Mmmmm, the mitten-y goodness. I know you all are thinking about making mittens, what with it being November and all. Go ahead! If you don't need them, lots of people do. There's a need at your shelters, at your schools, probably a relation in your family. If there's a better gift to give right now, I don't know it. And they are so portable! Car mittens will replace the socks I always carry along to work on. I made mittens last year at a slumber party my daughter had, and the kids thought I was doing magic. It was so gratifying, seeing their faces as they realized That's How These Things Were Made! I taught the little group how to knit, and they were up until 1:00 o'clock in the morning, until I finally turned the lights out, and then the tv off. The tv was only on so they could knit by its glow. They were complete addicts. Now, I should say these kids were in the range of 7 to 8 years old. Their yarn love was so cool! Then I spent the next two weeks being handed misshapen scarves in the hallway, so I could take them home and magically transform their work into a perfect scarf. Magic? Yes. Those little bundles of potential adolescents are now knitters! My work here is done.

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My daughter is still wearing the hat and mitten set I made last year, so the extra mittens I have knitted now are in the Winter Tub that sits by the front door. It is full of scarves, hats and mittens, and is waiting for the first sticky snow to be made into a snowman. I make wool mittens for my family, but of course it's acrylic or blends if I'm gifting to a household where I don't know the crafting knowledge of the recipients. I finished the little girl's hat and mittens that she asked for last week at school. She chose orange and brown (I didn't just do that to her on a whim!). I think I like the orange and brown, actually. It's very 50's. My mom made the mittens, which was so nice. I took the yarn to her house and asked, and she started them the same day. Thanks, Mom! Then I prewashed and dried them, so I know they'll hold up if they fall into the hamper - and voila! She can have them today, which is fortunate, because not only has Jack Frost been visiting at night, he's been bringing some flaky friends along with him....
Time to make lunches! Also, it takes an inordinate amount of time for blogger to load up my pics, so I'll just get started.... Have fun with those mittens!