Fingerless Mitt Obsession

Just a few of the Christmas Knitting Fingerless Mitts

These aren't all the pairs. Including the set I have on the needles right now, plus one more pair I'm making for the SO that he knows about, I'll have managed to make 13 pairs of fingerless mitts since the middle of November. Which means that almost everyone I know will be wearing them. Oh, no, it's fourteen pairs...just remembered I made a secret surprise pair for someone who is doing me a large favor. More about that later.

The folks that have received their mitts so far seem very appreciative. That's not always the case when you give away hand knit garments. As many knitters can attest. Sometimes the response is a little...underwhelming. I'm usually kind of picky about who I give hand made items to, but this year I went all out. I'm not sure if it's the fact that this year everyone is broke and they understand the handmade ethic better, or if it's just that you can't resist pulling on a set of fingerless mitts. Whatever the reason, the thanks I'm getting for these gloves seems a lot more sincere than previous gifted handmade garments!

Greenberry House is still closed. First we had snow:


Drifts near Buffalo Mountain

Then on Christmas Day we were hit by an ice storm:


Blackberry tangle glazed with ice

We spent Christmas at home, which was really the plan even before the ice. Sue gave us some lovely Brussels sprouts frozen from her summer garden and they were wonderful cooked up with some mushrooms and onions and a hint of garlic. I had some green beans in the freezer and we had enough other good things here to make a feast. On Saturday (yesterday) I donned my Yax Trax (or whatever they're called...rubber and springy things that keep you upright on the ice) and made it to Mom's house for breakfast. Very nice despite the fact that Sammy and Sue were iced in behind downed trees without power over on Mountain View.


Snug

Now that the endless round of fingerless mitts are nearly done, I'm looking forward to some selfish knitting. One of our Knitting in the Round listeners suggested that I check out the Eve Mitts by Gina House. Since I happen to have some pretty angora blend yarn left over from another project, I think this is going to be my small carrying around project to be cast on next. Then I've got two bigger projects in mind. One is the Every Way Wrap by Okmin Park that was in the Interweave Knits Fall 2009. I'm making this in some handspun two-ply yarn I spun up from a beautiful Corriedale fleece from Rising Meadow Farm.

I also need a crocheted project...have to continue to hold that hook high...and I've decided on the Larkspur Wrap Sweater by Ellen Gormley that appeared in the Fall 2009 Interweave Crochet. The yarn I'm planning to use for this is some gorgeous hand dyed merino from Woolybuns in Connecticut. This has been in my stash since May, just waiting for the perfect project.

And I can't wait to get back to the spinning wheel. I have SO much lovely fiber to spin this winter! Fleeces in natural color....hand dyed angora blended with natural colored black....vibrant hand dyed roving from Miss Babs, Fiber Monster and others....riches indeed!

Can't remember if I posted that we managed to get the bunny house cleaned out before the winter weather. Just...sleet was coming down as we were finishing up hauling the last load to the garden. Now it's just a matter of keeping water and food to the rabbits...more use of the Yak things to keep me on my feet as I go down the hill morning and beyond. Fortunately the days have been warmer and thought the water bottles are frozen most mornings, I've been able to take them back down after the sun shines for awhile. I'm a little behind in shearing, which I don't like, because it's not good for the rabbits or for the fiber. But I'm hoping to catch up if the weather stays warm this week!