Mittens and UFOs. Oh, my!

I’ve been working on making mittens for Gabe and his folks lately (1 of 3 so far!) and as I wrote about earlier, I made a huge leap in my mitten making. I won’t go into it again in this post, but you can read about it here. Instead of trying to explain what I did, let me refer to you the indispensable Knitting Help article with videos on Knitting Increases. I used the third method down on the chart, M1R and M1L. Why I didn’t think of using this method for increasing on thumb gussets before? Anyhow, I’m using them now and that’s all that matters.

I was unable to get some good pictures to share for a few days as the lighting in the apartment hasn’t been the best, and it’s been too cold to go outside and get pictures in my favorite local park. I have some now, though! Here they are:

Mitten one and mitten two on the needles.

 

See what I mean about holes? When I stopped correcting the twist, I stopped making holes.

***

In response to my attempt at making her recipe, Chocolate-Covered Katie wrote in the comments:

Oh you are TOO sweet!!
Seeing this post just made my day. Your blog is adorable!

Well, thank you, Katie! I love your blog, too! I hope I can do your recipe justice soon!

***

On the original mitten post, Mittens:  A Knitter’s Journey,  TK wrote in the comments:

I love making mittens. My favorite part is the thumb gusset–I always use the M1 or lifted increase, unless I’m following a pattern with a different style of thumb. For some reason my ease is always off and my mittens are very snug. Except the thumb, which is nearly always perfect.

I see what you mean, TK! This is such an efficient and beautiful way of making increases.

***

In an email to me, Jennifer R. wrote:

Thanks for updating me!  I hadn’t read your blog before and just read your latest post on mittens.  I don’t normally read text posts all the way through, but this was a very heartwarming story. 🙂  You’ve just given me such a great idea of knitting hats for charity – I just learned how to make hats and it seems like the perfect useful gift for someone!

Thank you, Jennifer R., for your kind words! It means a lot that you had such a great experience reading the post. It reminded me, as well, that I haven’t done as much charity knitting as I used to and would like to. You’ve inspired me to make that a greater part of my day!

After finishing Robert’s Scott Pilgrim hat, I had a skein of blue and brown wool left. I woke up Saturday morning and had a burst of inspiration for charity knitting! I’ll be posting a colorwork chart for baby and kid hats soon! Stay tuned!

***

Did you know that February is for Finishing? As stated in the rules, I must have a complete list of UFOs (unfinished objects) by February 1. I know what I’ll be doing this afternoon. (March is for making mates for all those mittens and socks!)

***

Tea-for-one pot, bone china cup, and citrus to fight off a cold with beauty and VitC

I’m nursing the cold I wrote about yesterday with ginger, thyme, lemon, and honey tea. Little things, like pretty tea-for-one pots and pretty bone china cups, make cold season more tolerable.

Pretty tea pot!

 

Gabe gave me a set of four for my birthday. He's a keeper, for sure!

***

Stay warm! Enjoy your Tuesday!

Who doesn't love a giveaway?

Michelle over at Circles, Dots, and Other Distractions is hosting a giveaway. She handcrafted some beautiful envelops out of German calendars.

I’m entering. You should, too! =)

Blooming Lotus

I am loving the suggested links WordPress creates. I found an amazingly helpful blog authored by a survivor of childhood abuse:  Blooming Lotus. The focus is on her journey and experiences, as well as a lot of research on the effects of abuse. Very helpful blog. Faith, if you get the track back, thank you!

Reflecting on Wise Words

One of my favorite people online,  Amber from Berlin’s Whimsy, has the following quote on her sidebar and it struck a chord within me. Not only do I have a profound respect and admiration for Buddhism, but I really needed these words right now:

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. Buddha

I have definitely been doing a lot of this lately. I constantly live in the shadow of my experiences and in fear that I have messed up the future. I am going to make a concerted effort to work on this.

Breathing Deep

Two huge weeks have passed and I am facing an easy week of a holiday and a half-day. Not bad. I go to school tomorrow, show movies because the students are not going to be paying attention because the following day is a holiday and the day after is the half-day, and I get to come home and knit some more.

I did so much knitting this weekend. It was wonderful.

I finished (finally!) my first Snapdragon sock with the purple, lime green, and orange stripes and am half-way through the second. It’ll be done by lunch time tomorrow guranteed with all the movie induced knitting time tomorrow. And I finished (finally!!) my father-in-law’s first sock in the lozenge pattern and have the second cast on. I’ll have photos of all these fine projects as soon as I remember to recharge my camera’s batteries. I am so glad to have made some knitting progress as it seems like eons ago that I started these projects.

The last two weeks have been awful and so this weekend of knitting and election day celebrations was much needed.

I had five nights (W-Th, and then M-T) straddling the close of the first marking period chock full of 3-hour SAT Prep training sessions, complete with homework, and grading. It was lovely, I tell you, lovely. I nearly called it quits on this profession. But I didn’t. Not every school springs SAT training on its staff, just mine. Luckily, my new colleague in the English department was right by my side to commiserate with. We had a helluva time those long days.

The long days and little sunshine exposure has been getting to me. I have a therapy light but I get up so early as it is to get to school that I haven’t been using it regularly. To use it consistently, I’d have to get up at 4:30 each morning! Yikes. That’s not happening.

I realized after grumping around, knitting, and watching movies today, that part of the reason for my recent bouts of melancholy has been the feeling of displacement. I realized that a year ago this weekend I moved from Orono to Winthrop to take the job in Monmouth and I’ve been nomadic ever since with weekend trips to Orono, moving in May, and then moving again in July. No wonder I’ve been feeling agitated. I haven’t had a chance to get my bearings! I’ve been uprooted for nearly 27 years and I’m ready for my hobbit house, but it’s not time for it yet.

I’m in my second year of my career and Allan has to finish his master’s program. When he does, we’ll be looking for a new job near a college that offers a good MA English for me and a teaching certification program for Allan, which means another move. None of the schools within striking distance of our area offer decent programs, if at all, for either. We’re looking at another 1-2 years before we can even consider buying a house and settling down for 3-5 years or longer. And with this, the possibility of high-maitenance pets (dogs) and children are on hold, too.

No wonder why I feel stressed out so much lately; I feel like I’m just getting going and my entire settled domestic life is still on hold. I crave a house of my own, a garden of my own, a puppy or two, and children so much but it’s not to be for a year or so at very least.

We’ve definitely considered settling down in the area we’re in but we can’t afford the property values on one beginning teacher’s salary. In order for us to buy property in this area we’d have to take out a ridiculous mortgage or buy a fixer-upper, which we’re not enthusiastic about. In order for us to purchase a home in this area, both of us would have to have a teacher’s salary, at very least, and then we’d still be scraping by.

Sigh. At least I like where we are right now. The rest of our life will figure itself out. I’m working on being content in the here and now.

Beyond all this, I’m pleased to say that Patty over at Fibreholic has given me my first blog award! I’m thrilled and honored! Thank you, Patty!

I first started blogging back in 2004 but it never amounted to much. I was pretty self absorbed as a young twenty-something still. It wasn’t until about two or three years ago that I matured enough to realize that nodding to the reader is a must when writing in public like this. I’m pleased that I’ve reached the wide audience that I have and that people have found something worthwhile here. Again, thank you, Patty!

The acceptance rules for this award are as follows:  (1) the winner may put the award on his/her blog, (2) add a link to the person who nominated you if you don’t have one already, (3) nominate at least 5 other websites or blogs, (4) provide links to the nominated websites or blogs, and (5) send the nominees a message letting them know.

I’d like to give this award to the following bloggers:

1 – My dear friend Amy of The Lawsons Did Dallas is one of the funniest bloggers I’ve come across. She’s been blogging since she moved to Texas and she’s been keeping me and her vast audience rolling for about two years now. She recently had the unfortunate life experience of having a miscarraige and so her normal humor was set aside while she related this life-changing experience. She has since reclaimed her humor but her depth and breadth of writing prowess has been demonstrated fully due to these fluctuations.

2 – I’d like to nominate Amber of Berlin’s Whimsy next. I’ve been reading Amber’s blog for a year solid now and there has never been a day when I didn’t feel better for stopping by her space. She, too, has been through many life experiences which offer depth and heart to her writing. Her crafting and photography are nothing short of inspirational.

3 – Next, I’d like to nominate Laurie at Everything in Blue, also the owner of the Ouou shop on Etsy (is it open yet, Laurie?). I first found Laurie through Etsy via her brilliant art and then followed along to her blog where she posts her art in progress and life experiences. I’ve been honored to blog on Laurie’s behalf over the last year.

4 – My dear friend since middle school out in Utah has been blogging about her family and adventures and it’s been a great way for me to keep in the loop. Leanne, you, too, deserve an award.

5 – Last, but not least, I’d like to offer this award to my dear friend Holly. Holly and I have been friends since grade school and have only recently reconnected at my second wedding reception. I’ve really enjoyed keeping up-to-date on your family through your blog!

Phew. This is a long post. I think I’ll call it a night!

New Favorite Place on the Web

While doing my daily surfing and exploring, I came across two new things I now love:  one, a new blog called Without Filters, and two, The Foundation for a Better Life.

Check them out. They are awesome.

Which reminds me, I’m tired of feeling like certain things are or are not okay for my blog. It’s mine, right? Granted it’s public forum so I’ve got to be careful about somethings, especially my readers, but I should be able to take off my mask and share myself, right?

Well, that’s just what I’m going to do. The mask is off.

A Contest with Multiple Opportunities to Win!

My dear online friend and virtual running companion, Fibreholic, is hosting a second blogiversary contest. She’s offering up two prizes: (1) some sock yarn that I can only imagine the beauty of, and (2) mohair. Who doesn’t love mohair? (Alright, I know some don’t, but I’m not one of them!)

How can you help me have a better chance of winning, you ask? It’s simple, really. All you have to do is one of two things: (1) leave her a comment on the blogiversary contest post, or (2) send her an email (listed on her blog). It’s really easy. And you know you want to because if you help me win, I just might put the socks or mohair dream, when done, on it’s merry way to you!

So, I offer up a second contest in compliment to hers: help me win, and if I do I’ll knit the prize up into a gift for the winner of my drawing.

How do you qualify for my drawing? Leave me a comment here, or email me (brokensnowpea@gmail.com) letting me know that you emailed or left a comment for Fibreholic and I’ll put you into a drawing. I’ll draw name(s) after Fibreholic’s winners are chosen and posted in the event that I’m a winner.

And naturally, you’ll need to provide your name and address to me to get the item to you should we both win.

Fibreholic’s Contest Rules:

In light of the fact that things are strangely exciting around Chez Fibreholic on a daily basis, I wanted to offer you a contest that is nice and easy for all of us. You need only do three things to enter this blogiversary contest (and one of those things will result in you getting a double (or more) entry in the draw basket):

• First, send me a comment saying ‘hello’ (or an email in case you’re not interested in setting up on blogger to post a comment. See the right sidebar for my email address). This will earn you one entry;
• Secondly, post about this contest on your blog (or tell your friends if you do not have your own blog) and encourage others to enter;
• Finally, make sure people use your name/blog name when they drop me a note so that I can enter you again! For each mention, you win another entry.

The contest will run from today and right up until midnight on my blogiversary date (August 21, 2008). I/we will draw two names from the prize basket when we are up and at’em the next day (baring strangely exciting disasters, etc.).