Glitten pattern is available!

For those of you who wanted it, the Glitten pattern is available. There is a link on my sidebar. Also, the pictorial that I made some time back is linked there - you will need to refer to it also. Please enjoy!

Thanks for everyone's patience. It was a little more difficult that I had anticipated - putting it all down in a somewhat logical and understandable format. I hope I have accomplished that goal.

For the grins and giggle factor - I would love to know how many of you partake in my madness. Would you mind leaving a quick comment if you do download the pattern. Just an "I took it" is fine. I sure would appreciate it. There is probably a way that I should be able to figure out the numbers - but my brain is too tired to pursue it right now. I revert to old fashioned "please" leave a comment - thanks!

Feel free to share my site with whomever you want.... I put a lot of work into this project, and I hope that quite a few people will benefit.

Have fun.... I would love to see the outcomes - if anyone makes glittens - would love to see photos.

Now - I am going to go knit.....
Later, K

And now on Tuesday....

I have my glittens done - and no, I will not bore you with yet another photo of them. I have one more pair to make soon, and during that process I will attempt to make a very detailed step by step pattern. There have been enough people comment and write asking for such. I will just post it here on my blog, free for the taking - if anyone wants. It may be awhile before I get it done, but I promise....eventually.

A moonflower update - it bloomed again, by the light of a full moon no less. It only lasted till noon the following day, however. I have found several more buds developing - perhaps if Jack Frost does not visit soon.....

And, I ask you, how can one hat be soooooo boring?? (Or, I guess 2 hats, as it is Double knit). If it were not fitting my DH's rather large head so well, I would toss it to the wind. He has always avoided hats, as they never fit him. This appears to be a happy match for head size. (Do I need to hang my head in shame - this is the first hat I have ever made!!)
And, another good book recommendation. A Golden Retriever is a main player in this story! Cute. For all the dog lovers out there, the author is a great golden retriever lover. According to the dust cover, he and his wife have established a foundation which has rescued over four thousand dogs, mostly golden retrievers. Good read, must be a good guy.
Off to my "job" at the LYS today. Catch ya later....

Turning Mittens....

Into Glittens:

I have had several people write me asking how I make my "glittens". As I made this pair, I took photos (sorry - I am not much of a photographer) and will try to give you more information.

First, I make mittens. Where I want them to open up for the glove part, I knit across with one row of contrasting waste yarn. Notice the tan row on the palm side of the mitten on the right.

I remove that waste yarn, putting the live stitches back on needles.

On the "mitt" side, I work 3 rows of ribbing and then bind off, making sure that I leave a long length of yarn at the start and that I have the same on the other end after binding off. These ends will be used later.

Then I cast on stitches (leaving a long length for sewing later on) and knit the glove and finger part in the round

I like to make the fingers each a different color, leaving sufficient yarn to gather up any gaps that might develop between the fingers.

When the glove section is completed, I put it on, and whip stitch the cast on edge into the color strandings on the back of the mitten, making sure that I don't go all the way thru - which would create havoc with the colorwork pattern on the "good side" of the mitten.

Then with the two ends hanging off the ribbing, I securely tack down the edge of the ribbing to the mitten.Thats it!!

This is the 27th pair that I have made. The only problem I see is that people like them so much, I get requests for them all the time. Sometimes I am in the mood to make them...sometimes not so much!! The color stranding and double thickness make them extremely warm and practical (if not too fashionable!!).

Some are made with gauntlets that really keep the wind out of your sleeves. Those are my favorite, but some folks prefer regular cuffs. The current pair is for a man, hence the darker colors and the ribbed cuff. I plan to make a hat with the same yarns. This yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash. My normal yarn is Dale of Norway Heilo - which is a DK weight yarn.
If anyone wants any more details, stitch counts, that type of thing, let me know. I really don't have a written out pattern, but I can share my basic guidelines with you. The very first pair I ever made came from an old knitter's magazine. But, I have made so many modifications and changes over the years, the current version is far from the original. Hope that answers the questions that some of you had, and that I have not bored everyone else to death.

Now - I have one more mitten to make into a glitten.... catch ya later..... K

Whew.... finally time for a post...

Life has been a whirlwind around her the last few days. Along with spending extra time with my recuperating mom:

On Friday, my daughter and I had a "girl's day out" - GREAT FUN!! (no one ever told me how wonderful it would be to have adult children!!)

On Saturday, we took part in John Deere's 60 Anniversary celebration (which is where my DH works) and we took in a great movie -- "The Brave One" with Jodie Foster. Be warned: very violent, and not my normal kind, but it had me on the edge of my seat from the first few minutes.... never once did I look at my watch, or think of what I could be doing at home (my test for a good movie).

And, on Sunday, we took in the beautiful Iowa countryside while touring some historic Iowa barns. There is a society that helps with the restoration of these treasures, and they hold annual tours where you can explore the barns, hear the history, meet the owners, that type of thing. A fall road trip is also a great reason to go....

My vote for most unusual roofline:

Probably my favorite of them all -- for some reason I really like round barns.

Here is an inside shot of the round barn. There was a silo built in the middle of it.

While not much, I have managed to do a little knitting. I started a pair of my original Glittens as a Christmas gift - the recipient of which will be nameless. I normally make them from DK wt yarns, and since these are WW Cascade 220 superwash, I am a little unsure of my sizing. Plus, I do not have the hands available for try-ons. So, hoping for the best!!
For an easy road-trip project, I started a double knit hat yesterday. This is a test run of the pattern -- mainly the sizing. I hope it winds up fitting someone. The double thickness of Cascade 220 should make for some ears this winter.
And finally, my daughter saw a copy of Interweave knits at a LYS, with the photo of "Tilted Duster" on it. She liked it, and mentioned that she would like me to make it for her. So - another on my list - hopefully before Christmas. Christmas on my new retiree's budget is going to be down-scaled a little this year. I hope that some nice handknits make for some gifting excitement.

FO's and New beginnings

My glittens are finished! Thank goodness!! Terrific to wear, they are - fun to make, they are not. Sofee and I will deliver to mom as soon as they are dried. Sounds like they will be to her just in time for another major snowstorm!!! This is a semi-original pattern, knit of Dale of Norway Heilo. Dpns size4,5, and 6.

Also finished is another fun and quick pair of worsted weight socks for the "bigger kids" at CIC. Stitch pattern courtesy of Marguerite. Thanks again Marguerite!



Probably the new "Monkey"by Cookie rage brought to mind the time when "Jaywalkers" by Grumperina was all the rage. As I remember, there was a fitting problem for some, while others just loved the pattern. I was intrigued, and in an effort of procrastination from the dreaded glittens, I cast on Jaywalkers. Sort of love them.....!! So far the fit seems fine, but time will tell. I am knitting these in a Lisa Souza yarn. The colorway is Graphite, and is really more gray and less blue than the photo portrays.

And - for the new beginning part of this post: One can never have too many Monkeys!! I am casting on for my 2nd pair very soon. Shirley and I are doing a pair in a plain color while joining in the Sockmaniac's March KAL. Should be fun!

Come back later for a BLT! (1st sign of spring at my house!!)

Gratitude...

Winter returned to Iowa this weekend. Freezing rain followed by up to 10 inches of snow has bent tree branches and broken power lines to many residents in our area. We are grateful that we have power and are warm and safe. The power company is doing all they can, yet some customers are not expected to be up and running till some time Monday. We have been there, and that is why a dusty generator stands ready for duty in our garage. Our daughter now has a generator also, as she lost power yesterday - only to have it return about the same time her new generator moved in!! There is always next time, however.... Iowa is Iowa...

Sofee, she is grateful that she is a Chihuahua today! No one in their right mind would expect her to do anything other than stay inside and lounge on her cozy comfort disk. Gone are the days that she is jealous of the "big dogs" next door that live outside most of the time. Course, their lifestyle may look pretty darn good in a month or so....

As for knitting: Along with nearing the completion of a WW "big kids" socks for CIC, I have mom's glittens in the finished Mittens stage. I need to open them up and put the glove insert in. It is always amazing what the blocking process will do for the looks of these....even out those lumpy stitches, and make them presentable. Hope mom likes them!