First Mitten Down

I am ridiculously pleased with my first Latvian mitten (#53 in Liz Upitis' book Latvian Mittens)! Because I went down to a size 000 needle, which is knitting at 12 stitches to the inch, it feels like I've been working on this forever. Maybe, I have. But, it's (halfway) done (almost; after I do the thumb).



Isn't it gorgeous? I so love the fabric this has created. It makes me pause and go, "Ah!" when I insert my hand.

The crown of satisfaction was the tip of the mitten. There were no instructions on how to finish it off -- just a chart that ends. But at the end of the chart, I had twelve stitches -- three white at the front and back, and a black/white/black at each side. Now, usually in a mitten, I Kitchener stitch the front stitches to the back stitches. This did not prove to be that easy, because the sides were odd numbered and the colors reflected this.

Instead, I opted to Kitchener the three front stitches to the back in white, then turn and knit the side stitches each one more row. Then, I kitchenered the sides together maintaining their black/white/black combination. That is, I Kitchenered in color work! That's a first for me.

I love the resulting look:

You know you live in rural US when...

You have to wait for the tractor to pass to get your kid to school.

Mr. Chomper Pants

So, Sunday on Mother's Day, a treat I gave myself was to finish a project I have dubbed "Acrylic Mayhem."

A member of our library knitting circle, Mary Catherine, died about a year ago. She was a real firecracker-- a great.-grandma who was always knitting for the babies in her life, and always dragging people to the circle, enabling them with yarn.

So, I asked the ladies to knit or crochet 8" squares in pastel colors.  The crocheter did a great job.  I knit two different swatches from some of Barbara Walker's books. But, obviously, no one had a measuring tape real handy.  In fact, I sincerely doubt the crafting abilities of their teacher, and muttered as much as I crocheted it together using horrible, splity acrylic yarn.

I really hate acrylic yarn.  I was cursing it under my breath, and yet, I know it has its usefulness in life.  I wouldn't gift a wool blanket to an unknown person in a baby unit.  The kiddo can spit up and poop on this thing to his or her heart's content.  I just better not ever see it in a garage sale.

So, that was two days ago.  Yesterday, I took it to our local hospital and gifted it.  Then, went on to finish Mr. Chomoper Pants for a friend's baby boy.  So glad to be done with this, as well.  I think the jean material for little kids is so cute!

Parts is parts

Quite a day, with parts to spare.

Started off bright and early with a mammogram (ladies, have you had one this year? Get it scheduled!). Then, a cast removal for the eldest.




Wrist still works!



While in waiting rooms, I finally got my teeth knit up. I have been dragging my feet for months over knitting these things to finish off my chomped pants.

Well, enough examination of body parts, and the last one was done! This afternoon, I attached them on the pants pockets, and now I'm crocheting decorative horns.

Soon enough, Heindrich will be wearing them.

Three Needle Bind-off on the Road

On the road for Mother's Day-- going to my in-laws. I finished the right front of my Kauni Diversity Cardigan and bound it to the front in a three-needle bind-off, but I didn't have another knitting needle. So, I got my trusty crochet hook out of my fix-it bag, and performed the feat with that.

Perfect! I may, indeed, prefer it!

It takes two needles with live shoulder stitches, and a crochet hook.

Insert the crochet cook through one stitch on each needle. 

 Grab the yarn, and pull it through.

Now, bind off as you normally would, pulling the knit stitch on the right over the live stitch on the left.

Finished shoulder seams, that perfectly align, stitch by stitch: the inside...

...And the outside.

Lovely Find of the Month...

Notice the color way.