Want to Make a Scarf to Match Your Newfie Mittens?

We just received this request on the Newfie Mitten pattern post:

"I made a pair of these for my aunt and she loves them. She wants a scarf to match! can you post a pattern for a scarf to match? thank you."

That's easy!  No need to make a pattern because it's pretty much already out there.     You can find the pattern free here!  You'd be basically just knitting a super long dish cloth!  Just keep repeating the pattern until it's long enough to wrap around your neck one or two times, and cast off.

That felt like the laziest answer, but that's it in a nutshell.

Cheers!
N

Like a Real Aristocrat

It's the weekend once again, and we thought we'd shake it up a bit and CRAFT.  Shocking, right?  We're very unpredictable.  I've been drawn back to the chiffon flowers, and I've bought some barrettes and a glue gun, and instantaneously I have rose hair clips.  I required something with a little more skill and thought involved, so I found myself digging up a few old holey thrifted wool sweaters, and I sewed up child-sized hats.  The Bumblebee declared them "painfully itchy".  But they're so pretty!  She agreed that they were very sweet, but there is not enough money in the world to convince her to place it back on her head.  So very sad.  As for other crafty endeavours, we found the watercolour pencil crayons that the girls got for Christmas, and we drew flowers, coloured them in and brushed it with water.  Our pictures turned out brilliant!

As for knitting, I plan to cast on for a hat that will match the newfie mittens.  If you look in the comments below our Newfie Mitten pattern post, Wendy has graciously written a pattern to make a matching hat.  How flippin' awesome is that???  So keep your eyes out for more hats!   It's gonna get crazy around here.  Seriously.

Happy Saturday, my friends!

N

30 Days of Happiness :: Knitters Fair

I was very brave this year and took the two girls to the annual KW Knitters Fair yesterday. I knew ahead that it wouldn't be easy or fun, but I equipped them with a knapsack loaded with snacks, drinks, paper, pens, a map, a camera, and sweaters. When I downloaded the pictures this morning, I was surprised by how much fun they really did have and not so surprised by the pictures of knitted monkeys. I had gotten conned into buying a monkey pattern booklet with requests for one punk monkey and one baby monkey.

I also came away with a big ol' bag of Briggs & Little wool. I love knitting with this earthy wool despite it's little straw bits and barn smell. I bought enough for two sweaters - Girl Friday and Margot. Did you see the new issue of Knitty? I love practically every pattern and want it knit up right now! Swoon. Oh, if I could stop everything right this minute and do just that. This is where you remind me that I have not started my Christmas knitting.

N

Strawberries and Cream

If I had hundreds of millions of dollars to lose (like many of Bernie Madoff's friends), I would be so lucky. I wonder what that's like. Even for a week. Poor Bernie. We should commend him for thinning out the filthy rich. Even Ruth Madoff still made off with $2.5 million. Most of the world would be content with that. I had a conversation with my cousin some time ago about the most any one person needs - perhaps a salary cap of $300,000 a year. Doesn't that sound like more than enough? It's enough to have a very nice house, lots of food, lots of holidays, lots of extras . . . at the same time, a top earner would remain considerate, accountable, careful, and appreciative. Too much of anything will give you a belly ache. I should know. I enthusiastically ate a lot of pineapple once.

N

The Revival of the Newfie Mitten

I spontaneously bought a skein of wild green hand-dyed dk weight superwash wool from Kata last Friday night, and I spent all day Saturday cruising Ravelry for a mitten pattern that would showcase it best. Just as fatigue was settling in and I was about to give up my search, it dawned on me that I had the perfect pattern at my fingertips – the flippin’ Newfie Mittens!!! Instead of using two colours, I would just use the wild green. El loves the mittens and has claimed them most willingly. That was the quickest and funnest knit ever! Just sayin’.

N

Oh, and as for that wool, there's no more of that wild green, but you can see Kata's other equally fabulous hand-dyed skeins in her etsy shop!

One Click Shopping

Can you believe that I have extra time on my hands? So much time in fact, that while Mr. T was out last night at class, I bought a pound of organic Tahitian vanilla beans on eBay and paid for my other recently acquired auction item, 2.5mm Addi Turbos for $2.99. What a deal! And having a PayPal account sure makes buying things easier. Too easy.

What does one do with a pound of organic Tahitian vanilla beans you may ask. Well, anything and everything. Stay tuned.

My mom brought these very cool vintage knitting pattern booklets with her when she came for the wedding.I especially like the "Beehive Style Sets for Men". Now if only I could get Mr.T to wear something other than grey sport socks.

Simple Wristwarmers

Remember this post not so long ago? Well she's finished her first project - wristwarmers!

We made it up as we went. My thinking was it needed to be a quick, gratifying project, so I figured we'd need a chunky yarn. She wanted brown, and I just happened to have some brown Bernat Softee Chunky laying around - it's 100% acrylic, so they're good in the washer and dryer. I think it will soften up more after it's washed.

Using 6mm straight needles, she cast on 25 stitches, and she knit in garter-stitch until it stretched around her hand and wrist lengthwise - we didn't want them loose at all. Then she bound off all the stitches, and she made a second warmer exactly the same length.

I, then, folded them in half lengthwise and seamed an inch from the top, left about an inch and half for her thumb, and seamed the rest. She is very pleased with the result. In fact, before she could argue, I insisted she cast on for a smaller version for her best friend who is quite petite. When the girls are together, it looks like I have three daughters. It is fun to imagine - especially since it is just imagining. :)

I am under the impression that she would like to wear them on her first day of school. That's a good sign even though she keeps reminding me that she doesn't like knitting - not at all.

N

Free Newfie Mitten Pattern

Newfie Mitten
Size: Adult
Need:
· 2 colours of worsted weight yarn – preferably a light and a dark
· Set of 4 -4mm double pointed needles
· Stitch holder or large safety pin or even some scrap yarn

Pattern 1: *k4, sl2* repeat
Pattern 2: k1, sl2, *k4, sl2* repeat

Notes: Slip slipped stitches purl-wise.

Directions
With colour A, cast on 40 sts. Rib in K2, P2 for 3 inches increasing to 42 sts on the last round. Do not cut off colour A.

Join colour B and work 5 rounds of Pattern 1. Purl 2 rounds with colour A.

With colour B, work 5 rounds of Pattern 2, and purl 2 rounds with colour A.

With colour B, work 5 rounds of Pattern 1, and purl 2 rounds with colour A.

With colour B, work 5 rounds of Pattern 2, and purl 1 round with colour A.

Next round (Thumb): P3, slip next 6 sts to a holder, cast on 6 sts, and complete purl round.

Continue working until 7 more patterns are complete – alternating Pattern 1 and Pattern 2 with 2 purl rows of colour A after each pattern.

To decrease:
Row 1: *K4, K2tog* repeat
Row 2: *K3, K2tog* repeat
Row 3: *K2, K2tog* repeat
Row 4: *K1, K2tog* repeat
Row 5: * K2tog* repeat
Draw up stitches and fasten off.

Thumb:
Slip 6 stitches from holder, pick up and knit 8 more stitches (14 sts). Divide on three dpns. Work in stockinette stitch 2 ¼ inches or until desired length.

To decrease:
Row 1 *K2, K2tog* repeat
Row 2 *K2tog* repeat
Draw up stitches and fasten off. ENJOY!!

For child’s mitten – Cast on 30 sts. Work thumb on 7th row of Pattern 2, and work 4 more patterns for hand. 12 sts for thumb.

For larger child’s mitten – Cast on 36 sts. Work thumb on 3rd Pattern, and 7 more patterns for hand, and 14 sts for thumb.