Mitts

I did rip them back, those ugly mittens.  Stranger things have happened.  I couldn't stand it, and, as it turned out, they were just a smidge too big.  I got 5.5 sts/in instead of 6, and that, my friends, was enough to set me to ripping.  Plus, they only take a few days to knit, so I wasn't losing too much time.

If I were a more dedicated blogger, I'd give you a picture, but at the moment, I'm just trying to get a post up.  Pictures later.  They look a lot better (trust me).

On that note (knitting, that is), I was happily entertaining the next possible project, which was going to be socks for someone.  I was pretty sure it was going to be me, and I was thinking sunny thoughts about knitting in a predictable rotation, so that no one would complain that I wasn't knitting for them.  I could go in some kind of fun order, like eldest to youngest, or alphabetically, or by lace/cable/rib pattern.

Let me just stop you here to give you this astonishing aside:  all of the kids like my knitted socks.  Even Foo-Foo.  How is that possible?!  It's kind of close to a knitting miracle, since they all have preferences for materials, colors, and in the case of the eldest one, the whole business of knitted items.  Anyway, they all like hand-knit socks, so hand-knit socks it will be.

There I was, thinking that I might knit some thick slipper socks for myself, using some of this fun fake-isle (again, apologies for lack of pictures) yarn I scored on clearance, or maybe I'd get out the Christmas present Malabrigo for some serious knitting.  There I was, almost rooting around in the stash when my postman knocks at my door.  With seriously raggedly fingerless mitts on.

What else does one do in this situation, when one's very good postman--he always rubber-bands my mail before handing it cheerfully to the kids--presents himself and one's package with ratty old store-bought crappy acrylic mitts?  Well, what I do (and did) was to ask whether he didn't need new ones, and he politely said No, I cut them this way so I can use them while I work.

Of course he does, bless his soul:  his wife doesn't knit for him.

I told him to watch the box in the next few days, and now I'm hot on a  new project.  I love it.  As if from on high, I was given the perfect project.

Now I thought about whipping out a pair of basic ones--the kind that are knit straight across the top.  That's what I've been knitting for the kids, and that's what I have myself.  But this man has to be out in the New England cold, sorting the mail, and the least I could do is cover his knuckles.  I knit these before (and they were lost at Mass just a few weeks later), and though they're a bit of a pain, they're just right for my very good postman.

With changes, of course.  The wool has to be washable and durable, so no cashmere.  I'm using a black Berrocco vintage, which is a nylon blend--he can pop them right in the wash.  Because I didn't want to try to figure a new pattern, I just upped needle sizes and gauge to fit a man's hand (to 5.5 sts/in, which I know how to get, because I just got in on the ugly mittens--how's that for a tie-in?).  I'm halfway on the right mitt, and hopefully I can get them done for Monday's mail, which gives me until around 2:30.  Happy weekend for me!