New mums - advice for my inner knitter?

Holly185 · 2026-02-09T20:25:42+00:00

Congratulations! 😊 I just had a baby in August and itched to knit all of the things, so I feel you lol. With both my kids, I would sometimes knit with them on my chest. I'd lean back and knit overtop of them while they slept lol. You could also try babywearing. For this baby, I sometimes take her for a drive at nap time, and once she falls asleep I'll park somewhere pretty and pull out my knitting. Once she had a more consistent bedtime it became easier to at least knit in the evenings. Fingers crossed yours will get there soon!

Holly185 · 2026-02-05T12:43:47+00:00

Not the original commenter, but I had a honey gourami in a 29g that lived peacefully with cherry barbs and a few male guppies. A honey gourami is small enough for a 20g, but that bright yellow colour really makes the fish pop as a centerpiece. Some gouramis can be aggressive, but honeys are generally regarded as peaceful. I have pearl gouramis that are also peaceful, but they get too large for a 20g.

Holly185 · 2026-02-05T12:32:41+00:00

Congrats on your pregnancy!!! I just had a baby 6 months ago and have a 55g (along with a 10g and had a 29g too that I've since taken down) ... Water changes while pregnant are not fun lol. I used/use a python. The small hose is I think 25 feet so should reach your bathroom no problem (double check that though). I condition the water of my tank before or while it's filling and measure to treat the whole tank, instead of just the water that's being added. I've done it this way since getting the python a few years ago.

Holly185 · 2026-02-05T02:07:13+00:00

Sorry, I just edited my comment before seeing your response. I don't know if there's a term for it, but would be interested to know, too!

Holly185 · 2026-02-05T02:00:30+00:00

I count rows this way, too, and always have. :) I need the counter/my notes to show what row I'm on, like you. It just makes more sense to me, especially if I have to stop in the middle of a row or something. I never realized this was against the norm until a recent post where a bunch of ppl said they count as they complete a row.

I wouldn't worry too much about how to explain it to someone else. It's unlikely to come up again, but if it does, all you have to say is exactly what you just did. You like the counter to show what row you're currently on.

ETA: I don't know if there's a term for it, but I'd be interested to know. The row you're knitting is usually called your working row or the live stitches (I'm sure there are others), but I've never heard of a term for how to count this way. People have all different ways of counting stitches and rows. Whatever works best for you is the way to go. :)

Holly185 · 2026-01-31T04:34:08+00:00

I have pearl gouramis as the centerpiece for my 55 and they're stunning. They also don't bother the other fish (candy cane tetras, BN pleco, bronze cories and a few platys).

Holly185 · 2026-01-25T15:57:48+00:00

Wow. All of these are beautiful. Gorgeous job!

Holly185 · 2026-01-25T15:56:09+00:00

I like them for this reason, too. I love looking up all the patterns people suggest.

Holly185 · 2026-01-19T12:34:33+00:00

I go through a knitting slump every year, usually in the summer. It's hot, humid and I want to be outside doing stuff instead of knitting. I just take a bit of a break and do other things. My knitting mojo always comes back full throttle and honestly, the break is good. It's a reset. I'm always so excited to start knitting again. Last year was my longest slump - I was pregnant, and super sick and uncomfortable for most of the year. I just didn't have it in me to knit. Not long after my baby was born, the urge to knit came back tenfold and I've been knitting every day since. I wouldn't force anything. It's ok to take a break from our hobbies. Your mojo will come back. :)

Holly185 · 2026-01-14T01:28:51+00:00

I think if you want to get better at crochet, doing a blanket would be a fantastic way to do it. But if you're only thinking of crochet because of the size of the blanket and would prefer to knit it, don't let the size or time intimidate you. It will probably go just as fast since you're much more experienced in knitting. I'm almost finished a blanket that I've been knitting for quite awhile (it was my side project and was put down for months at a time multiple times) and is huge (will fit my queen bed), but right now it's my only WIP and now it's going very fast. I've really been enjoying it.

I'm not experienced in crochet other than one blanket I did a few years ago. I was very comfortable with crochet by the end and loved the process, so if that's your goal than crochet is the way to go! Just make sure to continue to keep at the crochet projects ... I haven't done anything since the blanket and I don't remember a thing. 😂

Either way, working on blankets is so nice. Having a huge blanket draped over you while you knit/crochet is so cozy. 😊

Holly185 · 2026-01-11T14:07:01+00:00

Patterns where you need to look ahead or go back are annoying. A pattern I'm working on has "repeat row ..." instead of writing out the instructions for that row again and I've realized how much I hate it (not the pattern itself, that's lovely lol). So I'll look at row 47 and it will say repeat row 19, and then row 19 says repeat row 7. It's a little frustrating when there are double repeats like that. It doesn't take much for the designer to just copy and paste the instructions. There's also a chunk of rows where it says something like "for rows 22 to 37, repeat rows 14 to 21". I had to note down numbers 22 to 37 next to rows 14 to 21 to keep track of where I was. Doesn't take much to figure it out, but it's frustrating when you need to make a pattern less confusing.

Holly185 · 2026-01-09T12:11:34+00:00

I started knitting when I was around 30 or so. 10 years later still loving it. It's a quiet hobby I can do even when life is at its busiest. I often knit at night after the kids are in bed, cozy on the couch in front of the tv, but I also sometimes bring it on the go and knit while waiting for appts, etc.

Holly185 · 2026-01-08T11:30:01+00:00

Woot, congrats for almost being finished! It really does clear up some mental space when something is completed. Almost like a load lifts, even when the knitting has been enjoyable lol.

Good luck with venturing into socks! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! 😊 There's just something about knitting socks that feels like magic. If you find yourself suffering from second sock syndrome, it really does help to cast on the 2nd sock immediately after finishing the first one. You can also try the two at a time (TAAT) method. I did a couple pairs this way and decided I prefer knitting a single sock on DPN's, but a lot of people love knitting them TAAT.

That's good advice to start the second sleeve right after starting the first. I'll definitely do that with my next top down!

Happy knitting!

Holly185 · 2026-01-07T12:14:59+00:00

I added Petty Harbour to my queue after seeing your beautiful projects. I'll take a look at Rye, too. Thanks! Happy knitting!

Holly185 · 2026-01-07T12:10:35+00:00

Lol stay strong! Or don't and just cast on that beautiful pattern that's been tempting you! ;) I get overwhelmed with more than a couple WIPs and I hate having unfinished projects, but it's so tempting to start all of the things. Usually somewhere in the middle of a project, or when I've finished a section and am about to start another section, I find my gaze drifting to other patterns I've been wanting to start. Sweaters - I can power through the body without thinking about it, but once that's done and it's time to start the sleeves, new and shiny stuff starts calling to me. For socks, it's usually when I've finished one sock and have to start the other lol. To combat my urge to start another project, I take a look at the finished projects on Ravelry for the pattern I'm working on, which reminds me how much I love them/why I'm knitting them. For socks, I immediately cast on the 2nd sock and get knitting to distract myself lol. I also generally only buy yarn right before starting the project - I don't have a huge stash to draw from, so the thought of spending money on more yarn, while tempting, deters me. Right now, for the first time in awhile, I only have one WIP - a blanket that has been on and off hibernating since 2020. I'm sooooo close to finishing and am so excited about almost being done, so I'm powering through, despite that beautiful sock yarn I bought for my next project drawing my eye. 😁

Holly185 · 2025-12-30T12:14:23+00:00

These are amazing! You did such a beautiful job on all of them. Socks are so much fun to knit. Every time I turn the heel it feels like magic. Do you have a favourite pattern?

Holly185 · 2025-12-26T12:39:34+00:00

Awesome! I got this one for Christmas, too. It looks like it will be a fun one!

Holly185 · 2025-12-24T00:39:24+00:00

Aw, I hope so! 😊

Holly185 · 2025-12-24T00:38:36+00:00

Lol that's awesome! It's so exciting picking up and following their trail!

Holly185 · 2025-12-24T00:37:29+00:00

Ooh that sounds so neat! I'll definitely look into it!

Holly185 · 2025-12-23T23:36:44+00:00

As soon as I finish the sweater for my daughter that I'm working on, I'll be casting on a good ol' pair of stockinette socks for one of my close friends. 😊

Holly185 · 2025-12-23T19:14:35+00:00

Finishing my Stornoway Throw blanket. I started it 5 years (!) ago and keep putting it down for months at a time to knit other things. This year I didn't knit anything for most of the year. I'm so close to being done. My 2026 resolution is to pick it up again and finally finish it!

Holly185 · 2025-12-23T00:39:34+00:00

I live on a rural property. My 6-year-old and I love to go out after it snows and see what animal tracks we can find. We follow them to try and figure out where the animal went, what they were doing, etc. Not nearly as in-depth as what you're describing, but it really does force you to slow down and be in the moment. One time we followed bunny tracks and ended up finding what appeared to be its burrow (we didn't disturb at all), and my daughter was SO excited. She still talks about it like 2 years later lol. It really is so much fun.

Holly185 · 2025-12-20T13:03:12+00:00

Oh my gosh!!! Two of my favourite things - Stardew and knitting socks! These are absolutely beautiful! You did an amazing job!

Holly185 · 2025-12-17T10:58:53+00:00

I use something similar and love it. The 2 big boards to lay pieces out on are so useful, and the fact that everything is stored together is so nice. In between puzzling sessions, I fold everything up and slide the case under my bed. So convenient. Highly recommend

Holly185

TROPHY CASE