Mittens Required

Hello! We had icy snow here yesterday at the beach. Gone are the warm sunny Decembers of past years. It's very cold. I had to wear my snow pants today. And I
never did get all the ice off my poor shivering Jeep.

I had to restock my pantry and fridge, start planning for Christmas meals. Saturday will be Tree Day and I plan to have my Very Veggie chili  made for dinner afterward, to renew everyone's strength for the big final shopping week.

It gets dark so early! Even with our long nautical twilight it is pretty darn dark here by 5.30 or 6PM. The fun thing is that coming home from errands all the neighborhoods are just amazingly bursting, glittering, with extravagant outdoor Christmas lights. Don't you wonder who invented house lighting for Christmas? I think my dad remembered his father decorating their home back in Ohio, many years ago.

Anyway, back to the cold weather: definitely need hats and mittens. I've been knitting fingerless mitts. These are so fast and fun and very useful. Lately I have just been knitting [and quilting] mainly for myself; I'm slow and no one else much wants ''granny-look'' things, I guess.

I usually have to take my gloves off to drive, to take photos, make calls or send texts. Not with these cuties! Had to have pompoms, even if I'm no longer 4 years old.

The yarn is from last year's NYC farmers Market  (Union Square Greenmarket). The 100% wool, handspun yarn was wonderful to work with. 

This is my second pair, only one mitten is finished.

Unblocked. I used odds and ends of yarns for the very bright color blocking effect.

Inspiration photo, Pinterest, below.

I even got a request to make a pair for one of my kids. I was pretty thrilled, since, as I've mentioned, they are not so fond of my crafty endeavors. Good thing I had the foresight to have the recipient choose their yarn. "Soot" would not have been my first [or last] choice. Brooklyn Tweed The pale grey is alpaca, in case the person allows pompoms. No? sigh......

 

I'll put the basic pattern at the end here. I changed it a lot but you can use the original if your gauge works. (I always knit too big.) I apologize to the original designer, I lost the link where I found this ever so simple and fun pattern.

 Stay warm! Be cozy!

 

love

 

lizzy

 

 

................gone to the beach....

 

 

 

 

                              





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                              Basic Open Mittens

 Materials:: Worsted weight yarn. US 6 double pointed (I used 5s)

needles, set of 4 (or size to obtain gauge); stitch markers

Gauge: 5.5 st = 1"

Cuff:: Cast on 40 stitches. Divide onto three needles, placing 12 stitches on needle 1; 14 stitches on needle 2; 14 stitches on needle 3.

Join for working in the round. Round 1: *k2, p2; rep from * to end. Repeat rib for 1-2 inches. (That depends on you. And what you want.)

Hand:: Change to knit stitch, and knit until desired length until thumb. For this particular pair, that was 4 inches. Piece measured 5 1/2 inches.

 Next row 1, (needle 1) K2, increase 1 stitch in next stitch, place marker, knit across the rest of the stitches on needle 1, knit across all of the stitches on needle 2, knit to last 3 stitches on needle 3, place marker, increase 1 stitch in next stitch, k2. (42 stitches)

Next row 2, knit one row.
Repeat these 2 rows 4x. (always do increase right before or right after the marker, the directions are a bit vague here)
Then repeat row 1. You will have 52 stitches. And 9 stitches at beginning of needle 1, before marker, and 9 stitches at end of needle 3, after marker.

Next row, knit across all stitches on needle 1 (slipping marker as you come to it), knit across all stitches on needle 2, knit to marker on needle 3, remove marker, k1, bind off next 8 stitches.

Next row, bind off 8 stitches on needle 1, k1, remove marker, k1, *p2, k2; repeat from * to end. (36 stitches)

Next row, join, continuing in rib pattern for 1".

Bind off loosely in rib. Make second mitt in same way.

Weave in ends. I also tighten the area where you joined for top ribbing.

                             

All That Glitters

Hello! Is it too cold for the flea market tomorrow? I rescued my down parka from the dry cleaner's storage safe; I finished my woolly new mittens....I am hoarding the dollars that the plumber didn't get. I am all ready to shop and hoping the day is not spoiled by---snow?!

 

 Last week the market was good. I picked up a bunch of chandelier crystals to make my ornaments I sell each year in my etsy shop.

I bought a baggie full of rare red crystal drops.

I made up a set of three. Not sure if they'll sell like the clear ones do, but they are so gorgeous.

This was a grubby shoebox-full, from the Staffordshire china guy. He was like, Oh take it, take it! All. Please. So I went home with the whole batch.

He also has the adorable brass or gold dore' cherubs. I threw two sets into my box (verrry gently) and he kindly added them into my bundle.

They're heavy. Maybe I will make linen or velvet hearts to sew them upon? Their plan needs more thought.

I did make up as many if the crystal drops as I had S loops on hand. I like to add the strong pretty loops for my buyers, so their ''diamonds'' are all ready for their tree or mantel swag.

Oh I also made a few glittery sand dollars. But I forgot to list them, oops. Back to work, come visit my shop here if you have a moment...

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.............

 

 

"Shop Local"

Hi everyone!

Look! Santa came this year!

The big marina, now empty of yachts, is at his back. A few fishing boats remain, if you look closely.

And the firehouse once again has the best Christmas trees for sale.

Wonderful trees and a fine fundraiser, fun to see the guys who volunteer here for firefighting and rescues. We wish them all a very merry Christmas.

Last year all this was destroyed by H. Sandy, so seeing Santa and the firemen's trees made me very happy.

Monday and Tuesday I ''shopped local'' as they say here. We don't have anything very glamorous. (I'll put a couple links at the end for high style, fancy/ glamour locations, all white and sparkly.)

This is the local nursery/ flower shop.

You can see how it was once a farmhouse perhaps. It is located on the mainland on the big bay, where people ''summered'' before the barrier island where I live was filled in and built upon in the 1920s.
They stock cute beachy ornaments.

And seashell ideas.

The shop specializes in fairy gardens. This year: gingerbread fairies, adorable!

And trees too, of course.

I got a delightfully scented rosemary bush and two amaryllis bulbs that I stupidly thought were part of the buy one/get one bulbs deal.

 

 

 

 

The rosemary is, I know from experience, rather prone to wilt. They're fussy, they don't like my hot sunny rooms. So it is acclimating here in the pile of bowlies.

I also stopped into Marshall's. [I told you: Not Glamorous here,lol.]  I bought yet another mercury glass kugel, a spool of burlap ribbon and a bunch of tiny mercury ornies for the rosemary tree?

This is my back door. A little pine in the pink crock.

I tied just a single star at its top, I want it to look sweet and simple. Though I do see it could use a bit of the burlap to hide its pot.

My shopping is done except to add small stocking stuffers and gifts for my guests at my Christmas Dinner. Mittens and socks, wines, bags of pistachios...little things. Just for the fun of it. Because everyone must find a present under the tree, right?

Even if they were, well, a bit naughty!

Hope you're having lots of fun, no frazzle. Happy Holidays to all.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach

links:

52 Flea here Be sure to read  back a few posts too, where Laura shows a friend's delightful home in detail.

And for classy white beach Xmas: A Beach Cottage: here and see Sarah's series called "Love Your Christmas Home."