The trouble with mittens is that one looks awfully lonely without its twin— End of the year reflections

from Theresa

I know about being a twin. I had a twin brother, Tom. Twenty-three years ago on New Year’s Eve, he died in a small plane crash. Every New Year’s Eve since reminds me of how fragile life is; every birthday we share reminds me of the years we haven’t spent together. I gave the sweater I was knitting during that time to my brother-in-law. He loved it, but every time I saw it, I saw that every piece—the sleeves, the front, and the back—was a different gauge, a reflection of my grief and loss.

My life changed again 12 years ago. One week in August, I found out I was pregnant for the first time—and I found out I had cervical cancer. Although the doctors thought the choice of immediate surgery was obvious, I just couldn’t envision my life knowing what might have been. My knitting friend, Sister Mary Daniel took it as a sign, so did I. I spent the next eight months knitting—sweaters and hats and booties and a blanket for my son, a sweater for my husband, a cardigan for my mom, mittens, scarves, hats, afghans…. I worried about who to give my yarn to. And I knit into the wee hours, wringing out every moment.

Tommy’s now 11 and a joy. He’s part of my knitting, too. Every time I open my book of patterns, I see him grow, from my very first official pattern, Jack o’ Lantern Hat #1, to the Voyageur’s Toque #142 taken last summer on a family camping trip to the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.

Two years ago, I designed this little felted purse for a fundraiser for the Susan B. Komen foundation to fight breast cancer. I still get queries for the pattern, so I thought I’d offer the pattern for sale, profits going to cancer research. Email me [theresa AT erazmus DOT com] to purchase a copy. Downloadable to come soon.

This last year has been good. My family is healthy. I have several good jobs. My knitting is a joy and my house is warm due in part to the insulating properties of yarn in my attic. Minnesota is a great place to be alive.

Knitting entwines my life, moving from past to present to future. My best wishes for the New Year.
Theresa

Fraternal Twins or How to Avoid Second Sock/Mitten Syndrome

Ok, I have no real experience with fraternal twins. (You’ll have to ask Theresa about that.) Or any kind of twins. In my family of seven kids, we didn’t even have any “Irish Twins” (In my neighborhood, what two children born in the same calendar year were called….) But recently, I’ve been creating fraternal twins for socks and popover type fingerless mitts. I am easily bored, and hate to turn around and repeat the same thing I just finished. My usual approach to avoiding second sock syndrome is to cast on and knit a few inches, then using a second set of needles, cast on and knit the same amount for the second sock. I alternate in this way to ensure I get the second sock or mitten done. This year, I’ve been making socks out of the same yarn, using different ribbing, or mixing up leftovers. It makes that starting the second sock or mitten almost as much fun as starting a brand new one, instead of a repeat.

My sister requested popover mittens for Christmas. She works in a preschool and wanted to be able to zip, tie and velcro out on the playground without removing her gloves. I adapted Elizabeth Wellenstein’s Popover pattern from 220 Patterns for Cascade 220, using Malabrigo leftovers. Sorry the colors in the picture aren’t so great. No daylight. I made the right and left hands similar, but not identical. The interesting thing is, people wanted the pattern to make them exactly that way. That’s the beauty of leftovers in yarn and knitting to me. There is not a pattern to do it exactly. It’s the way I cook, too. What’s in the fridge that I can use for a meal? What’s in the basket that I can use for this project? I may use a recipe or a pattern for some basic guidance, but then adapt to what’s at hand. Sometimes it’s not so great. Sometimes the food or the project turns out so well, I go buy ingredients to repeat it.

This may happen with the knitted popovers (as opposed to the food variety) because those who see the mitts and know that they have been deemed eligible for my list of those who are knitworthy drop broad hints. Such as Billy, age 12. “Those are awesome. I was just telling Guy I wanted some of those. In red.” Subtle.

Tiger Hat Thank You

Well I’m floored by the interest in the Tiger Hat and Heifer International. Thanks to Wendy at Wendy Knits and Shelly, The Heathen Housewife, who mentioned the pattern in their blogs, I’ve sold over $300 of patterns in just a few days. And in case you think I’m pocketing the dough, you can now click on the Heifer International logo in the sidebar and go the pledge page at HI. They make a badge to put on the site but I can’t make it work. I even had to upgrade the dollar goal, which was originally $250. Thanks again to everyone and keep those orders coming. Also, I would love to put up a gallery of finished hats, so send me some pix and I’ll put them up on my website.

Tiger Hat Pattern

Ok this one is not free. I’ve designed it specifically for and am selling it to benefit Heifer International. For fifty years Heifer International has been providing families in developing countries (and parts of the US) with breeding pairs of animals. Even in the world’s poorest regions the cost of a cow or goat can exceed a year’s income. When a family receives a breeding pair not only do they they get meat, milk or eggs, but also now have a source of income as the offspring are sold.

The small amount of money raised through the sale of this pattern will multiply as families gain food, pride, a source of income, and the means to help someone else. The Heifer Project recipient must agree to give one breeding pair of offspring away to another family, paying the gift forward.

To learn more about Heifer International and its mission to end hunger and save the environment, visit www.heifer.org

Ok, the soapbox part is over. I had soooo much fun designing and making this hat. I poured pored (spell check isn’t everything is it?) over pictures of tigers. Did you know that a tiger’s stripes are like a human’s fingerprints? No two are identical. Now that makes knitting one of these babies easy. Don’t worry too much about the chart. You are imitating nature. It’s made with Malabrigo, one of my favorite yarns. Soft and lucious. And the response to the prototype hat has been overwhelming. This picture was taken on my way to another kid’s house for a photo op.

THREE kids wanted to try it on before I could even cross the street. It is terribly convenient to have so many willing models within a few blocks of my house. Then I went to see this model,

and before I could get him to try it on, the three older kids were getting in the act, even though it did not fit them. (It didn’t quite fit him, either.) They were lobbying for Tiger Hats for Christmas. “But with ears? ” I asked my goddaughter, a senior in high school. The withering glance. “That,” she delivered in the withering tone, “would be the point, wouldn’t it?” I may get tired of Tiger Hats by the New Year, but I don’t think so. I’m trying Scoobiedoo green and black for the next one. Hot pink, anybody?

On the Subject of Leftovers

From Theresa

Phrase for the day: Hobson’s choice is an apparently free choice that is really no choice at all.

The other day during class, a woman was picking out yarn for one of my felted bags. She loved the colors I had used and wanted to buy exactly the same ones for her bag. Fine with me, but if she only knew how I’d chosen those colors. Here’s the real story…

About a month ago, we rescued a tiny kitten, sick and motherless. After two vet visits and a lot of cleaning up messes, Hobbes (named by my son who loves Calvin and Hobbes) is healthy, energetic, and adventurous.

Hobbes loves the dog (which is great) but he also loves my yarn (which is not so great). Anyway I was starting to knit a felted bowl, and the kitten crawls into my bag and makes off with a ball of yarn three times his size. I wrestled it out of his mouth and since it was kind of slimy, I started a color pattern in the bowl, which was now in transition to a bag. The color choice was all Hobbes’ doing.

For me, knitting inspiration comes in strange ways, especially colors. Sometimes I start knitting and what was supposed to be a hat becomes a bowl or what was supposed to be a bowl becomes a bag. I have an enormous supply of odds and ends of Lamb’s Pride Worsted, and my real inspiration comes from trying to use them up—or in this case from a kitten running off with a ball of red.

Here’s Hobbes and my new design “Hobbes Choice” felted purse.

Malagaiter from Magknits

from MLE

Here’s a few more views of my Malagaiter pattern from the December Magknits. I know that this is not exactly a new idea, but I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted. Something soft, quick to knit, suitable for a gift when the recipient may not yet have proven him or herself knit-worthy. I use mine all the time, so it has been wear tested in the reputedly harsh climate of Minnesota. This global warming thang has moderated the weather here quite a bit. Which is perfect for this convertible item.

Red Scarf Voodoo Doll

More mysterious donations at the Yarnery. This nice scarf:

But even cuter, a Red Scarf doll. Pinned to the scarf. I’m thinking a voodoo doll. If I make a scarf for it, maybe there will be lots more red scarves. I’ll get right on it. Maybe not tonight.