Thoughts
This pattern isn’t a chill project. It requires focus when it comes to knowing when to stop, wrap, and turn. Even though stitch markers have helped me, there were many times I lose track of where I was and had to frog a few short rows until I get the correct stitches. Still, this pattern shows off the flow of the mini skeins nicely. It’s a shame that I couldn’t add December’s mini skeins to the shawl since it was too long. If I had stuck with using the size 2 needles, the shawl would be a little shorter, letting me use all 11 months of mini skeins. But the size 2s were hurting my hands and I would rather knit in comfort than knit in pain and risk hating the project. At least I figured out how to add extra columns after knitting a couple of petal rows.

February
After seeing Srapalmateer‘s project, I was curious on how a finished project with a year’s mini skeins would look. Now that I’ve got the whole 2021 mini skeins in hand, I might as well find out.

I started it with the last mini skein from December’s bundle for the border. Then I switched to January’s mini skeins for the petals. Each row of petals is mini skein. So far with the Oriana, it seems like I use about 10-12 grams per mini skeins as I complete a row of petals.

March
Before touching February’s mini skeins, I noticed that my hands were hurting after using the Size 2.75 needles. So I reknitted this with Size 3 needles, which doesn’t hurt at all. I casted on with January’s mini skein instead of December’s. The shawl is a little wider and a row used 2 more grams of the mini skein. So I’d have 8 grams leftover.

I wondered if it was possible to add a fifth column of leaves to the shawl, making it wider. I was worried about March’s bundle being Ester, the shortest yardage of the mini skein group. After completing a row with the first March mini skein, I had 7 grams leftover. I felt confident that I would have enough to knit 5 leaves with Ester. I managed to knit a new column of leaves next to the fourth column, having 5-6 grams leftover with Oriana skeins.

June
I’m halfway finished with this shawl. There were a few times when I wondered if I accidentally switched the order of mini skeins. First time was April’s first mini skein looking out of place with March’s last mini skein. Second time was May’s and June’s mini skeins looking a little out of order. But I ignored it and continued knitting on.

October
After adding October’s mini skeins, I tried on the shawl and noticed that it was long enough to reach my knees. Once again, I couldn’t add December’s mini skeins to an epic project. But I took a risk adding November’s mini skeins. I was worried that with how the shawl would grow while blocking and feared needing to frog November’s mini skeins. In the end, the shawl almost reached my ankles. I’ll have to wrap the shawl around my neck or body to avoid it touching the ground.

After this project, I have 1,294 yards of mini skeins remaining, as well as a full skein of December’s mini skeins. What will be my scrap mini skein project?

Grams Remaining (1,294 yards remaining)
January Oriana: 26g
February Oriana: 30g
March Ester: 22g
April Celeste: 43g
May Ester: 17g
June Ester: 21g
July Oriana: 23g
September Celeste: 21g?!?! (Probably Ester)
October Celeste: 45g
November Celeste: 46g

Oriana: 14-15g used, 5-6g leftover
Ester: 15-17g used, 3-5g leftover
Celeste: 11-11g used, 8-9g leftover