Wednesday 18 November 2015

yarn along - Free Mittens for Mum Pattern - Erika Knight




"Pappy and my father sat side by side on the swing, it's rusted chains squeaking as they rocked gently. Gran and my mother shelled butter beans and peas on the other side of the old porch. I was lounging on the top step, within earshot of the radio...waiting with the adults for the heat to finally relent. I missed the steady hum of the old fan..." The Painted House, John Grisham

Well my sock plan went a bit topsy turvey. I'd packed the yarn away. All the projects I was working on squashed into my old well travelled leather suitcase, ready for a long weekend in London. Twice as much yarn as clothes. Imagine all the knitting I'd be able to do away from home, with no decorating to even think about. I might even be able to squeeze in a visit to Liberty or Portobello road, or (with a slight ulterior motive) to my sister who lives a stones throw from this amazing yarn shop

Then it happened again. The first day in London, I came down with the flu or some horrible virus and I couldn't do a thing. I tried and kept knitting. But I unravelled as many rows as I knitted. Sitting curled up on the sofa in my sister-in-law's flat with a pounding head and a barking cough, a mug of lemon and honey close at hand, I kept making mistakes and the yarn was dark and the needles tiny. I couldn't see when I dropped a stitch. Eventually after I dropped one too many, I gave up and resorted to plan B and bought socks. I'm so sorry I didn't manage to make them but my brain was a bit addled with the germs and I couldn't get my head round the wrap and turn again...I don't know where that sudden aversion has come from...It's also stopped me finishing Ahmad's Cobblestone sweater...I really need to get a grip of myself.  I've made tons of those socks before...Really deb...Get a hold, and pull your socks up!

For now, it's easy peasy baby steps. I'm making simple fingerless mitts using a lovely free pattern by Erika Knight. They are made in the softest Blue Faced Leicester wool. They take two sweet little 25g balls. Hopefully they are the first of a number of stocking fillers. This pair a long overdue gift. It took me ages to decide on the colour. I did quite a bit of cyber stalking. Checking instagram photos to try and decide. Would my long distance friend favour grey or blue, maybe bright red or orange. Not a clue. Maybe 'milk' a subtle winter white, but it was out of stock. Finally I fell across the perfect colour. It was all in the name. 'Gift' a pale honey colour. 

I'm still on the porch in Arkansas when it comes to books. It's a slow read so far but I know that will change very soon, so I keep on reading. 

I'm joining ginny and nicole this week,
coming?

16 comments:

  1. Hope you are recovering Debbie! Perfect color for the mitts. Don't you just love the name? I think it would be fun to have the job of naming colors in a yarn factory. Wonder how you get that job? Thank you for the link to the free pattern! I have a skein of yarn almost a perfect match to those illustrated in the instructions. Was wondering what to do with it. Love it when everything falls into place so perfectly. Hope you manage to get off that porch!

    Hugs
    Jane

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    1. I'm so much better now thank you Jane. It's so hard to choose things for people that you don't really know. But the name of the yarn really helped. That would be a cool job, or paint names too...I wonder how they get conjured up.
      I hope you manage to make the mitts.
      Happy knitting,
      debx

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  2. yikes, to be that sick to stop knitting, that is just unfair and not right. I hope the easy knits keeps you happy while you get back to normal.

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    1. I know...I kept trying but I wasn't getting anywhere. It's simple mitts for a bit but I must get back onto the wrap and turn. No chickening out...
      debx

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  3. I'm sorry you've been sick...and having trouble knitting too! Feel better and hope the rest of the week is lovely

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    1. Thank you Jeanette, I'm much better now. Especially will all these lovely comments.
      debx

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  4. It's horrible when you are so sick you can't even knit. I hope you are feeling back to normal real soon.

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    1. Thanks Donna, everyone's comments are a real tonic.
      debx

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  5. I hope you're on the mend! Your knitting basket looks like a place I'd like to hang out - a perfectly pleasing colour palate. :-)

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    1. Thank you Caroline. The colours in my basket do seem to co-ordinate quite well...I hadn't really noticed. Oh and I forgot to mention that the basket was a gift from one of my sister-in-laws who crocheted it for me...
      Thanks for popping over.
      debx

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  6. Great colour. Hope you are feeling better - too sick for knitting, what an awful thought.

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    1. oh thanks Emma, I'm much better now and hopefully will be back to normal knitting.
      debx

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  7. i do hope you are feeling better! I know that packing plan....more yarn than you could ever knit in month (let alone in the few days away!!!); so sorry it sort of fell flat. And hope the cold didn't keep you from enjoying your visit. Curled up with some tea and honey and company....not all bad.

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    1. Much better thanks steph. I slightly over estimated my abilities...! It was lovely company just a shame I couldn't fulfil my hand made promise.
      debx

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  8. Oh no, that's rotten to get ill on holiday! At least your crafting plans look to be back on track, the mittens are lovely :)

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    1. Thanks Elise. The mittens are so easy to make you don't even need a set o needles as they are just knitted on a straight pair and then stitched up.

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