Restoring my knitterly reputation…

Posted on | December 22, 2008 | 6 Comments

It’s possible, that I may have started (and FINISHED) a pair of mittens in a week. It’s also possible that I may have delivered said mittens just in time – no, not for Christmas – for a trip to someplace very cold and recently stormy (see, not a Christmas gift, just well timed!) I might have also been in such a holiday rush that I did not properly document the finished article(s) prior to delivery, but it was worth it. Very.

Tad and I delivered the Thrummed Mitts to our friend Erin on the way home from work last Thursday, just in time for her trip north for the holidays. The story goes that I’ve known Erin since I was a kid, a baby even, as our parents met and became friends very early on. There was enough of an age difference (only a couple years) to where we were often on different schedules and going in different directions as we grew, but our parents remained dear friends throughout the years. My mother counted Erin’s mom among the dearest of hers, possibly the dearest. Kathy and Paul were those friends of your family that keep up with you through your life as you grow and introduce more people (Tad and my brother’s partner Julie), and have become valued friends of ours as well. Fast forward a bit. Erin is now grown as well and moved here last winter with her fiance, now husband Josh, and it’s been wonderful to reconnect. And build our own special friendship.

And her hands were cold. So she needed mittens. Yes? Yes.

Tad managed to fire off a shot from his phone so this wouldn’t go completely undocumented (Thanks Sweetheart!):

Pretend not to notice that they aren’t a perfect match, k?

Pattern: Thrummed Mittens by Jennifer Appleby, IK Winter 2006

Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande – @ 1.5 skeins. Leftover from Co-op Cables, very snuggly and warm!

Thrums: Bits of roving from a Paradise Fibers grab bag acquired as a new spinner. Mitten one is on the left above and mitten two on the right – the purple and pale blue (showing as white) got a little scarce at the end of the first mitt and contrasting colors had to be mixed in.

Needles: US6 & 7 DPNs

Time to complete: 1 week – without other commitments, I bet these would take just a couple days – a very fast knit!

Results: Love! The thrums are cloud soft and very, very warm. Plus, they are adorable, so puffy. No pics of me mugging around in boxing stance.

Oh, AND. Delivery of the sweet little sweater took place a week ago Saturday, and guess what? It’s still big enough, even for another month or two maybe. Wow – I still can hardly believe it. Just perfect. What? oh, no pictures of that either, she was having a rough day when we visited. Her mom says “soon”, but she has many important things to do, being a MOM to a perfect baby girl, not to mention it being the holidays and all, so I’m not harboring expectations. The knowledge that it will fit is enough.

So, my heart is very full and I am very, very fortunate knitter. Today I’m thinking about the value of those friends that are counted as family, that forgive my faults and my tardiness, that make me and my life that much better by knowing them. Love you all.

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Now playing: Ani Difranco – Welcome to

One of my favorite melancholy holiday tunes.

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