Sweet Sunday, Mitt-vember Edition

Yes, this is posted on Monday.  I fell asleep.  I was sure I was going to return to the post and write more.  Then I forgot about it.  *shrug*   I'm sure the NaBloPoMoPoPo will get me for such an egregious move.  

My niece has her mittens!  I managed to get them to her this weekend as I had planned.  They are a little big for her, though not as big as they appear in this picture, and they should work for next winter, too.  My sister has Disney+ and has been watching Home Alone and now she is inspired to get mitten clips for the kids.  I much prefer that plan to the one where I knit eleventy feet of i-cord to attach to them.  They might never have gotten their mittens if I had made that part of the projects.  It feels good to have these done.   

  

Thumbless Thursday

I'm making good progress on my niece's mittens.  She, amongst many others, can never know that it is possible for me to knit a pair of mittens this quickly.  Now, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself, as I have been known to let a pair of mittens sit thumbless for a year or more.  That being said, I hope to be able to give these to her this weekend.  

I'm not sure if I'm going to try to power through and work the thumbs tonight.  Knitting these has been good for directing my focus, but maybe not so great for winding down before bed.  Eh, we'll see.   

Post-Parade Mitten Modeling

Some time ago, my nephew asked me if mittens were only for grown-ups.  He's so sweet.  It was a completely innocent question.  You know I had to knit some for him.  He requested light blue and dark blue with snowflakes.  I then proceeded to take forever to complete them.  He asked about them from time to time.  Finally, I finished and gave them to him on Monday, just before the weather turned cold.  I saw him tonight, and he showed me that he still has them and has been wearing them.  I consider that a success.  

My niece believes that I have already knit a pair for her.  I said that I wasn't sure if I ever finished them.  She started describing what she thinks they look like.  I told her that I thought they were different than that, and then gave a vague description of the pair I started the other day for her.  I might need to be faster with them.

eta:  it helps if I click the publish button, eh?   

Knitting Through It

Sometimes the challenges of life feel overwhelming.  There are different ways to address those feelings.  In some instances, I just choose one task and start chipping away at it.  Other times, I look for the smallest, simplest tasks not yet done and start completing them, crossing them off the list as I go.  Making progress and accomplishing things helps. 

Then there are the times where the overwhelming feelings come from things outside of my control.  At those times, I check again and see if there is something I can do to address the situation, and if there is, I do it.  After that, whether I'm still feeling overwhelmed or not, it could be time to step back from the situation and stop spinning my wheels, to stop adding energy to those feelings.  Sometimes watching television or movies helps me focus on something else.  Other times, I pick up the needles and put my attention there.  That's what I decided to do today.  We'll see where it takes me.     

Unfinished Friday

The good news is that I finished the thumbs.  The bad news is that I need to rip and extend the tops of the mittens.  I was concerned that they were too short, and now I know that's a fact.  While I am not thrilled with ripping back, at least I hadn't woven in ends already, so that makes the process simpler.  Score one for the time that leaving the ends undone was a good idea, eh?  The additional knitting is not tough to do, and there won't be much of it.  I just want to get these done quickly because it is getting much colder this weekend.  

In other unfinished news, another round trying of getting September's storm damage repaired has begun.  We have the roof, and that is good.  What we don't have repaired is the gutter/soffit/fascia/whateverelsetheycallit that came down during the storm, blocking most of the garage.  You know, the reason we called in the repair people.  The folks that signed on to do the work want us to pay someone else to do this portion of the job.  They say that they cannot complete this portion of the repairs for what they are being paid.  They say they are willing to refund us a sum that I suspect is likely inadequate to hire someone else to complete the repairs.  We're trying to take a moment to catch our breath and then move forward, but it isn't easy.  It seems like this company is not doing right, and that doesn't feel good.       

So Close

I'm closing in on completing my nephew's mittens.  I need to close the thumb on one, work the thumb on the other, and then it's just the finishing work.  Ideally, I'd like to have them done by this weekend, and that is a realistic timeframe.  I just need to sit down and do it.  There are a few other things grabbing at my time and attention right now, but I think it might be good for me to get these done.  Being able to cross something off the list feels nice, and it can inspire me to keep going to get other things done.  Besides, c'mon, this is a pair of children's mittens worked in worsted weight yarn.  I can do this.     

Mitt-vember Strikes Back

There are mittens I am avoiding, and I'm going to try to make myself finish those, but that's not what we're talking about today.  Today, we get to see a pair of mittens I finally finished.  The knitting was done quite some time back, but still, they languished in a state of almost.  Colorwork pieces might look fine before their bath, but a nice soak really does wonders.  

Back in January of 2016, I was trying to choose colors and tweeted out a picture of two yarn colors.  A lot has happened since then, but now they're done, and I'm really pleased with them.  They're also so nice, that I feel like I'm just going to look at them and never wear them.  It seems a shame to let something that I put so much work into just sit there, but I also don't want them to get dirty or worn out either.  I'm sure I'll figure out something, but for now, I'll just admire my work.       

I Suppose it Depends on What You Think

By that, I mean embroidering on the thumbs of a mitten is either more difficult or exactly as difficult as you think.  Although in the end, it was totally worth it.  I say that not because I did such a great job with it, but because the little bird looked like an ugly blob without the embroidered details.  Now, it kind of reminds me of a lumpy version that jerk chickenhawk in the cartoons, so, improvement?   

Anyway let us go back in time to the knitting days of yore.  The pattern:  Bird in Hand by Kate Gilbert, the knitwear designer who spread TheClap to so many.  I admired it and considered getting the pattern and knitting a pair, but I did not.  Fast-forward, and a different Pattern Fairy sent it to me.  Then I began knitting these, and then they sat.  I cannot account for my time.  I did not document.  Life, the world, and just generally being me, m'kay?  

For the yarn, I chose this color combination.  It is somewhat similar to the only pair of gloves I've ever knit.  That's right, I already knew that the colorwork would not be very clear and I did it anyway.  Not only that, I mixed alpaca and wool yarns.  I love how soft alpaca is, but it is kind of dead in comparison to wool's liveliness.  So, that's going to be an enjoyable and winning combination for knitting colorwork, yeah? 

I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that I'm finished making these.  For a pair of mittens I like so well, I sound really negative, eh?  These are really nice, warm mittens.  The softness of all those alpaca floats is very nice, and adds to the wearing experience.  Also, there is a small bird on each thumb!     

           

Two Thumbs Down, Two Thumbs Up, Nothing to See Here

With the completion of the first pair of mittens, I've decided to work on the thumbs for the other long-unfinished pair.  Hey, at least this time all of the components are already together.  Since I haven't finished them and I already gave you an unimpressive picture of soaking mittens yesterday, I'll spare you the progress shot.  I will tell you the major part that holds me up when it comes to finishing these (and almost any, but mostly colorwork) mittens--picking up the stitches for the thumbs.  I don't know why I get such a mental block about it, but I do.  I mean, the thumb is such a small amount of knitting, but transferring the live stitches from waste yarn to needles (confession:  that's as far as I've gotten on the next mitten) and then picking up the rest of the stitches drains away my will to live, and we all know that is a constantly dwindling resource on my best days.  Oh, well, I'll get through it.  Until then, here's a picture of a tiny figurine the son gave me.  I think it was a gift he received in Japan but does not want.  That's fine--I love it!        

A Mitt-Vember Miracle

There I was, innocently popping over to Ravelry, where someone had shared a gorgeous hat (and mitten) pattern.  I instantly adored it but tried to talk myself out of it by saying that it wouldn't fit my big head.  Besides, my unfinished mittens were right when they objected from their bags.  So, I backed away from the pattern (Confession:  I left the tab open) and moved on with my day.  Then I decided to do a bit of thumb wrestling.  Yep, it was time.  

Imagine my surprise when I opened the bag and found only the needles and one mitten and none of the yarn for finishing it.  Now why I had bagged up only one of the mittens and not the other and the yarn is a mystery to me.  The good news is that the location of the other unfinished mitten and yarn did not remain a mystery.  The even better news is that I finished them.  The bad news is that you only get this non-photogenic picture of them soaking.  

p.s.  Even more good news?  The pattern fairy sent me a gift of the hat and mitten set!    

Three

 
You know how it goes.  Your brother vacations in Iceland, he brings you back some yarn, and then he notes with surprise that those are his colors.  Well, I did have a ridiculous idea to make something for everyone for Christmas.  Something about an Icelandic cat of legend, but before I was working the decreases on the first hat, I was over that.  

Anyway, I used the charts from the North Iceland Mittens pattern in Folk Mittens and made this hat for my brother and gave it to him for his birthday today.  It fits, and it even matched the outfit he was wearing.  He declared that it would be the hat to accompany him on his journey to Maine this week.

   

Done and Just Begun

 


I finally finished my mittens, and then the hot returned.  It really is not so bad.  Perhaps the only reason I think that is because I have these wonderful new mittens.  I do love them, and it has only been a bit over a year since I started them.  The pattern is Sea Mineral Mittens by SpillyJane.  I changed the thumb because I think they are more comfortable this way.  While the way they are done in the pattern (peasant thumb) is just so very matchy-matchy, I think I did well enough with the gusseted thumb.  Now I just have to wait until I can wear them.  

With the mittens done, it was time to dive into the stash.  I was looking for yarn for some future knits, but more about that another day.  At one point, I was going through the lace bin, and removed the handspun yarn so it could live with its own kind.  Side note:  I have a good bit of handspun at this point, and I am considering a NoMillSpunNovember.  Anyway, I found some more lace in other bins, and the next thing I knew, I had trouble getting the lid on the lace bin.  If that is not a sign to cast on for new lace, please don't tell me.  

Augh!  The Color is Totally Off!

I decided to knit Bauble from Knitty (First Fall 2012).  It is a pattern that I liked when I first saw it, but it was not a good time for me to knit it.  I think it is an ideal pattern for me right now.  I have the full bin situation, I have been knitting (almost finished) socks with twisted and traveling stitches and so does this shawl, this Malabrigo lace yarn is so pretty and soft, and it has been too long since I have had lace on the needles.  I have already made it through the foundation charts and am on to the main ones, and am quite enjoying the knit.                   

All Thumbs

While I started these mittens over a year ago, it is only now that I am getting ready to finish them, and I am so close and yet so far. I really do not remember why I set them aside. I picked them up the other day and breezed my way to the tip of the second mitten and feel like tossing them back in a yarn bin, but I will not. I will weave in ends and knit the thumbs. Then it is only a dunk in the bath, the drying, and I will have new mittens. I can do this, and I will.

It is just that I have been a bit unsettled with my knitting lately. That can be a perfect opportunity to attend to the odd piece left unfinished. It is a good time to just knit without thinking about what I want to knit and just follow along and form stitch after stitch after stitch. When I do not feel like knitting, there are plenty of ends waiting to be woven in and snipped. While I am feeling a bit meh, I am going to use it to make my way through something I might otherwise set aside in pursuit of more exciting knitting. Then, when I cannot stand it, I will paint my nails and bask in the luxuriousness of forced idleness while I wait for them to dry.  

Take Two Tuesday

Seeing as this week's weather has already given us back-to-back <90F temperatures, (we'll not speak of the rest of the week) it seems like the time is right to knit mittens. I have been contemplating colorwork lately, and this is the perfect excuse to play. As I was going through my books the other day, I found several motifs that I would like to put together into mittens of my own (for lack of a better word) design. I don't know that I will ever get around to it, so for now I am knitting from a pattern.

It is already take two for this pair of mittens, as I did not like the way the colors were working together. You can see how some were just blending into the background, so I had to rip. I am not sure whether I like the re-start, but since I am having difficulty liking anything right now, I am going to keep going. The pattern is Sea Mineral Mittens from SpillyJane. I am changing the thumb because, although it is very attractive in this design, the peasant thumb is a bit uncomfortable for me.

Tomorrow includes time in the car and in the waiting room, so I would like to have my knitting settled and ready. I figure that if I can make it through the cuff and the gusset and place the thumb stitches on waste yarn, I will be set.

Bright Enough for You?

As I had been feeling the need for some colorwork, and Helen let me know of a need for mittens, I did not need more prodding to cast on for this pair. I chose bright colors and a fun pattern (pattern six, for those of you wondering--creative names, yes?) from Mostly Mittens by Charlene Schurch. I found my rhythm quickly and was soon through the thumb gusset on the first mitten. Then, I lost the love. I began to think that the mitten was too large. I wanted to be able to contribute, but did not want to start over. My mind began to wander, and I thought about charity knitting; the importance of quality work that meets the needs of the group receiving the knits.

Then I began to think about Caps for a Cure. I have been knitting along with them for a few years, and do a little bit of moderating work on the Yahoo list. We really do have a great group. We change centers every two to three months. Each round is sponsored by a member who has personal contact with the treatment center, assuring that the caps are going where they are needed and wanted, and learning about any special requests or requirements. For example, some places love the fun fur hats and cannot get enough of them. Other centers note that caps made in the colors of local sports teams are particularly popular. This orange Hermione Hearts Ron cap was perfect for our last round, which went to the University of Tennessee.

Anyway, I knew that the mittens were nice, and I decided to keep knitting them. If they were not the right size for this donation drive, I would figure out what to do with them later. I thought about a relative who has tiny, cold hands, long winters, and could do with something bright in her life, so that was a possibility. When I finished the first mitten and I still was not sure, I looked for a volunteer. I used both a niece and a nephew to check for sizing, and it turns out that I was wrong. The fit was good, so I did not delay in casting on for the second.

They are a cute pair of mittens, are very warm, and might be bright enough so that neither one goes missing.

Not Feeling It

The head of the puppet benefited from a rip and re-knit. Now it sits and waits. I am just not feeling it, and for finishing work on projects likes these, concentration and desire are requirements. They take much fiddling and fussing, and are totally worth the effort, but when the heart is not in it, setting the piece aside is best.

Since it was a no-go with Sini, I began a pair of mittens. I chose bright colors, and a fun, yet not terribly complicated pattern. I made it through the cuff, completed the thumb gusset plus a bit more, and now I feel like ripping out everything and tossing it back in the stash. Since I know the mitten looks fine, and that part of it is that I am off my game, I have not done anything just yet. However, it only has another day or so to go, as I do not want another thing to linger on the needles just waiting.

The upside of the meh has yet to reveal itself. Perhaps I will catch up on household chores, or maybe I will exercise more. Either of those would be fabulous. I could possibly finish reading a book or two, and that would be good, too. Ah, the options spread out before me in waves, or perhaps that is just sleepiness finally settling in on me.

Fairy Tale Mittens

Spring is likely to be here at any moment. In fact, it could sproing right past us all and directly into summer. How did I reach this conclusion? I finished my mittens. This has been a difficult winter for many, and for them, I should have completed these weeks ago. However, there are those of us who feel a little less-than joyous about Spring, and waiting until August seems like a better time to finish. It has been an awesome responsibility and enormous pressure, and the closer I got to the end, the more the obstacles popped up around me.

When we last left the mittens, they were finished except for thumbs. Then, they needed to wait while I did not medal in the Ravelympics with the giant lace. At my next knitting opportunity, I brought the pair back out, and spent most of my time socializing. It was important. Then the needle disappeared. As in, I am holding it to slip the stitches from the waste yarn, and the needle is gone. I cannot find it anywhere. It is not in my hair, around my neck, in my knitting bag, on the floor, in my knitting already, in the book, under the chair cushion, tangled in the yarn, or shoved between the pattern and the notebook. I looked up, down, all around, and even enlisted the aid of a fellow knitter. I crawled around on the floor once again, lifted the flap of the chair, reached into its scary coils and swiveling parts, grabbed what felt like it could be the needle, and coaxed it out carefully. I thought that I was either breaking the chair, or destroying my needle. It felt like it was going to be a bad outcome, but I was wrong. I retrieved the needle, and it was fine. Then I managed not quite two rounds on the thumb before the coffee shop closed. I figured I would finish the pair before bedtime. I made it as far as the end of the thumb, and my eyes and hands were too tired to kitchener.

The next day, we are about to head out the door, and I figure that the bright sunshine would be a perfect time to complete the first mitten and get a nice start on thumb of the second. We make our way to the interstate, and I reach into the knitting bag and cannot find my tapestry needle. If only it were in a cute purple pouch with other knitting notions. Oh, wait--it was! I just did not see it at the time, and ended up leaning my seat back and closing my eyes for a bit. I discovered that it had been there all along when I was getting things out of the bag to sit and knit for the evening. I felt special, but moved on from the experience. Then, I make it about a half-dozen rounds into the thumb when the skunk makes its presence known. It had to have been just a few feet from the front door, but I did not open it to investigate. I have already learned that lesson. Anywho, either the air cleared enough, or I just got used to the stench, and I finally was able to sit down and finish.

Despite the possible meteorological implications, I am glad to have my new mittens, and plan to wear them as much as possible.

Pattern: Mitten 28 from Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Knit Picks Palette Black and Fairy Tale (I had trouble capturing Fairy Tale's true color with the camera)
Needles: US0/2.0mm

Ten Thumbs on Tuesday

The bulk of my mitten knitting for this pair is done. They just lack thumbs, and I hope to add those in a day or two. Since I normally only carry yarn in my left hand, colorwork can leave my right hand a bit fatigued. Then, last night, because I mistakenly I ended my mitten three rounds too soon (making a few modifications), had to un-kitchener, pick up the stitches, Russian-join, knit the omitted section, and re-kitchener the tip, I am ready to set this project aside for a little bit.

Speaking of thumbs, I continue to be entertained by my amazingly green thumbs over in my PVZ Zen Garden. Yes, I caved and bought the full game, but am glad that I did. While it did eat much of my weekend, it was perfect for when I could not sleep and could not concentrate on anything more demanding. Even if it devours my chances at Ravelympic gold, I made the right choice.

I am glad that Carole keeps coming up with Ten on Tuesday topics since the official site has not been updating for a while. Thinking up ten of my favorite places to knit was easy.

Sporting events--I do not enjoy sports, but I can enjoy being with others who do without losing my mind.

Coffee shops--It is wonderful to sip a tasty beverage while clicking along with needles. Whether it is a small local place or part of a large chain, I love knitting at the coffee spots.

Cars--While Bruce drives, I love to knit during a long road trip. The stitches add up even on short trips across town, too.

With friends--Technically this is not a location, but wherever I am with fun people, whether the stitches flow or not, it is always a great time.

Medical facilities--It makes the inevitable wait seem shorter, relieve stress, and provide a necessary distraction.

Outside--This does not happen often, but when the weather is just right, knitting in the sunlight and fresh air is a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors.

My living room--Sitting and knitting at home is still one of the best.

Social gatherings--Sometimes I need a little help in the social settings, and knitting helps calm my nerves, relax, and enjoy time with others.

Yarn shops--It is inspiring to sit and knit among all of the pretty colors, fibers, and other knitters and their projects.

Lines--Waiting at the bank, the post office, the store, or anywhere else with knitting in hand seems to make the line move more quickly. Even if it doesn't I don't mind the wait as much, and play little games in my mind estimating how much I will knit before it is my turn.

Wishing Wednesday

If you see me whispering into my new mittens, I am probably just checking to see if they really are magic. Also, it might be a poor choice to surprise me at that moment.

We are getting ready for a dip back down to colder weather, and I am glad to have these finished. Knitting these mittens for me has helped with the gift knitting. I feel ready to get back to knitting for others.

Put My Left Hand In

The new sweater is still not dry, but it is getting close. I love this sweater. I tried it on, and began to wonder if perhaps my sister might like a scented candle or bubble bath for Christmas instead. Actually, I am excited to give this to her, and feel great about having it done. Well, it still needs buttons, but that is not a problem.

Lately, my knitting has been for others. I love to knit for people, but it is important to make things for me, too. With one major present completed, I knew it was time for me. As I thought of what I wanted to knit for myself, my cold hands called out the most. I thought about starting something from Selbuvotter, but I already had colorwork going. Then the new Knotions went live, and I knew what I wanted to knit.

I had first noticed the Magic Mirror Mittens in Ravelry queues, and was immediately interested. This is a wonderful pattern. I have already finished the left mitten. It was quick and fun. I look forward to knitting the second mitten even more because of the direction of the cables on that one. Those are easier for me to knit. I am excited about having a new pair of mittens soon.