K. M. Pekar
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kmpekar.bsky.social
K. M. Pekar
@kmpekar.bsky.social
360 followers 180 following 160 posts
Professional indexer of scholarly, trade, and children’s books. Wordsmith Indexing Services.

Reader, writer, singer, spinner, knitter, aspiring birder. She/her.
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kmpekar.bsky.social
Happy Halloween!🎃
Photo of a pumpkin with a stylized cat face carved into it. The jack-o-lantern is lit from within by a candle. It sits on the weathered planks of a rustic porch or deck, with wall of grey vinyl siding behind it.
November 1, 2025 at 12:58 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Another #hat for #ShowMeYourKnits! This is a baby hat I made about 15 years ago. I sent it off to our niece today for their new baby, along with a #babyblanket I started 6 years ago and finally finished.
Photograph of a stuffed bear toy wearing a handknit baby hat. The hat is a soft spring green with a rolled brim and white hearts encircling it. The crown is topped with a knot. The bear is caramel brown with light tan paws and muzzle, and has a satin bow tied around its neck. Photograph of a handknit baby blanket in purple worsted-weight yarn. The pattern is “Tilly’s Blanket” by Auroraknit (available on Ravelry.) It has a seed stitch border; the main part of the blanket is stockinette stitch with a diamond pattern of small eyelet hearts.
October 24, 2025 at 4:41 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
It’s hat week for #ShowMeYourKnits! The collection of five hats were knit for the local women’s shelter. (I knit a lot more, but I can only upload four photos, and the other ones were all the same except for the color of the yarn.) The three single hats were gifts. #hats #handknit #knitting
Hand knit beanie in self-striping yarn in heathered shades of coral, brown, olive, and blue. The brim is about 3 inches of 2 x 2 rib; the rest of the hat is in stockinette stitch. Collection of five handknit beanies: two in variegated, shades of blue, aqua, and lavender; one in ecru; one in deep burgundy/maroon; and one in variegated shades of deep blue, slate blue, deep green, maroon, and burnt orange. The brim of each hat is about 3 inches of 2 x 2 rib; the rest of the hat is in stockinette stitch. Handknit baby cap (beanie style) in mint green. The brim is 2 x 2 rib. An inch or two above it, textured hearts in reverse stockinette stitch encircle the hat. Handknit beanie in a variegated, thick-and-thin yarn in shades of sky blue, slate blue, olive green, bright orange, and golden yellow. There are glints of gold thread in the yarn. The brim is about an inch and a half to 2 inches of 2 x 2 rib; the rest of the hat is in stockinette stitch.
October 18, 2025 at 5:34 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
This week’s #showmeyourknits prompt is “what’s on your needles?” My current projects are the “May I Borrow This Please” shawlette and the “Homestead Tweed Cardigan Vest.” (Photos are not up to date because I am recovering from yesterday’s Covid shot.) #knitting #handknit
Photo of a partially-completed handknit shawl along with a cake of yarn. The shawl pattern is “May I Borrow This Please” by Lorraine Whitman. The DK yarn is variegated in shades of eggplant and deep spruce; it was hand-dyed by Hairball Yarns. The shawl is on a set of nickel-plated circular needles with a purple cord. The photo is taken from above; the shawl and yarn lie on the weathered boards of a deck. Photo of a partially-completed handknit vest along with a ball of yarn in a wooden yarn bowl. The vest pattern is “Homestead Tweed Cardigan Vest, knit in deep green Homestead Tweed yarn from Plymouth Yarns. The vest is on a set of nickel-plated circular needles. The photo is taken from above; the vest and yarn bowl lie on the weathered boards of a deck.
September 6, 2025 at 8:45 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
More stripes for #showmeyourknits . This time, 2 scarves I knit a few years ago from my own handspun. L: multicolor scarf in moss stitch (fiber dyer unknown.) R: green scarf; fiber from Quillin Fiber Arts, pattern is One Row Handspun Scarf by S. Pearl-McPhee. #handspun #handknit #knitting
Photo of a handknit scarf in shades of blue, purple, green, and gold, knit of handspun yarn using moss stitch. The scarf lies on the gray weathered planks of a deck. The photo is taken from directly above. Photo of a hand knit scarf in shades of green and teal. I spun the Aran-weight yarn using fiber dyed by Quillin Fiber Arts, then knit the scarf following Stephanie Pearl-McPhee‘s One Row Handspun Scarf pattern.
August 19, 2025 at 1:01 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
This week’s #showmeyourknits theme is stripes.
Photo of a pair of socks, striped in shades of magenta, purple, brown, and grey. The stripes are different on each sock. The socks lie on the silvery-grey, weathered planks of a wooden deck.
August 18, 2025 at 1:04 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Fiber crafts tend to proliferate. I started as a knitter, then took up spinning. Then I bought a blending board and started blending my own batts for spinning. Here’s the latest! (Loom is a 15” Cricket from Schacht, bought used. Yarn is acrylic.)

#weaving #rigidheddle
Side view of a Schacht Cricket rigid heddle loom in a wooden stand. The loom is warped with leaf-green yarn. Three or four inches have been woven so far. Top front view of a Schacht Cricket rigid heddle loom in a wooden stand. The loom is warped with leaf-green yarn. Three or four inches have been woven so far.
August 17, 2025 at 9:46 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Finished up these socks today. They will be lovely and warm for the fall! #handknit #knitting #knitsky #socks
Photo: a pair of purple and blue handknit socks lying on the weathered boards of a deck.
August 7, 2025 at 4:37 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece, Day 20: Continuing the 2nd bobbin of the Malabrigo Nube in their “Boreal” colorway. I’m past the halfway point for this bobbin, and beginning to worry that this singles will be considerably longer than the first one.

#TourDeFleece #tourdefleece #handspun #handspinning #spinsky
Photograph of a wooden bobbin partially filled with a thin, single-ply yarn in shades of purple, blue, and deep magenta. The bobbin sits within the flyer of a spinning wheel; both bobbin and wheel are made of light beechwood. The photo is taken from directly above the bobbin, looking down towards the floor.
July 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
I haven’t only been spinning recently; I’m also doing a KAL with my local spinners and weavers guild. The pattern is “May I Borrow This Please“ (you can find it on Ravelry.)

#knitting #knitsky #handknit #shawl
In Photograph of a partially completed shawl, knit with a variegated wool in shades of deep, green and purple. The shawl is curled around a ball of yarn in the same colors, and is still on a pair of circular needles. Both shawl and yarn are lying on the weathered, silvery-gray planks of a deck. Close-up photograph of a partially completed shawl, knit with a variegated wool in shades of deep green and purple. Stitch patterns used include stockinette, garter stitch, eyelet, and chain stitch.
July 23, 2025 at 9:26 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece update, as of 7/21/2025: I finished the first bobbin of a planned three-ply and started on the second. The fiber is Malabrigo Nube in “Boreal,” and I am spinning it on my Louet Victoria travel wheel.

#tourdefleece #handspun #handspunyarn #handspinning #spinsky #teamfswg2025
Photo of a braid of merino wool carded top in shades of purple, blue, and deep magenta, next to a wooden bobbin of handspun yarn. The yarn is a single ply, very thin, and is clearly still in process because the bobbin is in the spinning wheel’s flyer. The fiber is Malabrigo Nube in the “Boreal” colorway. The spinning wheel is a Louet Victoria made from beechwood. Photo of two wooden bobbins of handspun wool yarn in shades of purple, blue, and deep magenta. The yarn on each bobbin is a single ply, very thin. The bobbin on the left is complete, and is about half full. A white female hand holds it beside the right-hand bobbin, which is about an eighth full and is still in the spinning wheel’s flyer. The fiber is Malabrigo Nube in the “Boreal” colorway. The spinning wheel is a Louet Victoria made from beechwood. Photo of a wooden spinning wheel flyer and bobbin. The bobbin holds a single, thin ply of handspun wool yarn in shades of purple, blue, and deep magenta; it is about a quarter full. The fiber used is Malabrigo Nube in the “Boreal” colorway. The spinning wheel is a Louet Victoria made from beechwood.
July 23, 2025 at 2:11 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece 2025, Day 11 (7/15.) The Rusty Truck yarn is finished as of today; I washed it yesterday and skeined it today. It came out really well. Tonight I finished the first bobbin of the Malabrigo Nube in Boreal (about 1.33 oz, if I divided the fiber evenly. 🤞)
Photo of two skeins of handspun yarn, lying diagonally across the floorboards of a wooden deck. The yarn is multicolored, in shades of teal, grey-blue, brown, olive, and mauve. The yarn is fairly thin, probably a light fingering or even heavy lace weight. Close-up photo, of portions of two skeins of handspun yarn, lying diagonally across the floorboards of a wooden deck. The yarn is multicolored, in shades of teal, grey-blue, brown, olive, and mauve. The yarn is fairly thin, probably a light fingering or even heavy lace weight. The deck boards can barely be seen around the edges of the picture. Close-up photo of a wooden bobbin, half filled with a single ply of handspun yarn in various shades of purple and deep maroon. The yarn is spun very fine. The bobbin is made of beech. It lies diagonally on a wooden table with a light maple finish.
July 16, 2025 at 2:01 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece, Day7. Almost done spinning the Flame batts as a thick-and-thin art yarn. I didn’t remember how much yellow there is in the second and third batts. I think I will ply it with red thread to emphasize the red. #tourdefleece #handspun #handspinning #teamfswg2025
Photo of yellow and red art yarn on a wooden bobbin. The yarn is thick and thick-and-thin, the yellow and red often twisting around one another, and occasionally shot with black. The two arms of the spinning wheel’s flyer can be seen on either side of the bobbin. The photo was taken from above, looking straight down at the bobbin.
July 12, 2025 at 2:32 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece 2025, Day 6: I decided to spin up some art batts I created. I have three of the batts (about 2 oz. each, I think?), and I am spinning them as a thick-and-thin yarn. I have more of the base fibers, so I can spin up a plain yarn to ply it with. #tourdefleece #teamfswg2025 #handspun
Photo of a wooden bobbin, half filled with thick-and thin art yarn in shades of red and orange with a little yellow and black. The bobbin is on a spinning wheel flyer. Held next to the bobbin is a batt of unspun fiber in the same colors, with silk threads and sparkling filaments mixed in.
July 11, 2025 at 2:36 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Yesterday—Day 5 of Tour de Fleece—I finished chain-plying the second bobbin of my “Rusty Truck” yarn. I hope to skein at least one of the bobbins tonight—and spin something for at least 15 minutes, as well. #handspun #tourdefleece #teamfswg2025 #handspinning
Photograph of two large wooden bobbins lying side-by-side on a gray wood grain Trex deck. Each bobbin is about half filled with chain-plied wool yarn in approximately fingering or sport weight. The yarn on the left-hand bobbin is in soft shades of maroon, purple, and deep brown; a lower layer of soft gray-blue can be seen along the top edge. The yarn on the right-hand bobbin is mostly various shades of teal, with some olive and that same gray-blue mixed in. The bobbins are lying diagonally to the orientation of the photograph as well as the planks of the deck.
July 10, 2025 at 7:43 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Oops, I forgot to post my Tour de Fleece progress for the last few days! I have spun at least 20-30 minutes each day. Here’s the progress on the “Rusty Truck” that I have been chain-plying, as of Day 4. #tourdefleece #teamfswg2025
Photograph of a wooden bobbin with the flyer of a spinning wheel. Both bobbin and flyer are made of honey colored wood. The yarn on the bobbin is chain-plied and appears to be a fingering or sport weight yarn, in long color runs that change from a soft grayish-blue to olive to brown. It fills about half of the bobbin. JThe photograph is taken from directly above the flyer assembly, looking straight down. It was taken by artificial light with a warm tone; an attempt was been made to correct the colors toward their natural shades.
July 10, 2025 at 4:13 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece, Day 2. I only managed about 20 minutes today, chain-plying the Rusty Truck singles that I still have not finished. Still, even 20 minutes of spinning is soothing. #tourdefleece
Photograph of a wooden bobbin with the flyer of a spinning wheel. Both bobbin and flyer are made of honey colored wood. The yarn on the bobbin is chain-plied and appears to be a fingering or sport weight yarn, in long color runs that change from a soft grayish-blue to olive to brown. The photograph is taken from directly above the flyer assembly, looking straight down. It was taken by artificial light with a warm tone; an attempt was been made to correct the colors toward their natural shades.
July 7, 2025 at 4:06 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Tour de Fleece, Day 1: Malabrigo Nube “Boreal” spun on Alanna (my Louet Victoria wheel.) (Full disclosure; I only spun about half of this yesterday; the beginning was spun before #TdF started.) I’ll be alternating between spinning projects during this #tourdefleece .
Photograph: a wooden bobbin about 1/4 filled with a handspun singles in shades of purple. The single ply is spun very fine. The bobbin rests on the silver-grey planks of a deck.
July 6, 2025 at 6:20 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Trying to hold on to some joy amid all the everything… I’ve been chain-plying this yarn to free up my spinning wheel for Tour de Fleece, and I’m pretty pleased with it. It’s not quite done; I will need another evening or two to finish it. #handspun
Photo of 2 wooden bobbins of chain-plied yarn, one on the wheel (still in progress) and the other, completed bobbin held beside it. The yarn is variegated in long segments of soft reddish-purple, teal, grey-blue, and deep brown. The spinning wheel’s flyer can just be seen surrounding the righthand bobbin; the photographer’s hand is visible supporting the lefthand (completed) bobbin.
July 5, 2025 at 4:55 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
We saw this beautiful barred owl twice on our walk yesterday! Apparently that dead tree trunk made a great place to nap; the owl was there for at least 20. This is the closest I have ever been to a wild owl; it felt like a gift in the midst of a tumultuous week. #birds #owl #birdsky
Photograph of a brown and cream, striped barred owl sitting on a dead tree trunk in the woods. The owl has turned its head to look at the photographer. The tree trunk is mostly bare of bark, riddled with holes, and leans from the bottom left to the top right of the photograph. The trees beyond are just beginning to leaf out.
April 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
Finally chain-plying the Rusty Truck singles I began spinning last summer. #spinning #handspinning #handspun
Photograph of a large wooden bobbin partially filled with handspun, woolen yarn in shades of green and brown. Although most of it is out of frame, it is just possible to tell that the bobbin is on a spinning wheel. Both bobbin and spinning wheel are made of wood the color of honey. The photograph is taken from directly above the bobbin.
March 19, 2025 at 4:40 PM
kmpekar.bsky.social
The #showmeyourknits theme this week is green. The ones on the left and right on the left were knit using my own handspun, and were both gifts to my dad (in different years.) The one in the center is Malabrigo, knit for myself. Details in alt text. #knitting #handspun
Photograph of a green “One Row Handspun Scarf” knit by the photographer in chunky yarn spun from fiber dyed by Quillin Fiber Arts. The yarn contains shades of emerald, sea-green, an olive shade, and teal-green. Pattern by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. The scarf is photographed against a background of silvery-grey deck planks. Close-up photograph of a green scarf, hand knit by the photographer in seed stitch using Malabrigo worsted yarn. The yarn is a semi-tonal in shades of spruce green. The scarf is photographed against a white background. Photograph of a green neck warmer fastened with antique silver buttons. The scarf was knit by the photographer using a chunky yarn in varying shades of green, which she had handspun and chain-plied. The ends of the scarf meet perpendicularly to form a V on the wearer’s chest; the ends are fastened together with two round, figured buttons in antiqued silver. The neck warmer is photographed against a medium brown carpet, probably in low light.
March 16, 2025 at 3:11 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
My crocuses are blooming! Can spring be far away?

In these fraught times, I try to take joy in the small things, in moments of beauty, in the inevitable return of spring.

#spring #crocus
Photograph of a clump of purple crocuses with orange stamens, pushing up through grass and dead leaves left from last autumn. The photograph is taken from directly above the flowers.
March 9, 2025 at 5:39 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
My favorite pattern (that isn’t plain 2x2 or 3x1 rib)! I’m working on a pair now.
Close-up photo of a sock knit in blue and purple yarn, using the pattern Hermione‘s Everyday Socks.
March 4, 2025 at 12:50 AM
kmpekar.bsky.social
It’s sock week for #showmeyourknitting, so here is the current pair of socks I am working on. #knitting #knitsky #handknit
Photograph shows one completed sock and one partially knit sock together with a ball of yarn. The yarn is a combination of blues and purples that create ombré stripes that fade one into another. The socks and ball of yarn lie on a white sheet with sateen stripes.
March 3, 2025 at 10:46 PM