October 20, 2003
MittenMania
One of my most important possessions is this pair of mittens knit for me by my mother, made all the more precious because my mother was not the rosy-cheeked, wiping-her-flour-covered-hands-on-her-gingham-apron, chuckling, sitting-by-the-fireplace-and-knitting type of person. Quite the opposite, in fact. (Note to Big Sister: Am I right, or am I right?)
The problem with these mittens?
My secret? Inside I wear these ghastly mass-produced items, given to me by my Abuela (grandmother). Uglier than sin but wonderfully soft and insulating, and they fill up part of that three-inch gap at the top of the outer set of mittens. Since it doesn't get that cold here in Seattle, you would think two pairs of mittens would be overkill, but the result is perfect: a self-contained, warm, dry, summer-like biomitten. Of course, I'm sure I look ever so dorky driving my spiffy, sporty convertible wearing old, blue, pilly, freakishly overstuffed mittens but, hey, ma' Momma knit these for me! You have somethin' t'say about my Momma? Do ya?
Knitting Knews
Speaking of mittens, I started knitting a pair this weekend, but, frankly, I am completely befuddled. When I started knitting socks, I bought the "Learn to Knit Socks" pamphlet, the equivalent of "Sock Knitting for Dummies," and it was ideal for a first-time sock knitter. Now, if I could only find the same thing for mittens...
Anyway, with little bits and pieces from the Net, from My Dear Readers, and from an atrociously bad mitten pattern I bought from my LYS, I took my first stab at knitting a mitten this weekend, using for adornment the pattern from the March 13 page of "365 Knitting Stitches a Year." The gusset for the thumb looks like it is going to be way off so I'll either have to reknit the mitten or have my thumb surgically moved 1" to the right but I'll still plow ahead with this project and see where it takes me. Oh, and I'm using Lamb's Pride Worsted and it is i-i-tcheee! Hmmmm, maybe my Abuela's mittens aren't looking so ugly after all...
Dye Garden Dyegest
Dyed with dahlias last night. Got a bright metallic lemon yellow. Tried to make variegated lemon yellow and orange yarn by applying little bits of ammonia. The bright metallic lemon yellow yarn is is now all orange. Drat. Time to do some research.