St Patrick's Day at Christmastime

The Christmas gifts have been given, so I can share this project with you now.

I had the good fortune to draw my sister Patricia's name. (Ok, so I wasn't actually there in person and Patricia's the one that organizes it so for all I know she made sure I had her name--I don't know. We're pretty lax about the "random" part of name drawing in my family. If you have a good idea for someone, you're going to magically draw their name that year. It works.)

Anyway, back to Patricia. She worked in Ireland for a time and loves all things Irish and especially celebrating St Patrick's Day. When I saw this mitten pattern from the very talented Spilly Jane, I immediately thought of shamrocks. I don't know what they're supposed to be, but does that really matter anyway? They're shamrocks to me.

I decided to make the fingerless version because by March, you should be able to pare down the warm woolies.

Those of you with good memories will recall that I dyed some wool green during the Olympics in February of 2014 for the Ravellenic Games.

I wouldn't tell you then, but this is the project I already had in mind!

I started the mitts quite a while ago (probably late winter or spring 2014 since that's when I dyed the yarn) but I got too smart with the pattern. Instead of doing colourwork, I decided I was going to double knit them. That way the fabric would be a double layer (warm) and there would be no floats of yarn on the inside to catch on rings and fingernails.

I started with the rib and knit it twice as long as I needed, then folded it over and used all those stitches (twice as many as I really needed) to set up the double knitting. Clever, right? Except I didn't realize just how much it would affect the gauge. Apparently double knitting is way looser than doing colourwork, so it didn't take me long to realize the mitts were way way too big.

I planned to figure out the new gauge and start again with fewer stitches, but never got to it. Finally this fall, figuring I really had the perfect reason to finish these for Patricia, I ripped them out and followed the pattern. Magic how that works out! :)

So I did a 1x1 rib to start. (Ok, the pattern calls for a twisted rib but I really don't like doing it, so I only do it when I really have to.) Then I added a Latvian braid.

I had never done one before but have always wanted to. Then I saw a Facebook post that my cousin just added one to mittens that she was making and I realized this was a great project to add it to. You may noticed that I made sure to change the braid direction so the two gloves are mirror images. I can't help it. By the way, this braid is stupid simple to do and you should add it to anything and everything that you can. It's just purling with two different colours of yarn with the floats in front. Search on youtube--you'll get it.

The pattern itself was fairly straight forward. You put in a strip of waste yarn where the thumbs will go later and knit a straight tube for the body of the mitten.

After that's done, you pick up the stitches off of the waste yarn and knit up the thumb. The flower/leaf pattern continues on the outside of the thumb but it's just green and white stripes on the inside (the part that touches the palm).

I finished with a sewn Kitchener bind off because it looks neat and basically because I still think it's magic the way it makes the stitches continue from the ribbing on the outside to the ribbing on the inside.

My sister seemed as pleased with them as I hoped she would be.

Project Stats
Started: 4 Mar '14
Finished: 18 Dec '15
Pattern: Heather's Mittens by SpillyJane
Materials: I didn't weigh them but it was a small amount of raveled yarn--70% wool, 20% angora, 10% nylon (Oh, Patricia, I didn't tell you, but this means they are hand wash only. Maybe you assumed that.)

Walking in Fancy Shoes

I went for a walk today...the Michiana Stop AIDS Walk 2010. The walk went well; there were a lot of people; the total raised looks like it might make it to $15K. (They weren't quite done counting.) That's a lot!

The day didn't start so well, however. As I was getting ready to leave church and head out for some lunch before walking, I discovered that I had left my change of clothes (and shoes) at home. Argh!

I had fortunately worn jeans to church with flats. If they had been heels, I would have been obliged to buy new shoes. (I know, like twist my arm.) As it was, I decided I could wear the ones I had on and just had to buy new socks. (Aren't the zebra stripes fancy!)

And when I finally got to the step-off location, I saw they were (again fortunately) selling Tshirts. This saved my dry-clean only shirt from a walk on a surprisingly humid day.

I like the shirt. I mean, it is simple, but it's been a few years since they've had any Tshirt available, and the last ones were awful: they had teddy bears on them and were all XL. And of course, being needy and grateful (which I was) makes anything look better.

And what about the knitting?

I did finish the knitting part of the fingerless mittens. I just have a few finishing details and blocking to do. Which means the person the random number generator picked can expect her mittens very soon. "Her?" Yes, her...the winner is [tension-building drum roll here...]:

my co-worker, Deb!!

She very generously had her wallet out almost before I had finished asking for her pledge, and so I'm pleased she won. Of course I would have been glad if you had won too, and really wish I could knit you all a pair. But that's not going to happen. "Better luck next year," is the only hope I can offer you.

Thank you all for your interest in the Walk and your support and pledges. This was my biggest year by far (30 per cent more than my previous high) at $1640. If the Walk raises $15K you all helped me raise more than a third tenth* of that...and more than triple the next highest walker!

I'm very happy to direct your funds to AIDS Ministries/AIDS Assist who do such good work.


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*ETA: Yes, someone pointed out that my math was wrong. I will just say it wasn't actually a math error; more like a typo error.

Care to Lend a Hand?

Two weeks from today I will be walking in the Michiana area Stop AIDS Walk.

I've been walking since 1995 when my brother died from AIDS; I've not walked every year, but just about!

The first time was in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was a great Walk: lots of people, police escorts, and we walked down the middle of the streets in downtown Halifax. Music and free food afterwards! I didn't make much money that year, but it was great to participate in a group event for the cause.

Since then I've walked in Belleville, Ontario (smallest); Grand Rapids, Michigan (got on TV); Chicago, Illinois (largest); Toronto, Ontario (with the most family); and in South Bend since moving to the area in 2000. Over the years, I have raised over $5,500 to fight HIV/AIDS!

This year I'm shaking things up a little bit to keep things interesting. If you sponsor me for the walk, I will give you a chance to win a pair of Fingerless Gloves handknit in the very luxurious Alpaca & Silk from Blue Sky. I've got one done already so you can see exactly what you're getting, and the other one I'll knit on the Walk!

Here in in South Bend, the Walk is the main fund raiser for AIDS Ministry/AIDS Assist. The people there help educate on AIDS prevention, advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS, and help with housing, meds and emotional support.

They do good work.

If you would like to get involved and sponsor me in the Walk...and of course get a chance to win these fingerless mittens...please email me: christinacreating AT netnitco DOT net. Anyone who gives $10 or more will get their name in a [virtual] hat and have a chance of being a winner!

Details: Winner will be chosen at random. Winner must pay before the mittens will be sent. (If not paid within two weeks, another winner will be chosen.) Chances of winning will depend on how many sponsors there are!

Sponsored by Red Purl, a wee knit shop in Niles, Michigan.