy’s shoulders stiffened.

And then, as if to prove a point, Soap rolled up the sleeve of his combat shirt, revealing a thick, fingerless gloves with ‘soap’ lettered across the top of both knuckles. “Made this for me last winter,” he said proudly. “Bloody lifesaver in the cold.”

Gaz grinned and tugged at his beanie. “This too. Custom made.” It did have a small Union Jack you had painstakingly knitted into the hat.

Price, without looking up from his report, casually lifted his mug. It was wrapped in a snug, knitted cozy, complete with the Task Force’s emblem on it.

The recruit’s mouth opened, then closed.

And finally, Ghost—of all people—reached into his vest and pulled out a small, neatly folded black scarf. He didn’t say a word, just let the recruit see it before tucking it away again.

Silence.

The guy swallowed. “Right. Uh—sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to us,” Price drawled, finally glancing up. “Apologize to her.”

The recruit turned to you, looking thoroughly embarrassed. “Uh. Sorry.”

You simply looked up at him, gave him a once over and nodded once before picking up your needles again. “Apology accepted.”

The table remained silent as the recruit awkwardly shuffled away.

After a beat, Soap snickered. “Bloody idiot.”

Gaz smirked. “Think he’s gonna ask for a scarf next?”

You shook your head, amused. “Doubt it.”

Ghost, still quiet, reached over and picked up the ball of yarn beside you. He turned it in his hands, gaze unreadable beneath the mask. Then, voice low, he murmured,

“Why doesn’t mine have a personal touch?”

At your confused look, he gestured to Price’s mug cosy. Your cheeks heated, you had assumed he wouldn’t want anything like that and honestly it had felt too personal of a gift to give to Ghost, too telling of your feelings towards him.

He was more important than the others to you, you’d trust him with anything, everything.

“I have a pretty obvious motif you could’ve used y’know.” His shoulder knocked into yours, careful not to jolt you too much and make you drop a stitch. “Make me another one.”

You met his eyes, warmth curling in your chest. “Yeah,” you said softly. “A balaclava this time maybe.”

His eyes lit up with something at the idea, “you wanna borrow one as reference?”

Your eyes snapped down to the balaclava he currently wore, hiding the man underneath just out of view. The hint of full lips and a strong nose. The idea of having something so integral to him, it stopped your breath in your chest.

“Ok.” You pushed the word out, nodding at him when he told you he’d get it to you later.

————————————————————————

The rec room was unusually quiet tonight, the usual rowdiness dialed down to a low murmur. A football match played on the mounted TV, a few soldiers half-watching as they lounged across mismatched chairs.

You were tucked into the corner of the couch, legs curled up beneath you, the crochet hook you were using consuming your little bubble of focus.

The balaclava was coming along well, the skull design starting to take shape. It was a labor of love, every stitch precise, carefully crafted to match the one Ghost always wore.

You were mid-row when a familiar shadow loomed over you.

“What’s this, then?”

You startled slightly, fingers tightening around the yarn as Ghost settled onto the couch beside you. He sat close—not unusual, but close enough that you could feel the heat of him even through your layers.

You shifted, subtly angling yourself away from his line of sight. “Nothing.”

Ghost hummed, clearly unimpressed. “Doesn’t look like nothin’.”

You didn’t dare look at him, keeping your eyes fixed on the crochet in your lap. “It’s a work in progress.”

A pause. Then, “That the balaclava?”

You bit your lip.

When you didn’t answer, Ghost shifted.

You barely had time to react before he dipped his head, trying to peer over your shoulder. You turned quickly, twisting the fabric away from his view.

“Ghost,” you warned.

He leaned in further, voice low with amusement. “Just wanna see.”

“You cant see,” you shot back, tucking the project behind you to shield it from view. “Not yet.”

Ghost exhaled a quiet chuckle. “Bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

“You’re the one trying to peek.”

You expected him to back off, maybe let it go—but of course, he did the opposite.

With zero hesitation, he reached out, fingers brushing over yours as he gently—not snatching, thankfully—tried to pull the item away from your grasp.

You shot your arm out, keeping the yarn out of reach, and before you could react, you lost your balance.

One moment, you were dodging him. The next, you found yourself pressed against the arm of the couch, Ghost leaning over you, one hand braced beside your shoulder with the other reaching towards the yarn you held outstretched.

You both froze.

It wasn’t that different from combat training, really. Close quarters, tangled limbs, the familiar weight of his presence pressing into your space. But this wasn’t training.

You had touched each-other before, it was familiar.

What wasn’t familiar was how it felt.

Your breathing hitched as Ghost’s gaze met yours, dark eyes dominating your vision. His fingers were still grazing your hands, barely there, but enough to send heat curling through your spine.

Your heart pounded, your skin prickling with awareness. You swore his gaze dipped—just for a second—to your lips before snapping back up.

Then, just as slowly, he eased away. “Fine, have it your way, Love”

The moment passed, dissipating like smoke, ease replacing the tension.

You sat up, straightening the yarn in your lap, fingers slightly unsteady as you smoothed out the yarn now carefully hidden behind your raised knee.

Ghost exhaled a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “All that just to keep me from seein’ something I know you’re making f’me.”

You let out a breathless laugh, shaking your head. “You started it.”

He hummed, gaze lingering for a second longer than necessary before he leaned back into the couch, settling beside you like nothing had happened.

You settled more comfortably, not bothering to hide the project any longer. If he inspected what lay in your lap, he hid it well.

Conversation passed easily between you both as you continued your rows. The warmth from him seeping into you through your legs that was pressed against his side.

The position was borderline intimate.

And neither of you minded one bit.

Prequel here

[cursedcola]

ALRIGHT EVERYONE!

Nobody asked - but I broke down the construction of Epel’s cardigan from the sleepwear card as best I was able (aka. Me zooming in on him and staring very intensely).

This is the pattern idea I’ve come up with and a few grid charts. This is not finished, but what I’m going forward with to make his coat this month. My goal is to be done by the end of June.

So. Looking close at his sleeves - the closest resemblance we’ll get in the crochet world is the honeycomb stitch for the argyle diamonds. My plan is to break his sleeve into fourths. Three large panels of honey comb for the diamonds, and two smaller panels of a curved half-double-crochet to create dividers. The cardigan is clearly oversized on him, and even if it’s because of his smaller stature - I want to be SWAMPED in this thing. So the cuffs need to be CHUNKY. I’ll be going in with either a ribbed stitch, or a back stitch of double crochet. When the time comes I’ll test both to see which looks better.

Now - we’ve got the granny squares.

Looking at my little dude - we can see that they’re not just the front panel. They’re going on the back as well. Since I can’t see behind him, I’m going to take creative liberty and make one large panel of honeycomb stitch to be a central strip on the back. The front panels and side panels are going to be made of jumbo cranny squares.

For those of y’all who don’t crochet - the average granny square is about 25x25 stitches. Except oversized cardis use 8 of these bad boys per front panel. So since Epel has only four on each side, that means those squares gotta be JUMBO.

Zooming in - we see that the patterns are more embroidered. They’ve got texture. Since we’re crocheting, the best way to achieve this is to do pixel crochet for the squares and then go over the designs with a basic embroider stitch. This can be any of your choosing - I’ve yet to pick but will note what I want when the time comes.

There are THREE types of squares on Epel’s coat. I’m just calling them blossom, diamond, and apple. Since there are only three, it would have been difficult to make an entire back with them without having two of a kind touching or diagonal from each other (this is personal preference. I hate how this looks) which is why I’ve decided to go for that middle panel of honeycomb stitch.

The rest of the cardigan seems simple enough. The collar and trim is likely a simple ribbing, and those look like classic farmhouse wooden buttons if I’ve ever seen them.

EDIT (5/6/25): So. Complete change of plan for the sleeves now that I’ve gotten some sleep and thought on it. There’s a cable-knit stitch in the crochet world that closely resembles knit cables. Also lattice stitch or Tunisian crochet can be used for the diamond pattern. So if you want simple/beginner then do the honeycomb with a twisted hdc. If you want advanced then mix the cable-stitch with lattice.

Now - let’s talk materials.

I’m going with acrylic for this. Would it be absolutely divine as wool or a nice, dense alpaca blend? Definitely. I bet that’s what Epel has since his family runs a farm.

I am broke so I’ll be going in with a medium - weight acrylic, hook size 6, and all the granny squares will be done with basic hdc. Although acrylic is a bit itchy - id any of y’all choose to do this? Soak that finished product in a fabric softener solution. It’s a few dollars and your project will lose that scratchy texture. Just don’t let it hang out in the bath too long or the fibers will loosen more than you’d like.

^^^^ This is my general eyeball for how I’ll be constructing this piece. There aren’t any measurements since I’ve get to get my yarn and do a gauge…also, I’m not too sure how oversized I want this. I want to be swamped but not weighed down so hmm…

-

I don’t know how many of y’all like to crochet or do fibre arts - but I fell in love with this coat the moment I saw it and knew it had to be mine. I’m the impatient sort, and already ordered my supplies despite telling myself to wait. Pixel crochet does take a hot minute, so I’m hoping for June but the finished product will likely be more around late-july or august. Just in time for fall and market living where I live!

I could go quicker - but uh, I work as a bridal tailor and Run my own small shop off this app. I spend most of my day sewing lol. It’s been a hot minute since I made something for me, but dang it Epel made it look so cute. I just have to.

No one’s asking, but I’ll be updating. I’m literally so excited and my package of supplies can’t get here quick enough

[freshstitches]

Bear Claws was designed to celebrate the 10th birthday of the stacked stitch technique and the Fox Paws pattern. This engaging striped colorwork project features a large scale flame stitch motif. The pattern is relatively simple, using only a few rows of shaping in combination with color to create a distinct claw motif.

The wavy colorwork in Bear Claws is created using stacked increases and decreases. There are no loops on the wrong side and the wrap is very stretchy and drapey. The fabric is light and airy, not dense like stranded colorwork and mosaic knitting. If you're new to stacked stitches, check out my playlist on YouTube. You'll have an easier time with these stitches if you've tried increases, decreases and slipped stitches.

This pattern can be recolored in many ways, the coloring page available to anyone who wants to download it. You can use any number of colors you like, as long as they have good contrast. I recommend picking a Main Color that is not too bright or flashy in comparison to the others.

Written instructions are included in the pattern alongside a visual guide called a “stitch map.”  It's not the same as a traditional chart and is meant to be used with the written pattern. The rapidly fluctuating stitch count of the stacked stitches doesn’t fit nicely into a square grid. Instead, the map uses symbols and lines that bend and flow as the rows do, as they would in a crochet chart. The primary use of the stitch map is to show how each row relates to the last and to help you find mistakes and get back on track. 

Finished Size: 14 (23.75)˝ x 82 (82)˝ / [36 (60) x 208 (208) cm] rectangular scarf including fringe.

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed DK; 191 yards (175 meters) per 50 gram skein, 50% Merino Wool, 25% Alpaca, 25% Viscose.

Pink Scarf - 5 colors and 3 repeats wide

Main Color: Peony, 3 balls

Outer Color: Zinnia, 2 balls

Inner Color 1: Pink Bliss, 1 ball

Inner Color 2: French Mustard, 1 ball

Stripe Color: Barbara, 1 ball

Brown Wrap - 7 colors and 5 repeats wide

Main Color: Ginger, 4 balls

Outer Color 1: French Mustard, 2 balls

Inner Color 1: Stone, 2 balls

Stripe Color 1: Zinnia, 1 ball

Outer Color 2: Duck Egg, 1 ball

Inner Color 2: Watery, 1 ball

Stripe Color 2: Canary, 1 ball

Needles: Size 6 (4mm) 32˝circular needles, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Gauge: 16 sts x 36 rows = 4 x 4” (10 x 10 cm) square in garter stitch.

Other Materials: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, pins, blocking wires, blocking surface.

Get the pattern on my website and on Ravelry.

From now until the end of October, take 20% off all patterns, pins, books and stickers when you use the code "FoxyBday" on Ravelry or on my website.

Video Resources:

Bear Claws Playlist

Weave in tails as you knit

General Stacked Stitch Resource Videos

Yarn for this project was provided by Rowan

[lijoue]

The MERRY Collection

I actually wasn't planning to make a Christmas set, but when I wanted to start decorating my sims' homes for the holidays, I realized I couldn't create the scene I had in mind. So I spontaneously started making this set on Dec 1st, and after a few sleepless nights, I'm really happy with how everything turned out! The swatches are mostly neutral beiges, and desaturated shades of green and red. I hope you like this collection as much as I do! ♥

Set includes:

Fireplace | 10 swatches

Gift Pile | 15 swatches

Gift Bag | 34 swatches

Rug | 12 swatches

Christmas Tree | 10 swatches

Tree Decorations | 13 swatches

Garland | 10 swatches

Stockings (knit & patterned) | 20 swatches

Frame TV | 14 swatches

Extra Details:

Base-game compatible

All new meshes! (except the rug)

I recommend grabbing my Off The Wall OMSP to help you easily place the wall objects on the fireplace.

The Christmas tree, decorations, and garland all function as lights, so you can actually adjust the colour  and intensity using the in-game light sliders. I love how this turned out since it gives you even more precise colour options! I recommend the Better Build Buy mod to access the light sliders in Build-mode, otherwise they are accessible in Live mode.

download

[skyahri]

Shock |Kakashi Hatake X Reader|

Part Two

Summary: An uninvited guest on Kakashi’s doorstep might be a little trouble, but it's worth it in the end.

Warnings: canon compliant violence, mentions of blood and death, reader is in shock, medical equipment.

Word Count: 5.2k

Masterlist Ko-fi

- - - - -

"I'm sorry, I um- I don't know why I'm here."

Out of curiosity, Kakashi cracks his front door open just a bit wider so he can get a better look at you. You're in your anbu attire, blood coating your clothes and splattered on your face. Your hands are shaking and you're shifting on your feet. You look manic- pupils blown and an unreadable expression on your face.

"It's kinda funny that I am, though, right? Knocking on your door in the middle of the night, covered in blood like a lunatic."

He peeks out into the hall, but there's no one else. No secondary footprints or chakra residuals. It's just you, like you said, covered in blood like a lunatic.

"You don't even like me and yet I still came here. I could've gone, well, anywhere else. I probably should've gone home... or the Hokage's office."

In your senseless muttering, you had gotten it right- you should've gone somewhere- anywhere- else. Why come here? While he's never been unnecessarily mean, he'd also never been kind to you, and yet here you are, waking him up at three in the morning, talking his ear off in some sort of haze.

"He'll probably want an update on my mission. He has to send a recovery team for the others, too. I think I need a medic before that, though. I hope he doesn't mind waiting."

He furrows his eyebrows at your rambling. You've always been a talker, but never like this. Never this unorganized and rushed, like your only goal was to fill the silence the night brought-

Wait.

"Recovery team?"

"It's kinda cold out don't you think? Usually, we have a few more weeks until it snows, but I think it's coming sooner this year. I've been trying to knit a blanket between missions, but I don't think I'll finish it before-"

You don't answer. You don't even acknowledge that he's said anything at all. You just keep talking. He's not sure what possessed him to do so (maybe it's his trauma responding to your off handed comment about a recovery team), but against better judgement, Kakashi sets his hand on your back and guides you inside his apartment. He locks the door before sitting you at his dining room table and searching around his cupboards for a cloth. He wets it, rings it out, and turns towards you.

"I found some really pretty yarn in Suna last year. Forest green and dandelion yellow and the most beautiful shade of blue I've ever seen. The woman who makes it gave me a pattern for an Afghan, said it's perfect for winter."

He wipes the cloth across your face, folding it over a few times to get as much blood as possible (why was there so much?) before returning to the sink to rinse it out and start again. He notices how you continue to stare straight ahead, completely unbothered by anything he's doing. Your words never falter, not even when he takes a firm hold of your face to make his task easier.

"I have four chakra natures... never really picked up lightning if I'm being honest. Did you know that? Nevermind, you're Kakashi, of course, you know that."

He tosses the rag into the sink and slowly moves to undo your weapon holster. It's light, and a quick peak in the pocket confirms that there's nothing left in there. He sets it aside, not really caring about the red puddle it's creating on the floor. He removes your gloves and kneels to untie your shoes.

"I copied that mudslide you use, by the way. It's crazy... changes the entire course of a battle in a split second. I'd say I hope you won't mind, but I know you will. You always mind when it comes to me."

He had you stand up and ushered you towards his bathroom. He turned on the faucet and tested the water to make sure it was warm. He grabbed the hem of your shirt and tapped your side, hoping that somewhere in your spaced out mind you'd get the hint and undress yourself. Lucky for him, you did, but not without falter.

"Your apartment's nice by the way. Very clean and organized and looks like someone actually lives here. All I have is a bed and a dresser. I don't have much time to appreciate anything else."

The motion was less than graceful. You used one hand to slip the tight fabric over your head and down your left arm, which stayed at your side despite the obstacle it caused. You expertly unclipped your bra and let it fall forward off your shoulders and to the ground, and had your pants and underwear there a second after. He doesn't stare, partially because he's already seen you naked before in the locker room from time to time, and partially because even in his perverted mind, he knows it's not the time.

"When I retire one day like you, I want my apartment to be just as homey. I'll be able to enjoy it since I'll be home longer than a day at a time."

He isn't too sure what to make of the current situation. He's pushing you under the showerhead, absently listening to you drone on, but all he can think about is how off-putting the whole thing is. You'd been in ops for a long time- long enough to not warrant a reaction like this after just any mission. Despite any sort of way he may have felt about you in the past, you've never been one to be affected by the carnage, a quality he's always appreciative of in his teammates. So what the Hell happened?

"My fifteenth anbu anniversary is coming up in December. Owl said he'd throw me a party, but I guess that's not happening anymore."

Your eyes fall from the wall in front of you to the drain on the ground. The water is muddy- the blood, sweat, and tears acquired from a month-long mission being washed away like nothing.

"I don't think I even like parties. I've never had one, which is why he offered in the first place. He wanted to celebrate my birthday, but I wouldn't tell him when it was. Drove him crazy."

Why is he even doing this? He must be losing it, honestly. Standing behind you, washing your hair as his clothes get completely soaked. This isn't something he's ever done, and even now, it's something he could never imagine doing for anyone else. You used to annoy the shit out of him, following him around in your youth and trying to be overly friendly when he clearly wasn't interested. If sixteen-year-old him had seen him in this moment, he'd surely have a fit.

"It's June 2nd, by the way. I don't think I've ever told anyone that. I don't even know why I told you. It's fine. You probably won't remember and even if you do, you aren't much of a gossip."

When the bulk of the debris is cleared away, he finally gets a good look at what's causing you to favor one arm. A gash curves around your shoulder blade and wraps around your torso, going all the way down to your pubic bone. It's deep and jagged, most likely from a dull kunai.

"I bet I'll get a few days off after this. Gai has been pestering me for a while now to try that new cold soba place. I think I'll go. He'll probably ask you to go, which would be nice, especially if Kurenai and Asuma come."

He hands you a soapy washcloth and watches as you diligently clean your hands. It's interesting, the way you scrub under your fingernails and between your fingers. It's probably muscle memory from years of trying to get the image of blood off your hands. He thinks, for only a moment, that maybe you aren't so different from him, you just put up a different front.

"I can't wait to have a nice meal. I'm so fucking sick of the MREs. It's a dumb thing to care about, but I think it's the smaller stuff that matters in this line of work."

He dries your hair before handing you the towel, leaving you to finish it off so he can grab you some clothes, changing his own while he's in there. Just sweats and a tee, and a pair of briefs if you'll take them. He hands you the bottoms first, withholding the top until he can get a better look at the wound.

"We were gone an extra week. My neighbor's gonna lecture me for sure this time. She always worries that I won't come back."

He thought for a moment, debating on whether or not he should outsource your injury. Honestly, even with immediate medical ninjutsu, this severe of an injury, not to mention how old it seems to be, is sure to leave a pretty nasty scar. Jostling you around to get across the village to the hospital may do more harm than good at this point in time.

"She's got three kids. All super loud, but they're really sweet. They think I'm the coolest person in the world, always saying they wanna be like me when they grow up. God, I hope they realize they should want more."

He grabs the first aid kit from the closet in the restroom and pulls up a chair next to his bed. He pushes you face down onto the mattress, your words becoming slightly muffled by his pillow. He's only ever stitched himself, and even then it was just a few here and there, not a hundred.

Your skin is soft compared to his rough hands. You seem like the kind of person to take care of yourself whenever possible, so he supposes it's not too surprising. He almost feels bad, being an accomplice to the desecration of your otherwise flawless body, but there's nothing to be done. All he can do is try and be as precise and delicate as possible and hope the wound heals nicely.

"Kumo is really nice this time of year. They don't have a lot of greenery but their flowers bloom around this time, just before the first snow falls- AH!"

It was like someone woke you up with a bucket of ice water to the face. You flinch hard when he sticks the needle through your skin. The area is tender, obviously, and the not-so-gentle tug of your flesh is enough to knock you out of your shock.

"Ah, there she is."

In the onslaught of your panic, you don't register, well, anything. You start to get up and the fact that you're half naked on his bed goes over your head. Before you can even prop yourself up onto your elbows, he's pushing your body down, large hands taking up the majority of your uninjured back.

"Relax. You're gonna fuck up the clotting if you keep squirming like that."

You lower yourself, but can't seem to loosen up at all. The blood loss and adrenaline crash are making your head spin. You feel sick and disoriented, and can't seem to to get a grip.

"Seriously, relax. Can't do what I need to if you keep freaking out."

You try to focus on his hands. They're rough from years of training, calloused, and strong as any other man would be, but the way he rubs his thumb back and forth over your spine is soft and doting. Years of unfamiliarity and pushback have left you hardly knowing him at all, but even you can tell this is his way of saying he's calm, and you should be too. Kakashi is a reasonable man, and it's safe to lower your guard around him.

When your breathing evens, he continues with the sutures as if it were nothing, emitting the same energy someone would put towards sudoku. Without the cushion of shock and adrenaline, you can feel how serious the wound really is. You push the unsettling feeling of the cool air against your exposed muscle to the back of your brain, preferring to instead lean into the warmth of his comforter. It has a more natural, woodsy, type of scent, similar to the shampoo he'd washed your hair with.

Kakashi is completely immersed in his work. He still has a ways to go, but he's rather pleased with his progress. Even spacing and perfectly taught, Rin would surely be proud.

"You're different."

He's caught off guard when you speak. If he's being honest, he assumed you'd somehow managed to fall asleep.

"Retirement has mellowed me out."

You don't respond and he doesn't bother to continue the conversation. The silence is comfortable. You hadn't talked to him in over a year, and even before that you were never on friendly terms, but the warmth in the air would lead an outsider to believe you were close.

It isn't long before he's offering you a hand and guiding you into a sitting position. He tugs a black shirt over your head and you pull your arms through, wincing at the stretch of your stitches. Your eyes go to the smear of red on your stomach, and subsequently the bedding. You absentmindedly thumb over the stain on his dark blue duvet cover.

"Don't worry about it. Just lie back down so I can finish the front."

You're too tired to argue with him, so you comply. He's leaning over you now that the injured side isn't directly facing him. His arms are warm against your skin and you have a better view of his face. Of course, he's still wearing that stupid mask, but you can easily make out the contours of his nose and lips. He's entirely focused, eyebrows pulled together and eyes fixed in front of him.

You hiss when he gets to the indent of your hip, knicking the bone. Your hand reaches to stop his, carelessly ignoring the fact that there's a needle sticking out of your skin. He looks up at you- your eyes are squeezed shut and your breathing is heavy.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"'s fine. Just need a second."

He sets the needle driver down and splays his now free hand against your midriff. He's concerned for your comfort, a quality he wasn't aware he had, but that he apparently holds for you. He isn't even sure what he's doing with all of these subtle touches and acts of affection. Yesterday, you were just an annoying girl from his past, not too unlike Gai, and now he's finding himself losing his aloofness in favor of a more intimate moment.

Your hand eventually slides down his, gripping the juncture between his thumb and forefinger, a subtle sign that you're ready, before you fold your arms above your head.

He squeezes your side and resumes his previous position. He's more careful this time, not that he wasn't before. He's done within ten minutes, finishing it off with some dressings and tugging down your his shirt. He tugs the blanket out from under you and goes to grab the spare. It's a quick swap, the dirty one getting tossed in the general vicinity of his washer and the clean one is lazily thrown over you.

He starts to say something, but shuts his mouth when he notices you sleeping. You finally look peaceful. Your lips are chapped, your hair's a mess, and you're paler than usual, but peaceful nonetheless.

He sways his head side to side to side as he contemplates his next move. He could certainly just wait it out and situate himself on the couch with a book until you woke up. Or, he could do what Kurenai would call 'the chivalrous thing to do' and continue to care for you.

With a sigh, he summons Pakkun, who appears in a puff of smoke.

"You think you can keep an eye on her while I take care of some business?"

"You got it boss."

- - - - -

Your eyes felt heavy. It took more willpower than you'd care to admit to force them open, and even more to lift your hands to rub the sleep away. The soreness that spread across your shoulder and hip quickly reminded you where you were and what had happened.

You sat up and swung your feet over the side of Kakashi’s bed, planting them on the floor and setting your face in your hands. You hear footsteps, but don't bother to look up. Your head is swimming, your stomach is in knots, and your body is fighting to not collapse.

"Dinner is almost ready if you're up to it."

"I have to give my report before I can even think of anything else-"

"No need. It's already been handled."

You lift your head to give him a confused look, and that's when you see it. He's a bit uneasy, shuffling awkwardly until he's leaning against the door frame. He won't meet your gaze and you can see his Adam's apple bob up and down.

"Handled?"

"I informed Lord Third of your return. He said not to bother with your full report until tomorrow morning at the earliest."

You turned your gaze back to the floor and sighed in relief, but the feeling didn't last as you began a rather fast paced descent into madness. You mulled over all the events of the day and couldn't help but think of all the things you should've done differently. You should've taken first watch. You should've forced an opening to send someone, or even a summoning, to get back up. You should've said no when the others wanted to camp for the night and insisted on moving forward.

But you didn't, and now the people you spent nearly every day of the past three years with paid the price, slaughtered in the blink of an eye.

While you had never been one to grow unnecessarily fond of your teammates in the past, you couldn't deny the personal affection you'd acquired for your team over the years. It was stupid to get so attached to people who signed up for a job that damn near guarantees death, but you couldn't help it. Not when Sato was convinced that the person responsible for his meal rations had it out for him by giving him all the worst options. Not when Kaito was complaining about another failed date that he definitely ruined by being, well, himself. Not when Yue always made the time to nicely braid your hair after an impromptu bath in the lake.

Especially not when they all went out of their way to ensure you that you were valued and loved.

Kakashi can't see your face, but he doesn't need to. The slight tremble of your frame and the shakiness of your breath tell him all he needs to know. Despite how uncharacteristically nice and patient he's been today, he's still not used to actually caring for people outside of just making sure they don't die. So he does the only thing he can think of and sets his heavy, uncoordinated dog paw of a hand on your head and ruffles your hair, much like he'd do for his ninken.

"Relax."

You can't help but snicker at the action. It's awkward, so much so that you can feel it radiating through his skin. Unlike him, though, you are very well versed in this area. You rub your hands down your face, drying any tears that may have fallen, and pull him closer, wrapping your arms around his waist and laying your head on his firm stomach. He tenses but doesn't make any effort to move. Eventually, you feel his rigid hold on your head loosen, his fingers grazing across your scalp and then running through your hair.

"You suck at comforting people, you know?"

"It worked in the end, didn't it?"

You can't argue with him, not after he had so easily shut down your rapid spiral. Instead, you choose to focus on the moment and can't help but notice how intimate it feels. You're no stranger to physical affection, oftentimes using it to get out of difficult or uncomfortable questions, but never before has it felt like this. It could be that you're wearing his clothes and smell like his soap, or maybe it's the way one of his hands is cupped around the back of your head and pressing you further into his abdomen, but this feeling is definitely different from anything you've experienced up until this point.

Unbeknownst to you, Kakashi is having similar thoughts. His mind is going a thousand miles a minute, trying to push away his avoidant instincts. This past year has given him the opportunity to rewire his brain to be less... guarded, and he's hardly done anything with the newfound sense of freedom. Sure, he's managed to salvage his friendships, but even that much was due to other people's persistence, and not his own doing.

Maybe, just maybe, there's something specific about you. This entire experience has been ridiculously natural. You look like you belong in his apartment, in his clothes. Talking to you doesn't feel forced and there's not that weight he usually associates with social interaction. It's almost like you belong-

"Kakashi?"

Your voice snaps him out of his thoughts. He shifts his gaze down to see you peering up at him. He gives a slight hum to acknowledge you.

"Weren't you cooking?"

Cursing himself under his breath, he pulls back, his hands sliding out of your hair and along the underside of your jaw. He quickly makes his way back into the kitchen, shutting off the stove and removing the pan from the burner. You follow after him and sit at his table. It's funny, really, the way he haphazardly moves around the kitchen like he's never touched a pan before. You shouldn't laugh at him, not after he's been so good to you, and especially because you probably wouldn't fare much better.

He set a plate in front of you and your face instantly lights up. You clap your hands together and thank him profusely for the food. It's quiet for a while. You're enjoying your first real meal in weeks and he's giving you the space to do so.

It's hard to ignore the looks he keeps sending your way. You avoid looking directly at him to preserve the bits of his face that his cupped hand doesn't cover, but you can still feel the holes burning into your skull. You know what he wants, and to be honest, you're surprised. It seems Kurenai was right with that off-handed comment a few months ago- Kakashi had become rather nosey in recent times. Or, maybe, he's always been keen to information, but due to his particular place in the ranks, he's never had to ask for it before.

Growing more uncomfortable under his gaze and sensing he won't be the one to break the ice, you take the initiative.

"Why'd you let me in?"

"I'm trying to be more receptive to people's efforts at friendship."

You nod. You were once on the receiving end of his less-than-amicable approach, and you were glad he was actually allowing people in after everything that happened in his youth.

"Why come here?"

You sigh, nervously running your hands up and down your thighs. Honestly, you hadn't been very present-minded when you knocked on his door last night. The journey back to the village was hard to recall. Even the few hours you spent awake with Kakashi earlier were blurry.

Every other time you've needed someone in the past, you've turned to Kurenai. It was easy to unwind around her. You didn't have to think about anything, just letting her force feed you snacks from a variety of vendors and drag you around to different shops.

That's not always enough, though, and even if you pretend it is, there's always a part of you that seeks out something more. Apparently, last night you had sought out that something.

"Sometimes... it's nice to be around people who understand,"

Kakashi nods. He's been on the receiving end of said behavior, and he knows exactly how exhausting it can be.

"Don't get me wrong, Kurenai and Gai are great, but... they ask so many questions. There's a big difference between regular Shinobi work and ANBU, especially with what I do, and it's just, I don't know. I just don't usually want to talk about the details."

"I get it."

Even though Kakashi is obviously curious, he doesn't pry. He really does get it. Constantly being asked if you're okay, if you wanna talk about it, being offered a shoulder to cry on- it's kind, but it gets old after a while. Especially when you're just trying to spend the limited free time you have as a person and not just an off duty shinobi.

"Can I ask you personal questions? Or are you gonna get all angsty on me?"

"Angsty? I'm not angsty,"

One pointed look from you is all it takes for him to cave.

"Yeah, yeah, just ask your damn questions."

"How's retirement?"

It's kind of complicated. He should be training genin right now, but he sank that ship before it even left the dock. Poor kids didn't even make it a day before they were right back in the academy. Or wait, could you mean personally? That's probably at least a little complicated, too. There's been a lot of change for him this past year, but that doesn't really mean much compared to others when you're practically crawling at the ripe age of twenty-four.

"I'm only asking how you've been doing, Kakashi, there's no need to fret."

He must've taken too long to answer. That's why you're filling in the blanks for him. He should feel embarrassed, but he doesn't. Your teasing tone is enough to subdue any negative connotations your interruption may have offered. Honestly, he's more so just confused as to how you knew exactly what he was thinking.

"... I have a lot of free time."

Man, you really do have to walk him through everything, huh?

"Is that a good thing?"

He shrugs and mulls over it for a moment.

"I'm used to being busy. It's just difficult to get used to. I imagine you'll have an even harder time adjusting once you retire."

"Why's that?"

"You've spent nearly your entire life in ANBU. The cool down from that is gonna be hard after it's been ingrained so deeply."

He's right about that. You'd joined at just seven years old, hadn't even been a genin a year.

"Do personal questions go both ways?"

"I don't see why not."

"Why'd they recruit you so early?"

Damn, he really went right for it. You swallowed hard. Your fingers drummed lightly on the pair of pants he'd lent you.

"It was the only way Lord Third could keep me out of root."

Oh God. Root. Kakashi knew all about Danzo and his followers, courtesy of Tenzo, of course. That place was disgusting and cruel. It was a wonder why it hadn't been shut down already.

"I'm not very smart, so I didn't stick out in the academy, but once I got onto the field and found my calling... let's just say Danzo had taken an interest in me."

Oh, Kakashi knows exactly what you're talking about. It's true. You couldn't do a henge or substitution jutsu to save you're life, but you made up for it tenfold. It's only fitting that the person dubbed 'Calamity' in bingo books be a force of nature, right? You had an abundance of chakra and raw strength that only Tsunade could parallel. All the jutsu you knew were hard hitters- mudslides, tornadoes, tsunamis- anything massive that didn't require a lot of concentration, you could pull off.

"It's fine, though. My fighting style isn't exactly useful on standard missions. Too much collateral damage."

You manage a laugh. It's a little awkward, but genuine nonetheless. Most people get a bit stiff when talking about your unorthodox recruitment, but you don't hold the same sentiment. You'd lucked out with an amazing team right off the bat. They were all men in their late teens and early twenties, eager to take you in as their little sister and raise you into a fine shinobi.

"Why’d you get recruited?"

"Me? Minato-sensei had some personal tasks for me."

"Oh yeah? Is that your mysterious way of saying you were solely recruited for baby duty?"

Now that had taken him aback.

"How did you-"

You, apparently, knew the couple very well. How that fact got past Kakashi all this time is beyond him. You told him about the first time you met Kushina- how she cried because the chest plate on your uniform was too big for little seven-year-old you. You told him about how Minato tried desperately to free you from ANBU during his reign, but couldn't find any loopholes that'd keep you away from Danzo. How they'd sometimes run into you on the street and offer to take you to dinner.

Kakashi shared his own stories of his sensei and his wife, which, in extension, got him to talk about Rin and Obito. Before either of you knew it, it'd been several hours. The last rays of sunshine had disappeared in the midst of your discussion some time ago. The pain of your injuries had dulled and were pushed to the back of your mind, buried in the new found connection.

He hadn't felt that stress-free in decades. There was no pressure when he was talking to you, even when it came to the people he lost. You were just... talking. No prying, no judging, no eggshells- just talking.

It was easy to admit that Kakashi was different from the others. The conversation had revived memories you hadn't even realized existed. This is what was lacking in all of your other encounters- depth. Screw mission details and gossip. These were the kinds of things you wanted to spend your time mulling over.

"Kakashi?"

"Hm?

You smiled at him and he swears his heart might be failing him. It's so soft and genuine, the kind of smile that soul mates share with one another.

"Thank you... for everything."

He doesn't respond. Actually, no more words are spoken between you two as you ready yourself to leave his apartment. There's a peaceful silence as you gather your belongings and head to the door.

When you're finally standing on his welcome mat, you decide that it's now or never with him. Maybe you're being a bit bold, but the Copy Nin is exclusively difficult to connect with and you aren't about to take any chances.

"When Gai inevitably invited you out to dinner-"

"I'll go."

That was surprisingly easy.

Another one of those beautiful smiles lights up your face at his response. He knows that whatever is going to come of this is sure to be troublesome, but he can't find it in himself to care.

"Good."

And just like that you're walking away.

[avatar-of-the-vast]

Interested in cool cable knitting patterns?

I've made a site where you can make your own

I learned to knit a while ago specifically to make cool braid patterns with cable knitting and I'm also a web developer

So I made this

You can make a braid and it will create a cable knitting pattern out of it

It starts with this here, you can change the size with the inputs above and when you hover over crossings you can click and it will change how it crosses (right over left, left over right, or parallel)

Every time you do it updates this pattern down here that you can follow to knit that braid

There are notes and abbreviations listed on the site for the specifics

Please tag me if you make things with this I'm so proud of it :)

[kitschycritter]

Howdy, my name is Critter. Have y'all heard of this lil thing called Craftivism? Here are 5 types of Punk/DIY Crafts I think we need to embrace, sooner rather than later!

Crochet/Knitting

Yarn and crochet/knitting supplies are relatively easy and inexpensive to get your hands on, and learning to crochet/knit is relatively easy with video tutorials. Once you learn the basics, you can create patches and clothing items that support certain causes. You can also do yarn-bombing (essentially graffiti using crochet/knitting) as a way to spread awareness about certain issues. Here are the patterns I listed above:

LGBTQ Pride Keychains

BLM Patch

Palestine Flag Heart

LGBTQ Pole Wrap

Womens March Hat

Pins

All you need is something hard and sturdy to act as the base for your pin (bottle caps work best), soda tabs + a safety pin, and some glue to secure everything. Paint or decorate them however you please. Let people know who you are and what you stand for. 

Kandi

While Kandi can be a way to express yourself and your identities, it is also a way to make community. Kandi-trading is huge in the EDM scene, and it is a huge part of why that community is so tight. You don’t need to make anything elaborate, especially to start out - just get some cheap pony beads from the dollar store, some letters, make some pretty bracelets. Keep them, trade them, give them away. 

Embroidery

Embroidery is a very fun and useful skill to develop, as you can basically put whatever you like wherever you want. Mend your socks, personalize your jacket, make some patches. Stop buying those shitty embroidered clothes from temu or shein and make your own one-of-a-kind pieces. Learning embroidery is pretty easy, just get some fabric, some thread, a needle, and go ham.

Zines

Zines are not only a way to spread awareness about certain issues, but they are a way to express yourself and talk about your personal experiences. I’ve included instructions on how to fold a zine, as well as some examples of zines. If you would like to learn more about zines & their history, I recommend @/decolonizationcoven on Tiktok. If you would like more examples of zines, check about any social media platform, but especially Pinterest. Lastly, if you would like inspiration for zines, Canva has lots of templates of zine layouts that are easy to replicate.

[knit-me-a-blanket]

When the Yarn Loses Its Spark: Coping with Burnout and Reclaiming Joy

Knitting has always been a joy for me, a safe haven if you will. It is a meditative, tactile way to unwind after a long day or express creativity in a tangible form. There’s something magical about turning a ball of yarn into a scarf, sock, sweater—or even just a swatch. But somewhere along the way, what once brought calm and joy can start to feel like... a chore. Currently, I'm working on multiple projects while also using knitting to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A lot is going on, and I have a full-time job on top of it! It's hard to maintain that spark while working towards multiple deadlines.

Yes, knitters get burned out too.

And it’s not just knitting. Any hobby, no matter how beloved, can become a source of stress if we’re not careful. Maybe you’ve taken on too many projects, agreed to knit gifts on a deadline, or compared yourself too much to other creators online. Suddenly, the peaceful act of stitching one row at a time feels more like work than pleasure.

Why Burnout Happens

Here are a few common reasons burnout creeps into creative hobbies like knitting:

Overcommitment: Saying “yes” to too many projects or requests.

Perfectionism: Feeling like everything has to be flawless or match some ideal.

Comparison: Scrolling through perfectly styled Instagram grids and wondering why your sweater looks a little... lumpy.

Monotony: Sticking to the same patterns, colors, or yarn types for too long.

Pressure to be productive: Treating your hobby like a second job rather than a source of rest.

Signs You Might Be Experiencing Knitting Burnout

You haven’t touched your needles in weeks (or months), but the guilt still lingers.

You keep buying yarn but never feel excited to use it.

You start projects and abandon them halfway through (again).

You feel like you should knit, not that you want to.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone—and more importantly, it’s okay.

How to Combat Hobby Burnout

Take a Break Without Guilt Put the needles down. Literally. You’re not failing or giving up—you’re resting. Walk away for a few days, weeks, or even months. The yarn will wait for you. Creativity can’t flourish under pressure.

Reframe the Relationship Try thinking about knitting (or any hobby) as a relationship, not a task. Relationships change over time. Maybe your needs have shifted. Maybe you need to fall in love with it again—on new terms.

Start Small Again Return to the basics: a dishcloth, a simple beanie, or even a square. No pressure. No deadline. Just stitch for the sake of stitching. Rediscover the rhythm without needing a finished product.

Switch Things Up If you’re bored, challenge yourself! Try a new technique, different yarn weight, or something completely outside your comfort zone—like tapestry knitting or making tiny knitted animals. Newness can refresh the brain.

Unfollow, Mute, or Step Back from Social Media If you’re constantly comparing your work to others, take a digital detox. You don’t owe the internet your progress photos. Knit for you.

Connect with Real People Attend a knitting group or chat with other crafters. Burnout often thrives in isolation. Talking about your frustrations and joys can make the experience feel lighter and more communal.

Give Yourself Permission to Quit That project you’re dreading finishing? Frog it. Donate it. Repurpose the yarn. Letting go can be incredibly freeing. Not everything you start has to be completed—especially if it’s draining your joy.

Knitting, like any hobby, is supposed to nourish you—not drain you. If you’re feeling burnt out, remember: the spark can return, but only if you give yourself space and grace. You don’t need to earn rest. You’re allowed to do things just because they feel good—and to stop when they don’t.

And who knows? One day soon, you may find yourself reaching for those needles, not out of obligation, but because you’re ready to create again, one stitch at a time.

[neuroprincess]

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Tyrant - Alex Cabot/Female Reader

Alex Cabot/Female Reader

Summary: Alex's apartment still has the Christmas tree up in February for a reason, a small and demanding reason.

Classification: Fluff

Warnings: None

Word count: +1200

The snowfall of the night before had covered the city streets and turned gray into white; it would be quite a sight in the early hours of the morning with the sun rising between the buildings and skyscrapers. Alex is sitting on the divan near the window, occasionally sipping the hot coffee in hand, but her observant eyes are fixed on the other side of the room, where the Christmas tree was still in all its shiny glory, full of decorations and twinkling lights... in February. The lights glowed softly, reflecting the four colors on the wooden floor and creating a neon illumination. A couple of feet away, between the attorney and the only remaining decoration of the festive season, was Margot, nestled in her baby swing, also staring at the lights, but unlike her mom, with wide, fascinated eyes.

“You know, it's the end of February...” Alex commented over her shoulder to her wife, who was sorting out a pile of blankets on the sofa “Most people have already taken down all their Christmas decorations.”

Y/N snorted and tried not to roll her eyes, after all, they were the ones who had put themselves in that situation.

“Most people don't have a little five-month-old tyrant who refuses to sleep without them and won't even let us sleep.”

As if to emphasize the point, the baby cooed softly, reaching out a chubby hand towards the largest hanging ornaments, as she has done ever since she learned to grasp. Alex shook her head in disbelief, laughing, and took a big sip of coffee before heading towards the tree.

“We really need to talk about this, sweetheart.” she said, turning to her daughter, who blinked at her innocently, giving an almost toothy smile “But not now, right, Mag?!”

“She's got you wrapped around her little finger and she knows it.” Y/N teased, placing a folded patterned blanket in the arm band and walking over to her wife “Not that I mind. It's cute.”

“She's not even six months old. How much power can she really have? I am a grown woman and very...” Alex scoffed and crouched down to stroke the strands of hair escaping from under the knitted cap "Forget about it, maybe you're right."

It all started in December, of course, just after the couple had prepared the house with care and dedication to spend their first Christmas as a family. Naturally, Alex had taken care of most of the details with safety in mind, such as battery-operated candles instead of the traditional ones, no strong scents, no heavy or pointy ornaments and even the tree didn't escape this, synthetic, without any dirt or possible bugs or possible allergies, practical and beautiful. At night, when the lights were turned on and Margot was lulled to sleep on the sofa with soft lullabies, sometimes breastfed until she fell asleep, the world was perfect and they felt lucky to have a calm and not at all demanding baby. They couldn't have imagined how wrong they were.

It was at the beginning of January that the first hint of what they would face emerged. The routine was set: a warm bath, diaper change, feeding and, finally, the delicate transition to sleep. But then, as soon as they started cleaning up after the holidays, what was supposed to be a calm night turned into a nightmare for first-time mothers. Margot, normally quiet and prone to falling asleep without resistance, squirmed restlessly in Y/N's arms while Alex organized the kitchen. Soon low grumbles became a loud, shrill cry, louder and longer than any moment before.

“What's wrong, little one?” Y/N murmured, rocking her gently, while her daughter mumbled and moved little hands between cries that left her face red and wet, eyes blinking sleepily, but not completely surrendering to rest “Do you want Mommy?”

Without much thought, she got up and walked to the living room, where she found the blonde on the way, already wiping hands and taking off the apron, with a worried look, they stared at each other without knowing exactly what to do, before they could check for colic or fever, she felt her daughter's body relax against hers. Only then did she realize that they were standing next to the Christmas tree.

“Oh, you just wanted the lights, did you?” she whispered, sighing in small relief as she felt Margot's head rest against her chest.

Alex, watching the scene with a mixture of fascination and incredulity, crossed her arms.

“So that's it?” she asked in another whisper, afraid of disturbing the sleep that had barely begun.

Her wife shrugged, trying not to smile.

“Our daughter seems to be a bit demanding and a girl of habits, she's clearly inherited that from you.”

And that's how it all began. The couple got quiet nights with a sleepy baby and a few hours of sleep for themselves as long as the tree lights kept shining, even if it meant sometimes falling asleep in the living room while they nursed the baby to sleep or even setting up a mobile crib nearby for when they were doing chores or some rare leisure time, and leaving the doors open all night so that the lights reached wherever little Cabot was. Alex tried to object a few times, suggesting alternatives such as less flashy night lights, soft sounds or putting a few Chistmas lights in the nursery, but nothing had the same effect as the extravagant, richly decorated tree. When they tried to turn it off for a whole night, Margot protested with an incessant cry that didn't end until they, defeated, got up and turned it on again.

“She's manipulating us.” Alex concluded incredulously, throwing herself on the bed, eyes half-closed with sleep, her wife lying down beside her sighing tiredly.

The blonde knows it's not true, after all, it's only a baby and as smart as she is for her age she wouldn't be capable of such a thing, she just couldn't help herself and made a joke in the midst of exhaustion and the notion that maybe they were guilty of it.

“She's only four months old, Alex.”

“Four months and knows how to get what she wants from us.”

And so the tree stood. January passed in the blink of an eye and Margot continued to be obsessed with the lights. Now, at the peak of February, Alex had completely surrendered to the absurd reality that her once plain and almost minimalist living room was still decorated as if Christmas was just around the corner. They tried to turn it off last night, thinking that the baby had finally gotten over it, but ended up dealing with a lot of crying and not being able to sleep for more than two hours.

“Maybe we should just accept that this house is now a shrine to the Christmas spirit,” joked Y/N, leaning her head on the blonde's shoulder as they smiled at their daughter, who was still staring at the tree with sleepy eyes under long lashes, mumbling, “She's so cute.”

Alex let out a resigned sigh and intertwined their fingers over her shoulder.

“I just want you to know that when she learns to talk and insists on putting up the tree and decorating the house in August, it will be your fault.”

“Whatever...” Y/N smiled and kissed the skin between Alex's shoulder and neck “As long as she keeps sleeping through the night.”

Margot let out a small sound of contentment, as if she knew her victory was assured, and yawned.

“I think Mag is ready for sleep.”

“And to let us rest, I hope.”

“Twinkle, twinkle, our little tyrant...”

taglist: @geekyandgay98 @heidss @quailbagutte @prentiss-theorem @multifandomlesbianic @storiesofsvu @evattude @tmlwattpad19

Join my taglist here ^^

[balkanradfem]

So I got incredibly lucky; one of the ladies I know is about to move, and she's looking to get rid of a lot of her stuff, so she called me up and asked me, if I wanted her old knitting supplies. And oh did I want her knitting supplies. I was at her place in 15 minutes, receiving a ful bag of various yarn and needles, and thanking her endlessly, which honestly had her a bit concerned for me. I got home, I snooped through everything, and I got, a LOT of supplies.

I divided the yarn based on fiber content; I have one smaller bag of cotton yarn, few little balls of wool, and a big bag of various acrylics; now this immediately had me in ethical peril, because if I make something out of acrylic yarn, and then I put it into the wash, it's going to leek microplastic all over the place, and I can't emotionally handle that. But if I made stuff that I never wash, it's possible that all the microplastic will just stay in the yarn, it's the wretched machine that makes it shed. So what I need is just horrible laundry habits, and I have that. What I really want is to learn how to make a hat, and if I end up making a wearable hat, I can just handwash it maybe? But even just the knowledge of making it is valuable to me.

So, I went back to learn how to knit; two years ago I made an unusable hat with messy yarn I found on the street, and using paintbrushes instead of needles. But I forgot how I've done that. So I pulled up a tutorial, and immediately I ran into several issues trying to make a practice sheet. I kept increasing the number of stitches I had, every row, and I didn't know how that was happening, and all the stitches on the end were loose and my little practice sheet was a mess. I imagined this happened to other people as well, so I looked up solutions – and found them, and then I was finally able to make a good looking little practice sheet! I made fabric and it looked nice!

That sheet was made using the knit stitch, and I needed to learn the purl stitch as well, something I've never tried before. And the purl stitch. Is a nightmare. I could not get my hands to memorize how to do it! Doing the purl-stitch practice sheet was a fight to the death between me and yarn. For every stitch I had to consciously think about every step, I couldn't do one smoothly, I had to wrestle with the yarn to death to make it happen. When it was over I felt like I gave my life for it and it had the nerve to look exactly like the knit sheet. They're the same stitch! But one is easy and the other is created in hell to torment me!

But okay, at least I knew how to purl, and could pull it off struggling and crying all the way trough. Time to knit.

I wanted to make a hat. I decided to use black yarn because there was a lot of it, and mentally prepared myself for the fact that I will make a very bad hat. I was going to follow all the instructions, and I had the stitches down, but it was going to still look very bad because it's my first, but I will learn a lot and I need to be cool with that. So with this mindset, I started.

Immediately I had to unravel the first row 5 different times due to multiple different mistakes with cast on (100 stitches!), and when I finally started the third row I realized that I forgot to co-join the edges to actually form a circle. This is where I had to go rogue. I knew then that if I were to unravel the hat one more time, it would never get done. I connected the edges belatedly, and then, another mistake presented itself.

See I was following a pattern, but the pattern specified a yarn size and circular needle size, but I never considered that having different weight of yarn and needle would affect my hat whatsoever. It was only on my 5th row that I realized my hat was way too big, like it would fit 2 heads, and at that point I'm like, oh I'm not starting over. I'm too deep in. I'm gonna reduce the amount of stitches now. Pattern is gone it's dead to me.

After 7th or 8th row I finally gave up on the purl stitch and decided to just end it in knit, because I was moving so slow, and at this point I am obsessed with the hat. I'm neglecting everything else in life in favour of obsessively knitting, my wrists hurt, my neck hurts, my both arms hurt, I want the hat to be done, I don't care how ugly it is. This is where I encountered another problem: the cable on the needles is too long for the hat, so it's tense and getting harder and harder to knit using it.

I am once again, fighting for my life against the tool I'm working with, I didn't understand why they made these needles like this and it kept getting worse until it got so tense that... part of the cable popped out. And I went OH.

The entire time... I could have pulled out a part of the cable and the hat would pleasantly sit on the rest of it, with the normal amount of tension. I felt like an idiot. But then how else was I supposed to learn this? Was I supposed to look up how to use circular needles before grabbing them? I looked at them once and said 'how hard can it be' and went on my merry way. But it could have been worse. I could have made the entire hat not realizing this was an option. At least it was just 10 rows of dumb behaviour.

I worked on the hat until 11:30pm the first day, and I got half of it done. I'm surprised by how good the knit stitch is looking; I expected to be worse at this. I wonder if it's because I had experience with weaving baskets from natural fibers, which taught me to keep continuous tension while doing it. I'm gonna finish this tomorrow and show you the results!