Swatchless

My symptoms:

1. An enhanced awareness of all things textile related.  This may involve following people in the grocery store to sneak an extra look at the design on their hat, or examining friend’s mittens and making mental pattern notes.  I noticed this week a young man wearing a parka that had been painted to look like it was knit.  I had seen “faux-tartan” parkas, but this was a “faux-sweater”.  It was intriguing.  I hope these people don’t realize that I was following them.  I try to be stealthy.
2. Twitchy fingers.  I have been fidgeting with pens a lot lately, and tapping my fingers.  I think knitting helps me to focus; it keeps my fingers busy and my brain engaged.
3. Increased Tension.  Without my daily dose of knitting (aka. relaxation time, and creative time) I tend to get frustrated and overwhelmed earlier than normal.  I’ve been taking lots of deep breaths this week and counting to 10 many times over.
4. Generally feeling unproductive.  If I sit for an hour or two in a meeting I do lots of thinking, listening and talking, but I don’t see the results of that time.  If I sit for an hour or two in a meeting with my knitting, I do lots of thinking, listening, talking, AND I leave with half a mitten.  I don’t get distracted by my knitting, but others sometimes do.
5. Daydreaming….I find myself coming home and looking longingly at my yarn stash, thinking of the marvelous potential for warmth and creativity within that yarn.  By the time I get home though, I’m too tired to start anything, so I go to sleep–and I kid you not–I have dreamed up some interesting patterns.  I should write them down when I wake up.

I haven’t knit in 5 days.  I will knit tonight–I’m heading out for an evening of musical theatre with my 4.0mm DPNs and the left over Cascade Ecological Wool from my “Those Could Be Mountains” hat.  The yarn is already speaking to me….I think it wants to be a pair of fairly simple mittens–perhaps with some simple colourwork.  We’ll see what the wool decides tonight.

In Red Mitten news:  $550 has been raised through the sales of $5 Red Mitten Patterns.  Thanks to all who have purchased a pattern–The Penguins Can Fly swim team is so pleased!  Wool-Tyme in Kingston had run out of red Cascade 22o, but their new order has come in, so if you are local–go get your skein (or 3) and get knitting before the start of the games on Feb. 12th.  I’ve got to finish another pair or two!

How do you cope with knitting withdrawl?

These hands are the hands that taught me how to make mittens over 20 years ago.  Things have now come full circle, as I help my grandmother figure out my red mitten knitting pattern.  It was touch and go for a while….but she persevered!

At 94, she’s tackling chart reading, colourwork and new terminology (SSK vs. S1 K1 PSSO).  She finished a pair of adult mittens to mail to a friend in B.C. and has already cast on for a pair of children’s mitts with the left over wool.

May we all be so willing to try new things at age 94!!

I was wondering what I should do with the extra large pair of red mittens I made this fall…I certainly don’t have hands large enough to wear them.  I want them to go to someone who will appreciate them as a gift, as mittens, and as a show of patriotism and unity as a country.

Last week I got an idea….don’t you love it when inspiration hits suddenly, and you just know what to do…

care package

I’m in the middle of preparing a care package for a friend who is serving as a military chaplain in Kandahar.  Along with letters and snacks and silly toys and trinkets, I’ll include this pair of large red mittens.  I bet they don’t sell red mitts in Afghanistan!  My friend will be dressed in style to cheer for the Olympics.

Who are you knitting red mittens for?

Did you buy your red mitten pattern yet?  This is where the $5 pattern cost is going….to support the Penguins Can Fly swim team.

I had the pleasure today of going to the YMCA to watch the Penguins Can Fly swim team in action, and boy….do they swim fast!   When they are all swimming in the water, it is impossible to distinguish which swimmers are disabled, and which are not.  The wonderful thing about this swim team is that they celebrate the ABILITY of each and every swimmer.  “They are kids, being kids, having fun and working hard” said Vicki Keith, their coach and mentor.

YMCA Penguins and coaches

Photo Credit: Hippo

Lap after lap they swam while I chatted with Vicki. She told me about the team, and how some of the swimmers are preparing for the Ontario Parasport Games which will take place in Kingston on Jan 22nd – 24th.  The swimming events will be at RMC on the 23rd.  If you are in the area, stop by, cheer for the Penguins at the pool, and catch a game of wheel chair basketball or wheel chair rugby in the gym.  Vicki said that wheel chair rugby is something that everyone should see once in their lives!  I’m planning on going.  I’ll be the one knitting in the crowd.

Here's B. a penguin, and excellent mitten model

The Penguins were pleased to hear about the money being raised for their program.  So far 84 mitten patterns have been sold, earning them $420!  Thanks to you generous knitters, more YMCA Penguins will be learning to fly here in Kingston.

My mittens and I are in the Kingston Whig Standard today!

Many people have been contacting me for patterns so they can make their own red mittens.

You’ve come to the right spot!  Here’s the pattern available for download in .pdf format for $5.00 CAD.

The money will be donated to the Penguins Can Fly a YMCA Aquatics Program for children with disabilities and their able bodied siblings where no one “sits on the bench”.  Some of the penguins have qualified to compete internationally, but all of them have made friends, developed self-discipline and self confidence.

Thank you all for your interest.  Get out your needles, and get knitting!

Have you got your Red Mittens yet? They are rather hard to find around here…so I made some, and I’m working on making more.

I’ve sold 25 patterns so far, raising a grand total of $125 for the Penguins Can Fly Swim Team for disabled children and their able bodied siblings.

Yesterday I was thrilled to see an article about my mittens posted to the NBC Olympics website.  Have a look!

I hope that the Olympic spirit is alive and well where you are. There’s still time to knit yourself a pair of Olympic mittens before the games begin on Feb. 12th.

I’m going to cast on for another pair tonight!

All the best in 2010

As the New Year approaches I start to think about decluttering my shelves to get more organized.  This includes airing out the stash, and getting rid of all that yarn that I will most likely never use. (I’m not even going to mention the bags of fleece…3 bags full…gotta start spinning!)

I feel bad throwing things away that could be useful to someone else.  I try to donate my leftover stash yarn to groups that will put it to good use.

Whether you are moving, downsizing, or just cleaning up your house here are some places that might be happy to adopt your extra yarn.  Ask around…

1. Local high schools or elementary schools might have a knitting club like the Knitter’s Anonymous that meet at my neighbourhood school.  Kids can learn with just about any of your stash yarn.
2. Check the Project Linus site for a coordinator near you.  Maybe your local yarn store might be interested in becoming a coordinator!  Knitters could take your donated yarn, and make patchwork blankets for sick children.
3. Thrift stores like Value Village or The Salvation Army Store survive on donations of all sorts of household items.  They will sell your donated yarn, and raise money and donate some of their earnings to local non-profit organizations.
4. Some prisons accept yarn donations for their “Knitting Behind Bars” programs
5. Some nursing homes accept yarn donations as well.
6. Some keen knitters have put a call out for yarn to knit for charity purposes.  100 Hats is one that has caught my eye.  She’s done 26 now!

comfort dolls

If you have the time to use up your stash, but haven’t thought of a good quick project, take a look at the following lists of links.  Find a charity near you!  You might be inspired to knit a teddy bear, comfort doll, or a hat or a blanket for the variety of people who are in need of warmth or comfort.

I knit about 20 hats in 2008 and donated them to the clients of a local soup kitchen in the fall.  It was such a worthwhile exercise.  I do hope you feel more comfortable parting with your clutter of stash yarn knowing that somehow, somewhere it will provide warmth and comfort for others.

Charity Knitting Lists (feel free to add more suggestions in the comments)

Halcyon Yarns

Interweave Press

Monday night was a great night for Kingston Ontario!  The Olympic torch made its appearance at market square at 7:00 PM carried by Vicki Keith, a world famous marathon swimmer, and one of our local heroes.  She was cheered on by thousands of people, and many of her “penguins” (members of the Penguins Can Fly swim program).

Photo Credit: A. Stephens

My brother and I were in the crowd with red mittens waving and cheering as the torch flame ignited the cauldron on stage.

Despite the slight rain, it was a real celebratory atmosphere, with lots of music and mascots, and speeches from local dignitaries.  I was proud to witness this special event, and be a part of history!

I even got to hold the torch with Vicki Keith!  I got to show her my mittens too….and update her on the pattern sales–half of the proceeds from the sales of the Red Olympic Mitts pattern will go to support the Penguins Can Fly swim program.  It will be so exciting to write a big cheque for her and her penguins in the new year!

To see where the torch is now, click on this interactive map!

This evening I treated myself to a night out at the theatre to see “Office Hours”, an intriguing play that weaves different perspectives of the same plot together in six different scenes.  It kept me thinking, and laughing while I was knitting for two hours.  I used this time to finish the mittens that I started at New Moon.  These are mittens knit on a deadline (something that I prefer to avoid).  They will be auctioned off for an environmental charity next week.

Pattern:  Fox and Geese {Ravelink}

Size: Adult small

Yarn: 100% Wool from Topsy Farm Amherst Island (bought at the Farmer’s market on Queen’s Campus) They also sell online.

These mittens have a nice long cuff that fits snugly to the wrist to keep hands warm, and keep the snow away.  I tried them on to take these pictures, and could feel that they will be very warm.  The pattern is knit carrying two colours so there are always short floats on the inside of the mitten.  This extra layer is what causes the mitten to be so warm.

The yarn feels very natural, as if there is still lanolin in it.  It will be a great to soothe chapped hands.

I literally was tying up loose ends and weaving them in to complete these mittens.  Next I will tie up loose ends to catch you up with some of my knitting that has traveled to far corners of the world recently.  It seems that most of my family members and friends here own something that I have knit for them.  I’m now starting to spread the love further afield.  When you receive a knitted gift you must realize that you are getting more than a garment, it is a gift of time and attention, thoughtfulness, and warmth.

I made this Baby Surprise Jacket {Ravelink} for a friend in Germany who just had her first baby.  She’s a knitter herself, but I don’t know if she’s ever tried this pattern.  It sure is a fun one to knit up.  I recommend it to brave knitters everywhere!

I made a Totoro bonnet {Ravelink} for a friend in Japan who has just had her second baby.  The ears don’t show up so well in the picture, but they are there.  A very nice pattern for a baby hat, with or without the ears and face.

Isn't she the cutest?

A pair of mittens made their way to Amman Jordan for a friend I stayed with on a recent vacation.  She tells me that she will have use for them, as Jordan gets a little snow most winters.   I think I’d need a photo to prove it, Amman will always be over 30 C in my imagination!

The mittens were made from patterns found in Folk Knitting in Estonia by Nancy Bush, using wool from Topsy Farms.  I love that colour red.

There are more projects currently in the mail (but their future recipients may read this blog, so I will not discuss that further).  I look forward to hearing of their safe arrival.  Getting packages in the mail is such a novelty these days.

Have a happy Thanksgiving to those in the USA, and a happy Eid for all who are celebrating.

Last night I was working on finishing the baby 2010 red mittens so I could photograph them this weekend and get my pattern up for sale soon. I got to within an inch of completing this tiny mitten, and ran out of wool.  Don’t you hate it when that happens?  I was probably trying to stretch the one skein too far…a pair of adult mittens AND a pair of baby mittens is asking a bit much.

new stash--SO SOFT!!

So, today after work I headed out to Wool Tyme to get another skein of red wool. Of course, once I get there, I look around, and as usual I end up finding something that is either for sale, or feels soooo nice that a project immediately pops into mind. Next thing I know I’m using their swift and ball winder to pack up my new stash!

swift

ball winder

wound stash

There was a sense of urgency in this errand, as I was meeting friends to watch Twilight, before heading out to wait in line with them in the freezing cold to watch New Moon.  With a double header movie planned, I figured that I could make good headway on my silent auction donation, if I only had the right wool!

The plan:  Blue and White Fox and Geese Mittens, Ladies small/medium.  (Pattern improvised from memory, based on pattern from Fox and Geese and Fences by Robin Hansen)

I cast on as the first movie began.

and knit until the end.

as the credits rolled

Then kept knitting in line at the theatre.

apologies for the blurry picture--it was COLD!

Someone in line wanted to try on the mitten in progress (I think she really just wanted to warm up her hands!)

someone I met in line, trying on my mitten (a.k.a. warming up hands). Note the ticket in hand!

I knit all the way through New Moon…finished one mitten and cast on for the second!

I liked the movie, but think that reading the book first is probably a good idea.  It was fun to watch it in a theatre full of fans who were hooting and hollering at the screen from time to time.  I recommend watching it in the theatre for the ambiance as much as the special effects, and don’t forget to bring your knitting!