Prayers for your talented, but hurting hands.
I've been thinking about your comment the other day about making scarves: that you go with the width you like and just go to town on the pattern. That's kind of what I'm doing in the learning process. Most the patterns I've seen recently (even in some of the links you posted) have you knit the long way, with a bunch of stitches but just a few rows along the length. I wouldn't like that, because what if I decided the length was wrong, or just changed my mind? I don't understand this.
I have made them that way, but I really prefer making them across the short way. They can be quicker, longwise, though, and some effects you can't get knitting them the other.
I guess it counts what you want it to look like.
It's my turn to take care of the church linens this month, and I am going crazy wanting to do some fancy work and replace the lavabo towels with something nicer. I haven't committed to anybody about doing this, because I don't know if my hands will gripe a lot. But I've been collecting old books and new about church linens.
My secret desire, I think, is to make a fine linen altarcloth with hand crocheted lace and cutwork and whitework.
Maybe I ought to keep working on my niece's socks for right now, instead.