The Little Things

If you've ever been away from something for a long time, you'll understand when I tell you how difficult it becomes to return to it.

When it came to relating crafting stories, I felt dried up; choking on the sameness and wanting something else. I kept waiting for the spark of inspiration or the kind of project deserving of your attention because I figured that's what was needed for me to legitimately re-engage. That is, until I observed the pure joy displayed by a 2 year old girl when I gifted her with a colorful pair of mitts the other night. She rolled around and modeled and mugged for the camera, all the while flashing her infectious smile.

A girl and her new "sleevies"

They're little things - perhaps 4 inches in length - but they (and she) reminded me that I didn't need a grand gesture or an intricate something requiring serious examination. Yes, she put them on backwards but she no matter. Luxy was having fun. In that moment, I found clarity. This isn't life and death. It's just the occasional missive that I put out into the world; my "Hello. I've missed talking with you." Could it be any simpler than that?

Details
Lorna's Laces Bulky (South Shore and Lilac) - leftovers from Thorpe (Ravelry link)
Four size 10 US / 6 mm dpns

Cast on 20 stitches, placing 10 on one needle and 5 each on the remaining 2 needles. Join in a circle and knit 12 rows of k1,p1 ribbing.

If you've ever made mittens in the round, you know the rest: increase for the palm, make room for the thumb then knit rounds until you reach the appropriate length. I topped out these mitts with 3 garter ridges and a little single crochet, but you can do ribbing or ribbon or roll edge - whatever your heart desires.


For those not comfortable with these loosey-goosey instructions, I heartily suggest you add Ann Budd's "Knitters Handy Book of Patterns" to your library. It can be a lifesaver!

Mile 24

The Chicago Marathon was held this past weekend. This fall tradition brought over 45,000 runners of all skill levels right past my home. See, I happen to live along the last leg of the 26.2 mile course. You reach my pad, the race is almost over!

Relevance? I'm simply trying to draw a parallel between a coincidence of habitat location and the difficulty I'm having in drumming up sufficient motivation or stamina to go the distance on three half-finished projects.


One of the items in question is a sweater for this little guy, barely one month old. I already gave his parents the hat, thinking that would spur me toward the finish line having made the commitment and all. This crocheted gem will be over-sized to ensure longer wear opportunities. Or maybe, it'll be a perfect fit by the time I actually finish it. Laugh with me.

I started the toddler mitts (also half done) months ago - like it wasn't even summer yet - because I observed how another neighbor's child likes to put socks on her hands like mittens sans thumbs. I figured I'd just knock out a pair of fingerless mitts so she'd be able to pull something on but still do fingery stuff which is sort of a problem when you're using socks. She's almost 2. I'm aiming for Christmas. Yes, Christmas THIS year.

And wouldn't you know it, another neighbor had a baby around the same time as the child above was born - same week, in fact. In my head, I'm already thinking about which Debbie Bliss patterns would best showcase the peachy colored cashmerino in stock that was just waiting for a little girl. Argh! Must. Stop. Wheels. Turning.

I'm out of control, of that there is no doubt. It's not that I buy yarn and patterns with wild abandon. My major flaw these days appears to be project paralysis. So tell me, my peeps: is there a cure?

By the way, have you heard about Aspen, a yarn new this Fall from Classic Elite? The yarn is temptingly soft as a baby's bum super chunky wool / alpaca blend and it comes in a small palette of tasteful, subdued colors. I already have a couple of ideas for cute designs...

FO: A Matched Set

What started as a simple desire to provide a little warmth and softness for a neighbor who'd been ill for quite some time blossomed into a pair of somewhat stripey mittens with a matching hat to boot.

I hadn't seen Gloria for a couple of months. I'd heard she was getting treated for some sort of cancer but that's all I knew. What a great surprise to see her in early December! She was out walking around the neighborhood - a bit paler and thinner, but out and about nonetheless. I noticed she was wearing mittens and decided at that point to make her another pair.

We chatted for a bit about what she'd been going through for the past few months, when she revealed that the treatment made her hair fall out. "It's just hair," she said. "It'll grow back." In the meantime, I wanted to make something soft and warm for her head too.

Details
Both hat and gloves were made from Jaeger Chamonix, a lovely discontinued cabled yarn made with wool and angora. I have a couple of colors in stash that I was saving for something special at some unspecified future date. No time like now, eh? The accent yarn you might recognize as the leftovers from Jack's hoodie: Fearless Fibers wool and mohair blend.

I originally intended to do a hemmed picot edge but I like the casual air of the rolled brim and grosgrain ribbon through eyelet instead. The variegated band above the eyelet is a simple pattern of stockinette, then 3 rows of knit and purl stitches. The crown decrease features the same simple knit, purl texture.

The somewhat stripey mittens were based on Ann Budd's "The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns." Nothing fancy. Just a little mix of 1-2-3 rows of striping after the ribbing at the wrist, then reverse the yarns after knitting the palm. Finish the top with every other row decrease until 8 stitches remain. Draw yarn through and anchor, then you've got a finished mitten.

Epilogue
I actually finished and delivered the mittens on Christmas Day. Gloria expressed gratitude and surprise that I even had the strength to go shopping for the mittens. Imagine her face when I revealed that I'd knit them. She was so shocked that she had no time to think when I asked if she'd like a matching hat. What could she say but, "Yeah, sure!"

Three days later, hat was born. It also became the last finished object for 2007. Boy, I can't wait to see what fabulousness 2008 has in store. It could get juicy!

Miss Karen's Boys

I've fallen into a pattern in the past 5 years. You see, I've had 3 or 4 interns on my team and they've all been guys. Not on purpose, mind you. It just sort of turned out that way. I've taken to calling them "my boys." The gender bit isn't the pattern of which I speak, however. It is the habit I've developed of making hats for them.

The latest items off the needles are for Chad, who asked for blue and green. I came up with a tiny bit of colorwork by cobbling together the diamond chart from one pattern with a star-shaped crown from another.

Specs: 1.5 balls of Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino Aran (dusty blue) and .5 ball of Merino DK (bright green)

Better get this boxed up and sent off. Looks like the temperature will be dropping back to what passes for normal in the Midwest. I think he'll be able to use the hat and mitts right away.

Fortune Smiles

About 3 weeks ago, Debi (of Chez FKD) penned a post called "Days of Wine and Roses." In it, she describes the eponymous mitts she made, which were loosely based on those found in the Winter '06 edition of Interweave Knits.

They were so beautiful that, on a lark, I left a comments saying essentially, "you know where I live and you can send them right along." The surprisingly pleasant joke was on me! Can you guess what showed up in my mailbox yesterday?

(Click to embiggen)

Louet Gems in the "Fern" colorway. So incredibly soft. And the signature FKD beading? A visual delight! All I could think as I wore them today on the way to the doctor's was, "I'm the luckiest knitter in all of bloglandia." Thanks, Debi.

I also want you guys to know that your support and encouragement mean a lot to me. Even though I've been ordered to wear a splint on my right arm for the next 6 weeks (ulnar neuritis), I'll still try to slip in a little knitting now and then. Shush. Don't tell anyone.